Date: Fri, 02 Aug 1996 21:19:16
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: EXPRES@gnn.com (RON SALMON)
Subject: Re: Koolatron
>I've been reading the archives on the subject of Koolatrons, and
>was wondering if anyone has any more recent experiences with
>these, and/or their klones.
I put a Koolatron unit in my '77 Westy. Contacted the manufacturer
directly (don't have the number anymore, but it was an 800 number -
maybe 800-directory assistance has the numnber), and explained what
I wanted to do. They sold me just the lid itself from their
cooler, very reasonably. (The lid is the part that has all of the
electronics in it.) I cut a hole in the icebox styrofoam and
mounted the lid into it, caulking around the cut for a tight seal.
Since the unit has a cigarette lighter plug for power, I simply
installed a lighter receptacle in the cabinet so I could plug the
unit in when i needed it, and use the receptacle for other
accessories as well. The unit did a mediocre job, so I called them
again to see what they recommended. They told me to return it to
them, and they retrofitted a larger cooling unit into it at no
charge! The new, slightly better unit did do an okay job. Never
did make things really cold, but made beer, etc. just acceptably
cold during the summer. Drew very little power. I eventually
replaced it with the factory fridge for my '77, when I found one in
a junkyard. The factory unit was somewhat better, but did draw
substantially more current. Bear in mind, though, that the '77
icebox is substantially smaller than your '73's. I'm not sure how
much worse it would be in a larger area. As I recall, the unit was
well under $100.00. For what I spent, I couldn't complain.
-Ron Salmon
p.s. If anyone is looking to upgrade the icebox in their '76-79
bus, I still have the fridge unit from my '77 (it inserts in the
cabinet right in place of your icebox). Would sell it for $75.00.
Again, though, it is only a so-so fridge, but a little better than
the Koolatron. Would not fit in a pre-76, though.
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