$30 thermo-electric fridge at Home Depot

[Radio]

Radio goes shopping:

Found this today wandering through the local Home Depot.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Coca-Cola-0-14-cu-ft-Retro-Fridge-in-Red-KWC-4-2/204467430

I got to put my hands on one. It's tiny, it will hold a six pack of cans or 4 500ml bottles. Or 4 cans and decent sandwich. It's cute to look at, made to look like a retro Coke machine.

Being it's a thermo-electric, it runs on 12 vdc or 120 AC, and either keeps the inside cool to 32F (in pleasant conditions) or warm to 149F. It doesn't weigh much and the sides are quite thin. I'm told the external fan is a bit noisy.

There was one that was open for display. I wasn't too impressed with the latch mechanism. Either it has been man handled or is not quite the quality I would hope for.

But what does one expect for $30? If you have wanted a tiny, inexpensive thermo-electric fridge this might be just the thing.

I'm thinking about getting one. They have a slightly larger, possibly better quality one for $49.

[N3LYT]

They are energy hogs but they do work. I had a bigger version and it would kill a battery in a day. Between the Pelitere junction and the fan they suck up some juice.

[NN5I]

They are energy hogs but they do work. I had a bigger version and it would kill a battery in a day. Between the Pelitere junction and the fan they suck up some juice.

That's not too bad for a Peltier (not Pelitere) junction and a fan. A day is 24 hours, and most car batteries are rated anywhere from 80 to 100 ampere hours. Let's assume 120 aH to calculate with. A 120 aH battery will be pretty dead after 80 aH have been drawn. 80 aH in 24 hours is 3.333 amperes, which ain't much (a little less than two typical 12v lamps). So if it'll run a day on a 120 aH battery it seems to me it's not such a hog.

[wa8yxm]

Most draw about six amps.. My Engel (A tad more expensive) holds like 47 cans and draws 3 amps when it's running.... (Like 800 dollars more expensive when I bought it)

I have used ones like that Koolatron and they are kind of handy, There is a diabetic in Mississipi who uses one for transporting insulin (I sent her one of my spares) but I have not been all that thrilled with them.

[N3LYT]

That's not too bad for a Peltier (not Pelitere) junction and a fan. A day is 24 hours, and most car batteries are rated anywhere from 80 to 100 ampere hours. Let's assume 120 aH to calculate with. A 120 aH battery will be pretty dead after 80 aH have been drawn. 80 aH in 24 hours is 3.333 amperes, which ain't much (a little less than two typical 12v lamps). So if it'll run a day on a 120 aH battery it seems to me it's not such a hog.

I should qualify I unplugged it at night other wise it would have been dead in the middle of the night it would not make 24 hours even on a good day more like maybe 15 hours.

[N3LYT]

Most draw about six amps.. My Engel (A tad more expensive) holds like 47 cans and draws 3 amps when it's running.... (Like 800 dollars more expensive when I bought it)

I have used ones like that Koolatron and they are kind of handy, There is a diabetic in Mississipi who uses one for transporting insulin (I sent her one of my spares) but I have not been all that thrilled with them.

Yes they are far more efficient and the price reflects that. They use an ingenious compressor system with pistons instead of rotary compressors I just installed one in a friends Sprinter.