Cooler vs. Refreidgerator

outwardbound 2

Expert Expediter
ok i have need of advice on getting a cooler or a refridgerator for the tuck i have a freightliner C120 with 4 batteries and no gen set. which would be best for food and drinks and how long could i safely leave the truck off without draining the batteries?
 

DocRushing

Expert Expediter
With four heavy-duty high-capacity batteries, with either a cooler (on one truck) or a refrigerator (on two trucks) my rule of thumb has been not to exceed 24 hours without firing up either the main engine or the APU.
Several times, when I ran slightly more than 24 hours, the starter on the main engine turned over rather sluggishly.
So 24 hours is my standard.
If your batteries are not high-capacity, you might wish not to exceed 12-16 hours.
Good luck with yours!
Doc.
 

DocRushing

Expert Expediter
By the way, Marda and I found both the cooler and the refrigerators to do quite well.
Our refrigerators could keep the stuff a bit cooler.
They also had small freezers.
Therefore the food inside stays fresher for a longer time.
We prefer a refrigerator.
Our new sleeper has one.
But a cooler is still adequate.
Best wishes,
Doc.
 

LDB

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
2006 KW W900 with 4 batteries. Refrigerator only and not even a single light or anything else lasts 18 hours max till the low voltage alarm sounds and cuts off the juice. The cooler will keep the stuff inside maybe 40 degrees cooler than the ambient temperature so in July when it's 100 degrees inside the truck because everything is shut off and it's just sitting in the sun your stuff will only be cooled to about 60 degrees. I don't trust milk etc. that way. You'll use more power for the fridge but it will do a far better and more uniform job for you. Good luck whichever way you go.

Leo Bricker, owner trucks 3034, 4958
OOIDA 677319
73's K5LDB
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
----------
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.
 

vipra

Expert Expediter
At Camping World stores you can get a fridge with a thermostat that plugs into your cig lighter socket. Since it has a thermostat it doesn't run constantly like the fridges for sale in truckstops, so it uses far less battery power. I have two 12-volt auxilliary batteries in my van, and I run my fridge and laptop all weekend without idling at all.
Vipra
 

outwardbound 2

Expert Expediter
Thank you all for your wisdom and experance. With any luck i won't be setting long enough for this to become an issue. Just have to remember to unplug it when i get home(where ever that was)
3 weeks out and still going strong.
 

ATeam

Senior Member
Retired Expediter
>Thank you all for your wisdom and experance. With any luck i
>won't be setting long enough for this to become an issue.
>Just have to remember to unplug it when i get home(where
>ever that was)
>3 weeks out and still going strong.

Every expediter I know and have heard about has sat long enough for it (refrigerator and batteries) to become an issue. Sitting is an expediting fact of life.
 

outwardbound 2

Expert Expediter
>Every expediter I know and have heard about has sat long enough for >it (refrigerator and batteries) to become an issue. Sitting is an >expediting fact of life.

Yes ateam you are right being a newbe i already hit that once i put down for my reset in Virginia Beach VA. and ended up setting there for almost 3 days. learned my leason to try to get my 34 on the weekends when i don't have to unload till monday.
 

BigBusBob

Veteran Expediter
Driver
all this info has made me decide to go out to the truck here shortly and bring my cooler in... I'm doin' a 34 hour re-start at a Holiday Inn Express in SC... exit 63 off of I-85... very nice place behind the Pilot T/S. There's a Fridge and microwave in every room.
My AC is acting up on the rig, it cools, but not Ice Cold. I was gonna have it worked on at the terminal, but when they told me they got 17 trucks in front of me I decided to chill out by the truck stop instead. I've been on the rd for over a month now, I did go by the house for about 20 hours or so to do my taxes, then went right back out. I'm doin' a 34 hour restart here in upper SC so I can spend some much over due time with my girlfriend. The break is nice. I sure wished my AC was workin' much better. I just started using the AC this past week, I shut the valves off to the heater core in the engine thinkin' that'd make a difference... but it really didn't.
I'm gonna have it taken care of on the road at a T/A service center if possible. I'm goin' north from here so the milder AC won't be much of a problem... no doubt though in the next week or so it'll get worked on.

Back to the fridges, I looked at some at the truck show in Kentucky.
They seem to average around $500+, how much is that one that is found at Camping World???
I looked at some fridges that were over 700 bucks. That's all I did too, was "look".
I'll update this post ina bit once I get the info outa the rig.
 

FlameMerc

Expert Expediter
I found a nice small dorm fridge at Home Depot. (Magic Chef) for just under $100.00. It has worked very fine for me. It does run on 110 and needs an inverter. I have found with all my Creature comforts, that a 3000 watt inverter was not to big at all.
Bigger is better when it comes to power. You don't want to come up short when you need it...Good Luck....Butch
:D :D :D
 
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