12 volt cooler

My Coleman is growling alot. So much so that I've had to unplug it for fear of it catching on fire. Where can I get a spare motor and are they hard to replace?

 

http://www.coleman.com/coleman/parts/product_category2.asp?category_id=740

No, they aren't hard to replace. You can get them at that link, they have motors at the TA's as well. I've heard people tell me they got better motors than the original ones for a lot less money at Radio Shack.

 

I have an older Wagan 15 Liter Mobile Cooler/Warmer (T-2084) that's about 4 years old now, and I have to admit it does a decent job of keeping stuff "cool". But there are big differences between "coolers" and "mobile refrigerators". Namely, the temperature setting abilities. "Coolers" don't actually refrigerate. Instead, they attempt to maintain temps somewhere around 50-degrees (I forget).

If you are planning to use it often and can afford one, I would suggest purchasing a true mobile 12-volt refrigerator, but they are very expensive, and many are large and require ample breathing room. Probably just fine for big trucks, but not something you want to install in an average car/SUV.

However, a cooler on the other hand is just fine (good enough) for weekend road warriors looking to keep soda drinkable and foodstuffs eatable

The Wagan suits me fine and had no problems at all while running it for days at a time running Route 66 or anywhere else I've traveled.

Hope this helps some.

 

i've got a coleman had it about 3 months only problem was blown my fuses wired in a heavier acc outlet and no troubles now.

 

It's important to always check the current draw on these larger appliances. Usually, but not always, not only is the lighter socket of cheap material, the wiring is generally a very high gauge, anywhere between 18 and 26 or worse.

To power these items, it's always a good idea to run your own line using a more appropriate gauge wire, such as 10 gauge for high current items to 18 or 16 gauge for lower draw items. In either/any case, whenever you run your lines with heavier gauge, you'll probably want to run directly to the battery bypassing the fuse block (unless you are experienced with working on the underside and configuring your own circuit(s).

When running directly to the battery, you should always install an inline fuse as close to the battery as possible, but no further than 6 inches. The inline fuse can be of any type (blade/AGC/etc) but it must be an appropriate size in amperage rating for your particular circuit.

Remember, when you use larger appliances and items such as these with factory installed wiring, you can increase the resistance of the circuit which causes item failure and/or heat/fire hazard.

Hope this helps some.

 

My RoadPro didn't even finish a week OTR, before the fan stopped spinning in the 'cooling" direction. It still warms just fine, but what a waste of $$ and space!