The BEST Portable Fridge and Solar Combo for Camping on a Budget!
We spent three weeks testing solar powered refrigeration in sun, shade, and rain to find the "never run out of power" portable refrigerator and solar combo for camping on a budget. We use the term "budget" loosely as this 12v fridge and solar combo is going to cost a bit more than your average cooler and ice. However, in terms of off-grid refrigeration seen on KZhead, this system of refrigeration and solar is the most affordable we have seen for endlessly keeping your food cold and dry. And as for portability, this combination of solar portable generator, 12 volt refrigerator, and fold-able 100 watt solar panels is about as small and portable as you can get.
Links below for everything seen in this video as well as a link to the Indiegogo and Kickstarter Campaigns for the 40% discount. This discount is on the newest ICECO iCOOLER designed with boondockers in mind that functions similar to a Yeti Cooler, but with the ability to run 12v refrigeration. If you want a 12% discount on any ICECO product there is a link/code for that as well (we do earn a small commission on this one). Also there is a 15% discount code on RockPals gear, no kickback for us, just a nice discount for all of you as part of the Playing with Sticks Family!
Some of the most innovative camping gear for 2020 has been in the form of solar generators, fold-able solar panels, and 12 volt refrigerators. There currently is a push for smaller and stronger technology from the offroad and overland community. As teardrop owners and small camper enthusiasts we have greatly benefited from these new technologies that allow us to get off-grid using smaller refrigerators and power sources than ever before. If you are like us and thought you never needed a teardrop refrigerator while camping, you may want to give it a try. No more warm, wet, or soggy food. No more stinky smells, and best of all no more time spent cleaning that cooler after every trip. And the biggest selling point for us, this fridge can be run off of very minimal power meaning affordable solar solutions.
If you would like to see the solar charging speeds compared from different solar portable generator brands check out this amazing video from Will's channel • Micro Solar Generator ...
Looking for a detailed list of all the gear we currently use: www.amazon.com/shop/playingwithsticks
By purchasing items through these links there is no additional cost to you. Our family gets a small kickback from amazon for any purchases you make using these affiliate links.
Want a 15% discount on your Rockpals Order? Click links below and use discount code: PLAYWM to get 15% off. We also have Amazon affiliate links below for these Rockpals products if you want to support our channel or feel more comfortable shopping through Amazon.
www.rockpals.com/products/300...
www.rockpals.com/products/roc...
If you want to support our Amazon Affililate links click below:
Our Rockpals 300 watt solar generator amzn.to/2T69Gvr
The 500 watt solar generator from Rockpals amzn.to/2Z3NAgJ
The 100 watt solar panels we use amzn.to/2Wv157A
ICECO Link to receive 12% of your purchase at their site. discount code: Playing with Sticks
icecofreezer.com/discount/Pla...
ICECO Amazon Affiliate Links:
-ICECO Go20 Fridge from this video: amzn.to/2Z6uSUh
-Looking for a little smaller 14 qt Version amzn.to/2Yp74M6
-Looking for a little bigger 43 qt Version amzn.to/3fV4W4L
still runs on very low power as low as 33 watt vs GO20's 27 watts.
-Need the big guns at 53 qts: amzn.to/3hTNDTp
also runs on very low power as low as 33 watts.
-Looking for Rugged Offroad Overland Style Fridge: amzn.to/2Z6T88u
*One of the best features on all ICECO Fridges is that they come with Dan Fross Compressors with 5 year warranties.
*The GO20 was a little too small for our family a 31 or 43 qt would be more suitable for us, just in case you were wondering. We made do, but would benefit from a bit more space.
ICECO Campaigns Although they appear to be over. I think you can still get the discount on certain colors of their new 3 in 1 model. Multiple colors still seem to be available at Kickstarter.
ICECO Kickstarter campaign: www.kickstarter.com/projects/...
ICECO Indiegogo campaign: www.indiegogo.com/projects/ic...
ICECO Official Store: icecofreezer.com/
ICECO Amazon Store: amzn.to/2MitOXl
The 2 way radios "walkie talkies" in the video are from the company Retevis.
New to the channel? we have quite a few small camper playlists we think you would enjoy. Thanks for subscribing and joining us on the journey.
