Bought one of these today.
http://www.dse.com.au/cgi-bin/dse.st...uct/View/M4501
Looked at them last week and they were $52, the price drop swayed me. $40 today.
I don't need an Engel or a Waeco since we are only doing day trips at the moment. We normally pack a few rolls and a few drinks into an insulated bag with some ice bricks for lunch but have found that it is not the best way of keeping drinks cold and since it will fit a dozen cans it seemed like a perfect solution! I don't expect that it would be able to chill down food or beverage too rapidly but if they were already prechilled then it shouldn't have too much of a struggle to maintain them.
As for the heating function I cant see that as any more than a salmonella incubator.
Lets see how it goes.

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2009 Thai built D22
Handles much better after EFS torsion bars fitted - castor angle improved giving more positive steering.
ARB Nitrocharger front shocks returned because they foul the upper control arms. Steering box sloppy and play in steering. On the Nissan Australia merry go round of mayhem to get passenger door fixed. Diff still whines but Cepeks mask it with their own chorus.
Navara = Japanese for "We play funny joke on stoopid round eye!"

I saw some feedback on these where a guy warmed some pies and sausage rolls after putting them in from cold in the morning, they were ready by lunch. I think they use a peltier to cool, the heating must be a small element.

Any info in the docs/tally on current draw?

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Hi Guys, The peltier can work in reverse. You can buy a peltier kit to convert an esky into a cooler for about $20 from some of the electronics stores. Also you would have been better off using the cooler bag and ice bricks. Ive got one of those thing from dicksmiths and there pretty usless.

60w 5amp. Says it will heat or cool to 20deg + / - ambient. Will try the heating over winter I suppose. Seems to run constant and doesn't have a thermostat as such.

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2009 Thai built D22
Handles much better after EFS torsion bars fitted - castor angle improved giving more positive steering.
ARB Nitrocharger front shocks returned because they foul the upper control arms. Steering box sloppy and play in steering. On the Nissan Australia merry go round of mayhem to get passenger door fixed. Diff still whines but Cepeks mask it with their own chorus.
Navara = Japanese for "We play funny joke on stoopid round eye!"

Cheers for your input.
Idea is to test it out and as you have done rate it to say whether they are a good or bad purchase.
So on that basis lets chalk that up to
Its crap x 1
Its good x 0

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2009 Thai built D22
Handles much better after EFS torsion bars fitted - castor angle improved giving more positive steering.
ARB Nitrocharger front shocks returned because they foul the upper control arms. Steering box sloppy and play in steering. On the Nissan Australia merry go round of mayhem to get passenger door fixed. Diff still whines but Cepeks mask it with their own chorus.
Navara = Japanese for "We play funny joke on stoopid round eye!"

At $50 its hardly worth worrying about, I'm sure we've all spent more than that on testing stuff out to find its crap but isn't that current drain a little too much for what its doing.

My fridge is drains about 2.5amps every time it switches on and in 40 degree heat in the tub it switches on maybe 3 times an hour if it stays closed.

I understand these things aren't fridges and therefore can't be compared to fridges but given that the average person would no doubt just run them off a standard car cig lighter 5 amps constant does seem a little excessive for what its doing. Is the heat from the unit noticeable when running?

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www.krafty.com.au

Dragged it out of the box behind the DS store and plugged it straight in. Completely empty and drove home about 7 kms. At home there was a noticeable cool feel to the areas surrounding the cold plate ( heat exchanger?) and the outflow from the fan was warm but not hot. 55% humidity - thanks telstra - and as soon as I opened it the plate condensated.
5 amp is alot but I wonder if that is its peak draw at start up. The instructions were inside it on a photocopied piece of a4 with the general precautions and broken engrish.

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2009 Thai built D22
Handles much better after EFS torsion bars fitted - castor angle improved giving more positive steering.
ARB Nitrocharger front shocks returned because they foul the upper control arms. Steering box sloppy and play in steering. On the Nissan Australia merry go round of mayhem to get passenger door fixed. Diff still whines but Cepeks mask it with their own chorus.
Navara = Japanese for "We play funny joke on stoopid round eye!"

we can't really compare a $40 cooler against a $1000 fridge,so if it keeps your drinks cool enough and doesn't drain your battery I reckon its not a bad item. Keep us informed of what you think of it mate.

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Black D40 Dual Cab, 2.5d, 6 speed, EFS and Lovells springs and shocks, dual batteries, 3 inch exhaust, arb sahara bar, IPF spotties, custom sidesteps and roofrack.


www.spillanefab.com.au

The cold plate/heat exchanger is the Peltier. Good sign that it condensates, least it reached dew point!

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I guess we'll find out how good it is tomorrow.
My mate has an esky which cools just a little below ambient temperature, basically its just a fan really, it does stuff all in 40degree heat. I suppose his model works on the principal that flowing air might be a degree or more cooler than outside air temp.