Coleman Striling??

[Dirtgypsy]

I know I know another dumb question about portable fridges. I know that the ARB's etc are well known and liked but i just can't justify or afford a 600 to 1000 portable fridge so here I am again.

does anyone have info on these Coleman fridges? They look pretty good, have some great reviews online and the price is pretty good at under $400. I am just not familiar with this "Sterling" principle.

Any help is appreciated or just point me to a web site that will explain things and I will check it out.

cliNt

here is a link:

http://www.metaefficient.com/coolers/stirling-power-electric-cooler-by-coleman.html

 

[along]

bump for this topic, those look kind of neat for us poor folks, anyone have any experience with them?

 

[Hltoppr]

I've not used one of these....not much info on the site, either...

I know you've heard it...but if you're gonna spend $400....find a used actual fridge....they're really, really worth the $.

There are several on here at any given time...

Expedition Portal: Vehicle Dependent Overland Community ....go to the forums, expedition equipment for sale...

-H-

 

[hoser]

x2 on used fridge. They are out there. Just have to look.

NORCOLD TECH TWO PORTABLE REFRIG/FREEZER
Norcold Camp fridge AC/DC
Norcold portable refrigerator

 

[roscoFJ73]

I think these are known as absorbtion fridges and they are not in the same league as the more expensive type.
Compare the specs with the compressor type fridges.


These type can only cool too approx 25c below ambient temperature so on a 100F they will only cool to 50-60F
The compressor type fridges can get to 20c- below on a hot day as long as they are in the shade

I had considered getting one to work alongside the Waeco just for drinks and salad items. I would use the Waeco for frozen foods.
They have no moving parts which makes them much cheaper.
Under the right circumstances or in cooler climates they would be ok.

 

[mrlocksmith]

Actually, it may be a compressor style, a Stirling engine converts heat to mechanical motion and is very efficient at it.

Stirling cryocoolers
Any Stirling engine will also work in reverse as a heat pump: i.e. when a motion is applied to the shaft, a temperature difference appears between the reservoirs. One of their modern uses is in refrigeration and cryogenics.
The essential mechanical components of a Stirling cryocooler are identical to a Stirling engine. The turning of the shaft will compress the working gas causing its temperature to rise. This heat will then be dissipated by pushing the gas against a heat exchanger. Heat would then flow from the gas into this heat exchanger which would probably be cooled by passing a flow of air or other fluid over its exterior. The further turning of the shaft will then expand the working gas. Since it had just been cooled the expansion will reduce its temperature even further. The now very cold gas will be pushed against the other heat exchanger and heat would flow from it into the gas. The external side of this heat exchanger would be inside a thermally insulated compartment such as a refrigerator. This cycle would be repeated once for each turn of the shaft. Heat is in effect pumped out of this compartment, through the working gas of the cryocooler and dumped into the environment. The temperature inside the compartment will drop because its insulation prevents ambient heat from coming in to replace that pumped out.

Stirling engine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mark