Edit: Newer BETTER power station now exists since making this video. We currently have found a solar portable power station that does it all (fast solar charging and regulated power) and would be the perfect match for this fridge. Here is the link to the solar portable power station amzn.to/3mzGSqZ If you want to hear our review on it, you can find it near the end of this video kzhead.info/sun/e9ytaZyamp-Hh6s/bejne.html
Thanks 😊
Your son couldn't get any cuter!
This will work for me, in my truck, on my trailer and at my land... Talk about off grid. Thank you very much so far, I'll check the BETTER power station next.💪😇👍
If no one has told you yet. Dan Foss are the best fridge compressors on the market. All Engels have them, as an example. As long as your no-name brand fridge has a Dan Foss, you'll be good for years.
Thank you for sharing. Yes, when we originally got this fridge I don’t think we understood the beauty of the Dan fross inside it
We have used the kzhead.infoUgkxOTeIs0vv4_9B5hsmnLsk9r930uDQLu_Y for probably 30 hours with our camper and it’s been great! The noise level is really only noticeable when running the AC and other appliances like the microwave, hair dryer, or coffee pot. It’s not huge like other ones and it has wheels so even at 90lbs, I can move it!
You folks do a great job with your videos. Much appreciated!
I have this great IceCo fridge/freezer with a Jackery 300 and their 100W panel. Great setup for a little camper van!
And it never has to be unplugged? I live in my car and am looking for a tiny fridge setup that would work in my build. Currently have the jackery 160 but looking to upgrade to a bigger one with the solar panel
my dude is mystified, straight dazzled how the mini fridge keeps his stuff cool in ....... ALASKA
Haha. I don’t think it’s the fact that it’s running here in Alaska at 70°. That’s not much of a feat like you’re mentioning. It’s the fact that it isn’t draining the battery at all. Everything else we use in terms of power consumption drains batteries pretty quick when we’re camping so we thought this fridge would be the same.
@@PlayingwithSticks Ah I did not realize it was 70 degrees, my bad, please forgive my dumb joke :) I don't get out much so I thought was like 40 or something. Thanks for the video, was a pretty cool and informative! I need to get me one of those DC fridges!
@@p.chuckmoralesesquire3965 We actually loved your comment. It was a good point. Most people don't realize it gets in the 90s here. Even in the middle of Alaska where it gets 60 degrees below it gets over 100 degrees in the summer.
I just purchased the Iceco GO20 + The Bluetti P200 + two 200 watt Bluetti solar panels. I actually thought I would need that much power for the fridge, I’m just now realizing it’s overkill. Oh well I have enough energy to run a ton of gadgets. But Im really super pleased with the iceco and I am eager to see how well it works when I’m in the California desert.
That is awesome to hear. You will be glad you have all the extra power. This will also allow you to charge the power station quickly so you don't have to charge the power station while the fridge is running. Doing that like we did in the video can take a toll on the battery over time.
another great share! Thanks so much, and too cute 'Little Foot' with walkie talkie :) Momma foot and tiny one :) Thanks again, brings smiles to all of you! Cheers! :)
Glad you enjoyed it Marty. The Little Foot was one of our favorite memories we caught on camera. We have a growing list of shots from this KZhead channel that we know we are going to love looking back on one day.
I recently found your channel while looking for reviews on teardrop trails. My friend, you are doing it right! I appreciate your honesty, sarcasm, and humor. I also appreciate you respect the people of the different regions by mentioning their "mileage" may vary on certain items. Case in point, I live in Arizona, and you hit the nail on the head when speaking about compressor runtime. Thank you for providing valuable information to newbies like me in a way that is down to earth. Oh, I think it's great that you link other's videos to exemplify a point. That shows me a good deal of professionalism. Keep up the great work, and I look forward to watching your past and yet to come, content.
Hi Thomas. Glad you are enjoying these videos. Quick question, can you tell us more about teardrop trails? Is that a company, forum? Sounds interesting. Thanks for the positive feedback by the way. Much appreciated!
@@PlayingwithSticks Lol, that was a typo on my part. It should have read teardrop TRAILERS. I was tired and did not catch the mistake. Over the next couple of months, My hope is to acquire a trailer to pull behind my VW Atlas. I want to avoid the mistakes my friends have made. Thus the hours of research to find the style and size that will suit my needs now and into the future. Though, if there was a trail named "teardrop", I would want to hike base on the name alone.
This setup is legit. We don't do a lot of off grid camping but we're always looking to reduce weight when we do. Have to check this thing out for sure! This is cool and thanks for sharing!
