12v Fridge

Its a portable device that can be used for cooling when on your travels. Perhaps you may want to use it for your car when embarking on long journeys, an appliance while camping or on a caravan trip. It is a very popular appliance with truckers and people with boats.

A cool and useful item for outdoor events such barbecues and parties where the cooling device is right by your side to keep the all important beer (cola if non alcoholic) and food nicely chilled.

You can buy this is most high street shops from the likes of Halfords and Tesco in the UK to stores such as Walmart in the USA. Amazon and ebay are online retailers that sell 12v fridges.

Some 12v fridges work using the Peltier / Thermoelectric Effect where two copper wires are attached to a battery and joined with a piece of bismouth to create a junction.

When passing an electric charge to the junction, where the current flows from bismouth to the copper becomes cold. The cold element is transformed to create an environment that acts as a refrigeration unit.

Some 12v fridges also operate through the Eutectic System that use latent heat principles where a chemical mixture or alloys is utilised. When operated through a battery source, the temperature is brought close to the freezing point (known as the eutectic point) allowing for it to act as a refrigeration device. It continues to run even after the power source has been stopped.

12v fridges work on battery power, the source of which can come from the cigarette lighter of your vehicle such as the car, truck or camper van. There are 12v fridges that can be attached to 240 volt electric sources in the home or other environment thus acting as a duel operated device.

In addition there is also fridges that use 12v battery power, 240 volt electric main source and gas as the source of power (referred to as 3 way fridges). Allowing the fridge to operate from various power sources provides a good choice of operation of fridge.

There are numerous 12v fridges on the market today. Waeco, Engel and Koolatron are some of the well known manufacturers of the 12v fridge. There are many other makes of 12v fridges available too.

Often referred to as a 12 volt cooler, as a portable appliance will not require huge amounts of space. Coming in different shapes and sizes, the appearance of 12 volt fridges or coolers vary. Some are made of plastic others are bag like with strap for carrying on the shoulder. With some models they have the look of a suitcase with handles to carry or wheels attached to allow it to be wheeled along. There are also 12v fridges that are the size and appearance of a small refrigerator.

Prices of these fridges vary from under $100 to $900. A 12v fridge is a great fridge to own when using it away from the regular domestic setting.