I have been thinking about purchasing a 12V Cooler to keep sodas and snacks in my car for some day trips. I'm just interested in a small one that will hold about 12 drinks or even smaller. Looking for recommendations on which brand to buy and also feedback on how using this will effect my mileage. Thanks in advance.
I have used one for several years in my 04, primarily on road trips and did not notice any effect on mileage. Most 12v coolers use between 30 and 50 watts so its not a large current drain.
Also, that 30 to 50 watts gets converted to heat, which must be removed from the cabin. This puts a small increased load on the A/C, but not much. The extra A/C load is about the same as carrying an additional passenger. Tom
My cooler uses about 50 watts which is 1/12 of a horsepower. Assuming about 75% efficiency in storing electrical energy, and taking into account that my 2004 Prius uses about 25 hp when cruising at highway speed, I am using about 0.5% of the car's energy output to run the cooler. That's a loss of about 1/4 MPG. JeffD
I use a bigger Koolatron p75 when I commute down to work for the weekend and haven't noticed any kind of problems with my gas mileage or anything like that. No advert just a pic and size of the cooler I use. 12v P75 Kool Kaddy - Thermoelectric Cooler - Camping Cooler - Travel Cooler - 12 Volt Coolers and Warmers
I have used my thermoelectric cooler for years in an '04 and '06 Prius with no effect that I can detect. And, when I am out of the car I run the cooler on a Jumpstart 1200 Peak Amp/650 Amp system which I keep plugged into the 12V outlet for recharging while driving. It has been capable of up to 6 hours of operation of the cooler while we visit a museum, etc.