This video got us thinking about other uses besides being off-grid. We are going to have to try it out for picnics, long bike rides to return to cold drinks without worrying about loading it with ice. Today we were thinking about the ability to haul some ice cream around. Could you imagine going to the lake and halfway through the day asking if anyone wanted some ice cream?
Drew and May; not only do I LOVE your channel, Its content, but it is a delight to see your little ones as they begin to grow and enjoy the outdoors. I have a photo on my mantle showing my little one on her very first camping trip. She was three months old and I dreaded changing her nappie on the tailgate of my red Ford 250 pick 'em up truck due to the still rather cold weather temps. But instead of screaming, my little one squealed in delight!! Cherish this time, one blink and you will be watching them walk across a stage to get their diploma! Now that will scare the stuffing out of you!! Good luck to you both and keep up the great work! I, loving your content!
Love the imagery of the change on the tailgate. We get you there! Thanks for the words of wisdom Alice. They sure do grow up fast!
Great video, fantastic set up, amazing fridge and solar!! , beautiful setting and great people. Very cool walkie talkies! perfect for so many applications that don't demand expensive, top end stuff. As for your child?! WOW!! so articulate and well mannered , congrats to you all.
Thank you so much for this really kind comment. Much appreciated!
I'm so glad I re-found your video. I saw it but was going to watch something else first then I couldn't find it but then when I Googled off-grid fridges I found it again.
Glad you found it. We just picked up the larger version ICECO JP40. So far it seems to sip very low power. But, we are currently in Utah. This heat will definitely put it to the test.
Your campsites are insane! Stunning. I love all your videos and appreciate all the effort and detail you put into each one. I picked up a Scotty Serro last night. Have Tent camped for years but your videos inspired me to take next step but also to focus on the outdoors and simplicity of a a smaller camper.
Thanks for this video I used your code and bought the solar panel ! I really appreciate the thoroughness of your videos - very clear descriptive and helpful. I wish I bought the rock pal in the first run but I will appreciate them so much more my other brand of foldable solar panels started melting in the Az desert/ not the panel the connections all coming apart glue melting etc. these are more expensive and they look very sturdy! Looking forward to receiving them!
Love this video and the bit about the walkie talkies and your sweet Boy!! He is so adorable!
We really appreciate the kind words. Angela you a tent camper, car camper, trailer owner? Or just looking into getting into it?
@@PlayingwithSticks We have primarily been tent camping, but we do own a 16ft Scamp which I Love! We have kept our camping pretty old school so I am fascinated by your videos on solar power, electric blankets(?!), fancy tables, low water dish washing, showers etc! So inspiring!
Very helpful. I bought an iceco so now I will purchase this entire set up. Thank you.
Since this video there is a much better setup out there. Rockpals no longer makes the 300 watt generator from this video. However, there is something much better out now. We suggest the Bluettie AC50s. It does everything the Jackery and the Rockpals does combined. Meaning best of both worlds. Here is the link amzn.to/3eAHM6c Also at the end of this video we talk about it briefly and why it is currently the best in our opinion kzhead.info/sun/e9ytaZyamp-Hh6s/bejne.html.
Excellent video. I spoke with another person who had similar result with a 100 watt panel. Guess we are gong to need one too! Thanks for sharing this!
Hello from West Virginia. Thx for the great info. I ordered one from your link. Thx for the discount. They are not in stock till July, but that'll work. Love your videos. I ordered a little Rockpal 300w after watching your review then ordered a 100w foldable solar panel after your review on that. Very happy with them. Thx again
Hey there Cindy! Always fun to have folks on from all the way across the States. My wife was just saying we need to get over that way sooner than later. Thanks for the heads up about them not being in stock. Pretty popular little fridges. Glad you are enjoying the little generator and solar panel. Isn't it amazing what you can do with such small equipment? Out of curiosity what kind of trailer do you have?
@@PlayingwithSticks I have a Little Guy 4x8. We like you have some beautiful mountains and the New River the only other river besides the Nile that flows south to north. Great whitewater rafting. We'd love to have y'all.
New to your channel and i appreciate all your efforts and attention to detail. I'll check it out tomorrow, here in S FL.👍👍💜🙏
Thank you! Glad you are enjoying it J R.
