understanding frunk coolers and reccomendations

[abirozy]

good afternoon

I have a first gen R1T with the outlet in the frunk. My wife wanted to get a cooler to keep in the front, mainly for when we go shopping. She wants a place to stick the food or groceries so we don't always need to go home between stops. She definitely wants a powered one.

Can you please help me understand how it works? Would it stay on all the time? If not, would we just turn it on at the beginning of the drive? How long does it take to cool down? And perhaps most importantly, do I have to worry about killing the battery?

Also, how big is the frunk, and does anyone have good reccomendations? Since it is not generally for road trips, but grocery shopping and running errands between, I would like a good value for the money. Also, I would assume one that cools quickly would be good if I dont keep it on all the time.

Thanks for all the help and I hope these questions do not make me seem too ignorant.

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[Riviot]

Can you please help me understand how it works?

Yes

Would it stay on all the time?

12v is only powered when it's "on" or when you turn 120v outlets on.

If not, would we just turn it on at the beginning of the drive?

Yes

How long does it take to cool down?

The one below takes like 10 minutes to go from ambient temp to cool.

And perhaps most importantly, do I have to worry about killing the battery?

No

does anyone have good reccomendations?

https://a.co/d/g8yG3P5

It's a tight squeeze and like like it won't fit, but I promise it does! The interior hood is angled and gives just enough head space.

 

[Riviot]

I forgot to mention, the above is a dual zone. I recommend that over a fridge only. I had a 22L fridge and it wasn't enough for us. This 38L dual zone let's you pull out the middle and make it fridge only as well. We used it for 8 days straight and it was great, kept frozen things frozen the whole time!

 

[abirozy]

I forgot to mention, the above is a dual zone. I recommend that over a fridge only. I had a 22L fridge and it wasn't enough for us. This 38L dual zone let's you pull out the middle and make it fridge only as well. We used it for 8 days straight and it was great, kept frozen things frozen the whole time!

Would it stay on if we stopped someplace after to eat or run more errands? If so, is there a setting I need to change in my truck to keep the frunk outlet on even when car isnt?

 

[Riviot]

Would it stay on if we stopped someplace after to eat or run more errands? If so, is there a setting I need to change in my truck to keep the frunk outlet on even when car isnt?

It won't stay on unless 12v or 120v are on, so if you have pet mode going it'll be on. Otherwise you need to turn on 120v outlets for a period of time. Page 311 in the manual. I'd send pics of activating, but I'm away from my truck today.

 

[MikeWilliams_R1T]

The frunk is sealed pretty well… without ventilation, would any electric cooler be able to operate efficiently in there?

 

[Riviot]

The frunk is sealed pretty well… without ventilation, would any electric cooler be able to operate efficiently in there?

Yep! Works just fine. Therms leech both directions through the sides and base. I have a water tank below mine, it'll warm up after a fast charge and cool down in the evenings. Nice warm water doing dishes at night, and cool water in the morning.

Leech? Leach?

 

[abirozy]

I am trying to figure out, can you make either side a freezer or fridge? I/E if you have more frozen stuff can you make the larger side a freezer and the smaller side a fridge?

 

[Riviot]

I am trying to figure out, can you make either side a freezer or fridge? I/E if you have more frozen stuff can you make the larger side a freezer and the smaller side a fridge?

Not in that way. You have A/B; pulling out the divider makes A and B both fridge, but adding the divider makes A fridge and B freezer.

But honestly, you can turn both sides down so low it's almost a freezer in A. I had mine split at 34°F/4°F and my fridge (A) side was freezing things against the walls. I had to crank it up to 39°F so my veggies wouldn't freeze.

 

[Riviot]

I am trying to figure out, can you make either side a freezer or fridge? I/E if you have more frozen stuff can you make the larger side a freezer and the smaller side a fridge?

Sorry for double post, but now I'm rereading the Amazon description. It looks like you can set it even lower without the divider and basically make it a freezer. I'll test it out when I'm back Monday and let you know.

 

[abirozy]

Sorry for double post, but now I'm rereading the Amazon description. It looks like you can set it even lower without the divider and basically make it a freezer. I'll test it out when I'm back Monday and let you know.

Thanks for that, and no rush. I am basically trying to see if I can have left/freezer right fridge as well as left/fridge and right/freezer depending on how much i need to freeze vs just refridgerate.

and thanks so much for the recommendation. It is on sale so I may get it.

 

[Time2Roll]

• DUAL ZONE AND APP CONTROL CAR FRIDGE BODEGACOOLER 12 Volt refrigerator is equipped with two zone,two zones can be independently controlled for temperature 36L(38 Quart).If you want only one zone, you can take off the middle plate.This powerful compressor cooling rv fridge can hold 41cans cola or 21 bottles water or 13 bottles red wine.It's up to you to decide which side to use as the freezer or fridge zone.Our car refrigerator support WIFI connection, App control.

 

[sac602]

Either both sides are freezer, if using dual zone, only the small side is a freezer. You can't have just just the large side a freezer and smaller fridge (unless they changed it in the last 2 years). Also, you can go to camping mode and turn on outlets (there is a timer).

 

[SwampNut]

My answer is going to conflict with other answers here. I propose that a person in a cold climate cannot possibly understand what my climate, or even Southern CA, will throw at this. I don't think any of these fridges will survive in a frunk, possibly not even inside the car. At least in the car, there's the auto-temp control that runs the fans if needed. I've measured my frunk at 160 degrees.

I believe that camp mode keeps the 12v on, right? I haven't tested this. I wonder if dog mode does. When we have shopping errands to do, after buying groceries, I keep using dog mode until we're home.

I do NOT find our fridge useful for shopping, but it's a small one, just for drinks really or a bit of lunch. I use insulated grocery bags with a zipper top, and just take a frozen gel pack with me for each one. Running dog mode and one of those, everything stays frozen for quite some time.

Electric coolers come in two main physical types; thermoelectric and real compressor-based refrigerator/freezers. The thermoelectric are useless in this context, 100% will not work. I have an Alpicool and recommend the brand for value, variety of sizes, and just being good all around. It cools very fast. But again, it's very small, and large ones are expensive and still not that large.

 

[windblowlc]

I do NOT find our fridge useful for shopping, but it's a small one, just for drinks really or a bit of lunch. I use insulated grocery bags with a zipper top, and just take a frozen gel pack with me for each one. Running dog mode and one of those, everything stays frozen for quite some time.

Frozen gel packs are useless keeping icecream and sorbet frozen inside anything insulated. By the time I get home they would have melted, especially the sorbet. I use my fridge and cool it down to at least below 20F before putting anything in it. Frozen food really need to be frozen solid all the time, not just somewhat frozen.

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