Anyone have expereience with 3-way fridge coolers? I just discovered these coolers that run on DC/AC/Gas cartridges and I’m intrigued that a single isobutane gas cartridge can power a fridge for 20 hours. Any good? I’m a car camper so I’ve got space. This these Dometic CombiCool ACX3 fridges for example. Not sure if there are any other gas cartridge powered coolers to consider. Dometic CombiCool ACX3 40G | Dometic International
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They don’t list prices for a purpose.
A few years ago, I had a donetic in a trailer. According to the salesperson, the refrigerator, which used propane and 110v/12v, accounted for a significant portion of the price.
However, it did function well. I can’t really say how effective the refrigerator was on gas alone because the trailer was powered by two sizable propane tanks that also supplied power for the kitchen, water heater, and furnace.
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I can get a brand-new Dometic CombiCool ACX35G from Amazon Japan for $322 USD with free shipping. Additionally, isobutane/propane mix gas cartridges are around $2 per can here, so I figured it would be a good alternative to see if it worked on gas. The fact that a portable refrigerator can genuinely operate on a little gas cartridge just astounds me. Why don’t there seem to be more 3-way refrigerators available?
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I wonder why there aren’t more 3-way refrigerators available."
There are several. Probably the majority of RVs have one.
Depending on how you use it, a standard cooler under $100 and a $5 ice block can keep a larger cooler cold for three to five days when car camping. Better still, freeze six one-liter bottles of water so you have water to drink and ice for days. On the good side, nothing can break.
However, do you? Why not get one if you want to camp in your car?
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This is the exact refrigerator I own.
It runs very cold, and I feed it one canister of butane every day.
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I appreciate your comment. It’s probably not that delicate. Since it’s a portable refrigerator, I assume it will be alright, but I’m not expecting bear proof or anything. Right now, I’m only mildly worried about how chilly it might get. I’ve seen conflicting reports about hot weather, yet I’ve set up a tarp in 38°C temperatures in Japan.
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Some of the objects were frozen when removed from mine on days when it was 30 degrees Celsius in the UK.
In terms of toughness, it is more resilient than a home refrigerator but not as tough as a large rough coolbox. It is a component of our glamping setup.