Thanks for the knowledge seed. I went back and watched Will Prowse’s Micro Solar Generator Comparison video. I understand now your emphasis on the charging speed criteria, and really think the Rockpals is the best choice for your setup. Nice job! Jackery is nice, but two days for a full recharge is a deal killer. I have always looked at charging speeds for those little pocket backup-battery phone chargers. Some can charge a phone very fast, but a full charge of that backup-battery takes days😬. Now I know charging speed is important with solar generators too. Thanks!
That was an accidental discovery on our part. We honestly thought we would be under powered, but thought it would be fun to do some tests to see how long we could make it. Come to find out with a portable setup like this it really isn't about the size of your power source, but more about how quickly you can convert the sun's usable energy. And the best part, this means folks on a budget could potentially now have a fridge outdoors without having to purchase large quantities of solar panels and large quantities of batteries. The Jackery still has it's place in most people's setup, but maybe as the more reliable backup power source. In a perfect world and money was no option, I would suggest to people purchasing one of each, a Rockpals to get the sun's energy quickly and a Jackery for those long rainy weeks.
Playing with Sticks, most discoveries in history were accidents. After you explained the charging reasoning, it makes perfect sense! So much so, it is almost obvious now! Thanks! The other thing is the Rockpals can take more solar input, so with additional solar you get even faster or more low light charging.
That's why I went rockpals too.
Neat fridge! Love the fridge freezer at the same time! Impressive power usage!
We would have never known about this, but many of our subscribers own this same fridge. After hearing all their positive reviews we thought it was time to give it a try. May says this has been the best upgrade we have experimented with yet. Her and I both felt we didn't have a need for a fridge, but after using one I am pretty sure it will be with us most trips. The biggest thing for us was eliminating wasted food. We often feel terrible getting home with wet soggy food or food that got a little on the warm side knowing we had to throw it out. Now we get home and all the leftovers just go right into the home fridge.
Playing with Sticks, YEAH! Best camping tool I ever bought. Could not get past the price at first, then I was out camping for a month in AZ. Buy ice every 3 days. Small quantities of food. Plan for no leftovers. Soggy food I did not trust. Bad diet out of cans. The fridge solved all!!! If it died, I would immediately buy another!
Exactly what I was looking for....great concise video
Glad to hear it! Thank you. Love the Voltron username.
lil Foot.. so cute!
We love to sneak moments like these in there. Makes it so fun for us to look back on every year. Fun to know others enjoy the little family bits as well.
Sorry I only found your channel last week. You've got good content. Very nice family. If I recall you're going to Southeast Asia soon. I look forward to your vids when you return. Good luck on your mission. I'm pulling for you.
Your video was very educational and informative. Thank you so much.
This video is exactly what I needed. Not only did I get my answers for a smaller PPS and fridge, but I also know now what brands to look at. My plan is to run the fridge with the Jeep's 12v until I get to the site, then plug in the PPS and panel... Thanks mate!
Great idea. Basically what I look for is a Dan Fross compressor. Unfortunately they’re under different names/branding today so it is a little harder to find. I do know iceco is still using them
@@PlayingwithSticks Any thoughts on the LG compressor? I have never had an issue with LG anything, and I have heard that they are up there with DanFoss. I know that the Rough Country, and Vevor fridges use them.
Great video, beautiful family!
You are so kind. Thank you!
Just some info: the Rockpals battery box includes a built in solar charge controller (SCC for short), probably an MPPT type (most efficient). The solar panels themselves typically have no smarts other than a diode to prevent current from flowing backward into the panel. Think of a diode as a check valve for electricity. If the battery is lithium based, voltage doesn't tell you a lot. If it's AGM (lead/acid Absorbed Glass Mat) then 11.2 is almost depleted to the point where further discharge will damage the battery. Lithium batteries have a Battery Management System (BMS) to prevent over discharge and overcharge, and a few more features besides. Since your battery stayed at the same level all day with little sun I would guess there was just enough current coming in from the panels to maintain the battery at par. Sounds like a super efficient refrigerator! Cheers!
Thank you for sharing all this Richard! These are the types of comments that we love receiving. Thanks for leaving this community a better place than before you came.
Fantastic video! Thanks so much for these ideas!!!
You are most welcome Juliette. Glad you enjoyed it.
You guys are awesom God bless your family
I've done the Van conversion and loved it. Spent over $26,00 on vehicle modifications. Now looking to downsize @ 66 years old.
