Bulbs & Fittings Ideas

Update 6-2010 it's no longer 4 like it was when I got mine - check around or research anything using a "danfoss compressor" and you will have a good list of choices. End of update

At some time we've all bought the -0 "car coolers" for cans which claim they are refrigerators only to find out they at best can lower the temperature a few degrees if you always keep the door closed. The tipoff is in the instructions where it says you should pre-freeze the product before using the cooler! Real refrigeration systems don't need you to prefreeze cans you just want kept cold. Compressor based systems are so powerful they can make ice! The EdgeStar has a "flash freeze" function when you really need to cool down the box in a hurry. During a flash freeze, the compressor draws about 5 amps instead of its normal 3 amps but then returns to normal thermostat settings after the box is chilled so again your battery is protected.

The EdgeStar 43 quart costs 4 because it uses a conventional R134 (green refrigerant) compressor and evaporator just like your home fridge. This equipment is made by Danfoss which is the only manufacturer of 12 VDC compressors (actually 12-24 VDC to be compatible with the marine marketplace). Danfoss compressors are exceptionally reliable and will run for years.

While smaller thermoelectric coolers draw 10A for larger models, these larger boxes only draw about 3A while running the compressor on 12 VDC. Due to their excellent insulation and exceptional cooling ability they don't need to run continuously like the thermoelectric "coolers" usually do. Mine runs about 1/4 of the time on a hot day and 1/12 of the time on a cold day. Calculating amp hours from runtime and amp draw on a hot day you can easily see why the Edgestar doesnt leave you with a dead battery 8 hours later:

Thermoelectric cooler
10A @ 100% time x 8 hr = 80 AH required from battery for 8 hours use

Edgestar Compressor Cooler
3A @ 25% time x 8 hr = 6 AH required from battery for 8 hours use

Given that the typical car battery holds 80 AH in reserve, the thermoelectric cooler will drain it dead in 8 hours without running the engine. The EdgeStar using the compressor cooler is like running your headlights for 20 minutes and leaves you plenty of starting power.

The runtime percentage on the compressor does go up if you want to store frozen goods which you can't even do with thermoelectric coolers. I've made ice with mine without an issue and kept frozen TV dinners overnight in it. I recommend if you are going to use it as a freezer then add a deep cycle battery and/or isolate your deep cycle from your engine battery.

Despite the elephant in the room of the pricetag, the large size, wide temperature range, and construction quality of the EdgeStar is superior all around compared to the typical thermoelectric cooler on the market. You do get what you pay for. If you plan to have a need for portable refrigeration and/or freezing on the road or on your boat, this won't disappoint you. It's also nice to be able to take it into your hotel room and plug it in while not being on the road. Also where thermoelectric units need to be defrosted every 24 hours these units can run for weeks before having to remove the ice that forms.

At 4 it represents amazon's least expensive solution to a true refrigeration portable unit. There are other more expensive units with larger capacity which are suitable if you have space for them. So long as they use a compressor instead of the thermoelectric system you'll be very happy with the results. Ultimately the price is worth it in its ability to cool/freeze reliably and do so without killing your car battery if you accidentally leave it on all day without running the engine.

I enjoyed this fridge for 3 winters in baja. I was able to power it easily from 3, 50 watt panels. So the fridge lasted 15 months of use.
The failure was in the evaporator. The evaporator is behind the silver lining on the inside of the fridge. The copper coils in the evaporator are wrapped in aluminum foil. With time the copper / aluminum eat each other up. I believe it's called electrolysis. The result is an r134a leak. When I pulled off the silver interior lining the evaporator pipes were all rusted. At first i thought the pipes were made of steel, because of the rust.But i cleaned them and found copper. The leak was on the right side of the fridge , above the large air vent. The pipes are all pitted. I was able to repair the fridge - a temporary fix, til the next leak . The fridge is toast. Built to fail. Can't figure how to post a photo. But if you saw it,you would pass on this fridge. For some reason amazon will not post my pictures. Photos are now up- check out the rust.
I got a good look at the compressor and every other part on this fridge. I installed a schrader access valve on the low pressure side of the compressor to pressure test, vacuum, and recharge the compressor and lines with r134a after the leak was repaired. I can assure you the word "Danfoss" does NOT appear anywhere on this fridge. Those who imply this is a genuine danfoss compressor are misleading or misinformed.

First unit failed in 10 days. Replacement sent to me appeared to be a refurbished unit and had a nice dent in the rear and a noisey whine when running. Edgestar gave me a discount to keep the unit as-is which I reluctanly accepted because I did not want to ship it back again and be without a fridge again. This second unit failed just out of the labor portion of the warrenty and cost me over 0 to ship it back and a flat rate repair of . I paid less than 0 for this unit originally and now total cost of 5 invested and without a fridge for about a month each time I had to send it back. When I got the unit back from repair it was improperly packed and now had more dents and many scratches. After conveying my disappoinment to Edgestar management they sent me a brand new unit and paid for shipping the old one back. So far this third unit is workinig okay.

Note this unit is made of thin sheet metal and the paint is scratched very easily. It's suppose to be portable but is very heavy and awkward to handle so getting it in and out of a vehicle is not easy and since it dents and scratches easily don't expect it to look good very long. And note it is suppose to have 6" of clearance on all sides so keep that in mind when you haul it in your vehicle. Good luck!

Update 2/24/14. Unit quit working in less than three years after continuous use and local appliance repair shops will not service this type of fridge. Will look for a more reliable replacement, better warranty and service.