[Bear]

Has anyone tried any of the cool boxes available that run off the car battery? Thinking of getting one for keeping bait and macky for eating/bait fresh this summer, so wondered if anyone had any recommendations or thoughts about them as there seem to be a lot of different types available with quite a bit of price variation but not much difference in spec that I can see! I guess they drain the battery pretty quick if you're not driving but might be useful while getting to/from venues?

 

[dabcatcher]

i have one and dont even use it for camping. it will keep things cool while traveling but once you stop it needs switchng off or it will drain your battery.

if you put cool blocks in it doesnt work until the blocks defrost and the temp drops.

i only use a regular cool box with a few cool blocks in it. obviously the more you use the longer it will stay cool if not opened too often. when after mackerel to eat i take a medium,8ltr cool box with 1 block in just to chill them. as i get about 6 fish i quickly fillet them and drop them on the block. i get about 30 fillets in it.

 

[David Gould]

I have one that also has a mains step down transformer to 12 volts .. ( £68 about three years ago 1 1/2 cubit feet volume )

It was recommended that the fridge was set to coldest setting and pre- cooled for 24 hrs on the mains socket as well as having the food pre cooled in the fridge before hand .

So far I have had no probs ... The food and drink was kept cool for 24 hrs even thought it was un powered for three sessions totalling 14 hrs .

Just remember to only take out what you need and close the door /lid straight away .

It is not much good for cooling food /drink on its own but will hold the cold on things that are pre-cooled and put in the pre cooled fridge.

 

[sandpiper]

i have one and dont even use it for camping. it will keep things cool while traveling but once you stop it needs switchng off or it will drain your battery.

if you put cool blocks in it doesnt work until the blocks defrost and the temp drops.

i only use a regular cool box with a few cool blocks in it. obviously the more you use the longer it will stay cool if not opened too often. when after mackerel to eat i take a medium,8ltr cool box with 1 block in just to chill them. as i get about 6 fish i quickly fillet them and drop them on the block. i get about 30 fillets in it.

Totally agree - I got the Camping Gaz large one - about same price -
Totally useless - had to pay garage to come out and start me car = flat battery - after four hours . . . . . Even with half a dozen frozen blocks - it was no better than the plain coolbox -
I came to the conclusion that only the 'catalitic' type used in caravans ; as expensive as they are ! are the way to go if you need a cooler. I use ice packs (camp site freezer) in plain coolbox = Totally reliable :clap2:

 

[Ajohn]

Being a cheapskate I bought the woolies one. It works well and will even freeze things given time - rather a lot of it. Seems to work ok as a straight coolbox too.

John

 

[MikeR]

I have a Halfors 35 litre box. It has a switch on it which you flick and it monitors the car battery. If it starts getting low then the box switches itself off, so no chance of draining your batter!

If you're tempted by one of these don't buy it off eBay. Last years stock of the Halfords 35 litre electric coolboxes saw large returns (according to a guy in Halfords). There are lots on eBay which are the fault prone design. The Model now in the shop has all new internals, despite looking the same.

 

[Bear]

Cheers eveyone, for all the info---it's tricky to decide---the Halfords one sounds like a possibilty and it sounds like the Woolies one works OK! I normally use ice blocks and a cool box and bag but was thinking about an electric one for when camping, with no freezing facilities. It sounds like there's a lot of variation in how well they work, so I'll keep looking into it---cheers

 

[Why Worry Angling Charters]

Why not go for an Icey-Tek? They keep blocks frozen for upto 10 days with no power needed! Take a look on there website.

Ron

 

[sallysludgebucket]

I bagged a bargain at Cash Converters in the winter, a medium fridge that runs off mains or 12v and works a treat. The real benefit of it being "biggggggggggerrrrrrrr than the average !" is that I can pre cool it on the mains at home, add a couple of frozen 2ltr bottles of water and it will remain cold over night without draining the battery. Plug it in the next day and hey presto, does about 5 days before I either buy ice, ready meals, or ask in the supermarket for their waste ice from teh fish display and add in a sealed bag.

I picked up a huge chest Igloo cool box from a boot last week for £3, the bottles of ice have remained frozen for 5 days to date. Of the two options the cool box seems the best in the long run due to the capacity.

Most camp sites do have freezer facilities, but robbing scrotes nick your cool packs, easy if you only use frozen 1,1.5, 2ltr bottles of water as they are free and not worth nicking ! A couple of tackle shops I use will also re freeze my bottles no problem at all, will probably use the cool box for fish & bait and the fridge for food and milk. Be nice to not have mackeral flavoured cornflakes this year ! PMSL

 

[Bear]

Yeah, the taste of mackerel does kind of linger---not as bad as black lug though! Cheers everyone for the advice, got a lot more to go on now when I finally make a decision.

 

[Big Bones jones the fish]

Woolworths are doing a basic one for £30 at the moment!