I ran a BougeRv 30qt fridge set to ECO mode at 38* with high 70s ambient outdoor temp, running on Rouffiel K53 (same as Rockpals 350w) kept it running on a single full charge for about 14.5hrs... Adding a 100w NewPowa solar panel to the kit later this month, and expect to be good to go.
Great video! Love the fridge!
Thanks Maykou. We were pretty impressed with the fridge as well. Did it show? Drew was getting a bit excited in this videos 😆
Really cool solar / fridge set up. Now I don’t have to worry about my meds staying cold.☮️😎❤️
Great idea! We have been big fans of these solar portable generators as they have opened up many great overnight outdoor opportunities for CPAP users. Never even thought about meds before. Thanks for sharing.
Love the old school camper.
Really nice informative video. Iceco looks like the way to go.
We are pretty convinced! It wasn't hard to convince us though, as many subscribers from this channel have been sharing with us how much they love their ICECO fridge/freezer. It is always nice to get some real world advice from the community. Typically we buy something and then find out quickly there is something better out there for us. Luckily this time the community helped us get off to the right foot.
Great video! I wish (now) that I had wired my teardrop up for power. Right now we can only get out on weekends. So there was no need for power. LED battery/solar powered lights were plenty. I guess I can retrofit some porch lights... maybe. Any how. You are putting out great information for us rookies.
Up here in Alaska with all the light we realized we didn't need to wire ours at all. We rarely use the lights, just for a short time before bed. And a good ol Luci Light would have been just as effective. And in the fall when we are pretty dark here we always forget to use the porch lights because we never use them all summer. Currently in our opinion wiring is a bit overrated for such a small trailer. I get it, if you have a 13' trailer or larger, but I think most folks with a teardrop will do pretty well with a bare bones setup like you are doing.
You can now find solar lights inc ones that are motion sensored.
FYI for any 12 volt portable compressor fridge. Be aware of where you put ice in them. If it is against where the fridge monitors fridge temperature, it will fool the fridge into thinking it is very cold, and never turn on.
Now this is new to us, but completely makes sense. Thanks for sharing this Mike! I'm wondering if that also is why some folks with these 12 volt refrigerators get different temperature readings in comparison to what their panel is telling them.
Playing with Sticks, Yeah. When you think about it, it makes sense. I believe this was a Bob Wells observation obtained from his own long term 12volt fridge usage and contact with other long term users. I think about loading my fridge with frozen bottles before I leave. I think it would work fine, but position against walls may be key. And, on yours, if you load the freezer section with frozen items (ice?), I wonder what would happen if the freezer section is set to different temps: fridge temp, high and low freezer temps. Using strategic frozen items when starting out may be a way to use less power and extend hard frozen items.
Great review and thank you.The length matters of plug in due to resistance per foot and due power drop.Use a short cord whenever possible.
Thank you-very helpful. Which generator were you using?
That is good to know. We should have known this as well as we do a lot of wiring for many of our projects. But, we honestly didn't even think of that.
Is this a question for rubber ducky or us? Just making sure in case you were asking about ours.
I like your review of the fridge and Soler set up but your boy was just so adorable saying thank you
😊 thank you
Look at that view. Well done my dude epic clip.
Glad you enjoyed the views! Always hoping to inspire someone out there.
Ha! Stopped charging - AT MIDNIGHT🤣 Alaska is too cool!
It is pretty neat isn't it! Sometimes we take it for granted.
So much great information, Drew and May! thanks for sharing! We have wanted to add solar this year... So perfect timing for your video! I noticed that you slept in the Clam Venture in the first segment of your video... I'm soooo glad we got our Clams last season from that seller on Amazon. They have gone up to $245 this year... What a deal we got at $136... East is so so adorable and the last clip with May and "Rye" (spelling) is just beautiful... I know you two are treasuring every moment. ❤️ ~ Maria ps. Congratulations on your channel! It is exploding! (in a good way! LoL) I can appreciate all the work you put into it... Just producing a one minute cooking video for Mandy Lea's virtual "uCamp with nüCamp" took a few hours!
We are super thankful as well about the Clam. Again, thank you SO MUCH for sharing the great deal! You got the spelling right on both Rye and East. Thanks for the congrats. Yes, it is gaining some momentum. Hard to keep up with the comments lately, but also so fun meeting so many new people. We must have missed your cooking segment on Mandy's channel. What episode is that? You are so right in that a short film can take quite a lot longer than you anticipate. Hope all is going well for you and your family Maria!
