Eating on the road, with Opti-idle, and keeping things cold.

I drive a 2016 Freightliner, with the automatic shutdown that keeps me from idling between 27-69 degrees F. I have a 12v cooler that will drain my batteries if left plugged in when not idling, 1800 inverter only lasts 2 hours at a time. Keeping food cold has become a challenge, I'm running out of pantry stable and just-add-hot-water foods that don't make me sigh sadly at the end of a long day. Any tips? Besides eating truck stop foods. I've been traumatized with the food poisoning..

 

AManwithCrabs seeking any single females in my area..

 

Funny!!!!!

 

Get a cooler bag big enough and hang it on mirror outside. High enough to keep Bears from getting into it!

 

So what 12V cooler drains your batteries that fast? And you don't need the inverter to run it, as it will not even connect to it.

I have the exact same setup. 1800W inverter, and I use the Coleman 12V cooler.
The cooler does not draw enough to drain the batteries in less than a day or two. And the inverter is only really good for my toaster oven and grill. I can run the truck long enough to power them, even if I have to use a stick to hold the throttle pedal down for 30 minutes. Then it shuts off, but I can repeat the process if needed.

I do not have a problem keeping food cool.

 

I like to find good places Today I had Good Catfish and Gulf Shrimp $9.00 Check parking on google maps. I drink Power aid doesn’t need refrigerated tastes good any way. Reminds me hook up refrigerator . Sounds like batteries are weak They need an isolated starting battery or a disconnect switch or another battery or something else is draining batteries.Generators a pain in the###

 

I've had the batteries changed recently but the low battery alarm still sounds after idle has stopped, maybe 5 min, if the cooler is plugged in. Cell phone charger can do it too, distinctly annoying. The cooler is called a Road Pro, a soft lunch box thing with a cooling element on one side. Inverter I just mentioned as it's my only power most of the day/night/whenever I shut down, it's mostly only used for coffee maker. I wouldn't plug a cooling device into it.

 

Those darn bears always sniffing around my truck...

 

Cell phone charger is very low amp 1 or 2 something’s wrong. Have the new batteries ever actually drawn down or just alarm goes off?