@@PlayingwithSticks Hey Drew and May... here's my recipe clip for Spiced Lentil Salad in Mandy's episode #2 of uCamp with nüCamp. I think I'll post it to my channel too with the PDF of the recipe in the description... We always take this on our trips... kzhead.info/sun/dNOigK9ue2isjaM/bejne.html
Thank you sir, vary entertaining and informational.. see you on the trail.
Thanks for the nice video! 😊
Our pleasure! We were pleasantly surprised with these results and I know quite a few others on a budget will be as well.
This cooler got me really excited. Im very interested in this. I would need to watch a bunch of reviews on this.
Charles Moman (great guy, takes no commissions) a fellow small camper owner has a review on this kzhead.info/sun/qbWtncOHgJadnas/bejne.html . CheapRVLiving I believe has a review on the JP line of ICECO Fridges. I'm guessing HoboTech has one as well. Those are the three I would check first.
@@PlayingwithSticks thanks for the reply! I wish I knew about these earlier, we are leaving on a week long trip in a few days lol.
Watch Charles Moman for another review of the fridge. Great fridge.
I drove a semi truck for 16 years wife and I used such radios to help when backing in.
That is a great idea. Lately we have been using ours when following the trailer with the drone. Much easier than those hand signals that my wife can never see :)
Love the video! Such a beautiful family
Thanks Nadia! We appreciate the kind words.
Information I really needed, thank you.
Glad it was helpful.
I hauled produce across the USA and we always set the temp at 34 degrees to keep the freshest foods
Now that is the type of information I like to hear. Thank you! Sounds like I need to do a new test at 34 to see if there is a difference.
Cool video! Thanks for the code discount🙏! I just order mine!
Great video and thinking of solar panels and frig. Also you have a great family your son tripped me out with the talkies be safe enjoy
Thanks Paul. My wife will tell you the fridge and solar were the best upgrades we ever made to our camping. I think I am in agreement as well. I put it right up there with our clam tent.
Great research! Thanks!,
Thank you for sharing.
Our pleasure Tim!
I go tent camping with my girlfriend in NY . love the cooler ! I have SUAOKI 120 watt solar and it's great ! It also uas USD 60 Watt PD type C .great for anker power bank. I have MPPT to a 31 AGM battery. works great . my lap top and video stuff and smart phone ,camping lights ,radio ALL solar/batt . even watched movies all night on laptop. went 14 days camping and days of rain. never ran batt under 12.6V .was great! even charged outher campers phones. and I never ran my honda gen! great job showing what need to do for camping. It's fun !!
Isn't that amazing. That is so impressive that you can run all that for 14 days witch such minimal batteries. The power of the sun is much more impressive to us now that we have done these tests.
@@PlayingwithSticks Group 31 AGM battery. RV . get around 7 amps peek charging with MPPT . had a few sunny days. also have 28 watt big blue USB solar and a 7.5W no name USB and few USB power banks. anker 26800 mah best . was looking at video on cooler which I have in my cart. I never ran my honda gen eather.
Great video! Just a side note on the portable power station. If you plan to use it like this, like a power inverter, make sure it allows pass through charging. Some don't have this capability, meaning you can't use the outputs while it's charging. Take care!
Great tip here! Because ours does have pass through, we just assumed everyone else had the same capability. But, you are right. They are not all created equal. We just got the new Bluetti AC50s. Loving it! It has regulated power, pass through, 200 watts of solar input capacity, basically everything we said we needed in this video from one unit. I think it comes out November 15th. This may be something folks want to check out. Again, thanks Dean for your comment. Definitely important to know.
@@PlayingwithStickshi there. Are you still using the bluetti ac50s and how was the testing result in similar scenarios ? Thx
nice review!
Fantastic information! Keep the camping fridge at 35f. The colder the better for food longevity and the thermal mass gives you a bit of insurance.
Thank you David. I honestly had no idea what to keep it at. I just followed the little food guide on the fridge. 35 from now on it is!
This isn't necessarily mobile but on the same vein: I've been messing with home un-powered cyclical refrigeration as a prep/energy conservation technique. Started messing around with a Blue brand rotomolded 55q cooler, those blue ice block thingies, and a home ice maker powered by a Jackery. I can keep perishables cold in my basement in a 55quart cooler indefinitely by making just a gallon or so of ice once a week, which only takes about 30 minutes with the ice maker.
What's the brand name of your ice maker? I've thought of going that route.
Name of ice maker?
Just ordered your exact ICECO fridge (and insulating cover). I have a great car camping system: 1.)Off Grid TREK 220 watt solar "blanket" charging my 2.) BLUETTI AC200 MAX Lithium Iron Phosphate energy center battery. which runs a cooler all day using, at most,1% of the battery. After hunting all day here in Nevada I return and for 2 hours charge up my 2 battery, 2 wheel drive E-CELLS e-mountain bike. I col the fridge down to 30 F. for an hour then unplug it for the night. The next morning the "solar" battery recharges for the day.
I loved your video showing how much power is used! I wondering if you happened to test how much power it used when using the fridge/freezer function for this ICECO 20??
thanks, great review. God bless u
Excellent video!!
Thank you Deana!
Nice! That really puts things into perspective for a lot of people. More and more solar stuff is combined and plug-n-play. Very usable without a lot of thought.
Exactly Mike. When making this video we were just thinking about your average car camper. With a no fuss setup like this you could use it one week for car camping, the next week for a picnic, and on the weekend you could tote it to the bleachers for your kid's little league game.
Getting a modern inverter-compressor fridge was a game changer for us. (Alpicool in our case) No more dumping food from our camper's 3-fuel fridge (works fine on AC, or stationary on propane, but fails at DC on the road), or having to mess about with coolers and ice and the subsequent soggy food. Nice to have when going shopping too if your grocer is half hour or more away to keep the frozen stuff frozen. We run ours off our tow vehicle rather than the camper's solar so we can bring our lunch with us and keep food out of the camper when in bear country. I don't worry about running down the battery as we are frequently running the vehicle from place to place keeping it topped up, and the cooler uses very little power.
This sounds like us, but we have learned these lessons a bit later than you. This morning was the first time the thought hit me that I could take this fridge with me to the store. Often I divide up my store runs due to the temp in the car. But, you are right this would make it so I could even stop and go fishing before going home :) May may never see me for hours in the future when she sends me off to run a simple errand :)
Be aware that your Alpicool will shut off if you have a lithium like a Rockpals that does not have a regulated 12v port once the Rockpals drop to 50% capacity. A friend had that happen with his Alpicool and a Lion Safari 400w lithium that has non-regulated 12v port. Not. Good.
@@charlesmoman It's a battery protection feature as it expects to be hooked to a lead acid battery and as we all know lead acid doesn't like to be deeply discharged.
@@dorvinion Yep. My friend also has an ICECO GO20 ( I did a review of it for ICECO and just did one of their new iCooler Drew mentioned - kzhead.info/sun/l5yxlNyCpYemiq8/bejne.html). The ICECO does not shut off with the Lion Safari when it drops down, but the Alpicool does. The GO20 is a much more sophisticated fridge. Buyers need to be aware. Hobotech and Will Prowse preach about it on every lithium power bank that review. They know their stuff. Be safe.
Soooo adorable!!!
It is a pretty cute refrigerator 😊
we got the shasta camper and we love it
A fellow Shasta owner!
I love that you mention the cord to the iceco can extend to the front where the 12v plug is. I've been eyeing these coolers for some time but we do so much offered, I wasn't sure how we would cool it for multiple days at a time. I thought we would have to end up throwing some ice in it and then we just have a very expensive cooler. I'll check it all out, thanks for the video.
Absolutely love these ICECO coolers. Currently own the JP40 as well. That thing sips watts too! But, if you are offroading, which we like to do from time to time as well. We like to point out two things. #1 the ICECO 12 volt plugs seem to slip out of the female adapters quite easily. Easy fix just pick up a rubber washer and put it around the female end for it to hold. Others tape it with blue painters tape. Second all of these fridges regardless of the brand don't function very well as a cooler. They are better than nothing, but nothing like an insulated cooler. You would think they would hold ice well, but they really don't. Now there is a cooler from ICECO that is designed to be used as both a cooler and a fridge. It is insulated to do exactly what you are saying. However, this increases the weight of the cooler quite a bit. But, if you have decent solar you would be surprised how long you can run these in the field. Last summer we went the entire season without buying 1 bag of ice!
@@PlayingwithSticks thanks for all the info! you're awesome. I haven't approached the 12v coolers because we were intimidated and didn't want to waste $$. but definitely going to take the plunge because we need it! we always have to stop for ice for our yeti, does a good job but we need an upgrade for sure, tired of soggy food! we have a small solar bank but will likely upgrade when we go out west and will do more boon docking that way. all the best!
I find most people who invest in the mid range which is like an alpacool ,a BougeRv or ICECO are generally very happy about the purchase. I think why many people choose the ICECO is it the most affordable fridge that has a Dan Fross compressor. If you follow Bob Wells. He has tried out all the coolers from very expensive to very budget and he lately is telling everybody to go with the mid range.
I had this fridge for a good while really liked it. It did seem to struggle in the southern heat as it's insulation isn't as thick as some of their other fridges. I needed more room and wanted one thicker ended up with ICECO VL60 dual. That thing runs off of my 280ah diy battery and 100 watt solar panel.
Do you still have the VL? How has it been for you? Thanks.
@@dingdongdaddy589 yes I do has been running 24/7 in my car and has been reliable and awesome in these 100+ degree days. Freezer will get up to 11 degrees when the interior of car gets 120 ish. Pretty solid fridge!
@@TimShelnut - Great input. Thank you. I appreciate you taking the time. 👊🏽
Did you have the insulating outside cover for the go20? I'm trying to figure out if it's worth the investment if I go this way
@@NoZenith on the go20 I would skip and get small VL. Or research thicknesses. Normally calculated via interior space minus exterior. I did not have cover on the go20.
Hahaha waiting in Alaska for a gloomy day 6 months later. Nice video thanks for posting.
Isn't that funny. This place always has a gloomy day. And when I went to make this video it seemed like the sun never wanted to leave.
@@PlayingwithSticks that’s pretty amazing, thanks for the content your videos are aways fun to watch.
Thank you for this. I watched so many of your videos but I skipped right over this cuz I wasn't shopping refrigerators. I'm shopping this specific unit and here is a video from you guys lauding it! LOL Do you still use it?
I need a simple setup like this for my van.
Big fans of simple!
The new Jackery 300W has a regulated 12v power outlet and charges quickly. So I think that would work even better than the Rockpals 300W.
Yes, the regulated power is hard to beat. I just looked up the 300. You are absolutely right. The new recharge time is only 4.5 hours. And off of 100 watt solar it is 5.5 hours, so very similar to the Rockpals in terms of quick solar charging. Looks like I have a new portable solar power station to be recommending to others. Thank you!
Nice one
I love my iceco 40 qt fridge freezer iceco uses Danfoss compressor wich is reliable and Durable. As long as you're not deep freezing it will go all week on a single charge deep cycle battery
We are thinking the 40qt may be the route we go as well for our growing family. After these tests we are hooked on these 12 volt fridges. Thanks for sharing your everyday results. We have been trying the deep freeze this week and definitely a bit more power draw. But still amazing in terms of how much time we are still getting out of it.
It's charging up your portable generator with the power beyond what runs your cooler. Nice!
Isn't that awesome! We just got back today from a trip where the next morning we plugged the generator back into the solar power and it charged from 11.9 to 12.6 volts by the time we were done with breakfast. And this obviously was while the refrigerator was connected to the generator. Love how they were able to make something that runs on such low power.
Awesome! Now I need a solar pack for my Ac unit
The way technology is rapidly changing. I think we aren't far off from being able to power a mobile ac unit with ease.
I'm sure we will see jackery come out with something in the next decade with enough juice.
@@JS-qi1ou I agree! And I bet soon most solar generators will be both fast at charging and have regulated power supplies, not one or the other.
This might be too small for my needs but gosh darnit it's too cute.
Love your channel, super informative and constantly learning from you, thank you! I have a classic 50qt arb fridge freezer and wondering what power station and size is recommended to power it off grid (West coast)? Thanks so much!
Good delivery You have inspired me to work on my channel, thanks. 🐼
That's great to hear! Good luck with your future endeavors.
i always liked the sounds of 12 volt ice makers....
We have never heard one. We honestly didn't know they existed until we made this video.
@@PlayingwithSticks the fridge you got sounds cool and sounds like it is really low volts i am talking about an acuwall ice maker bro ,, they sell 12 volt ice makers..me i would get a big giant 60 quart cooler and throw a 12 volt ice maker inside it and drill a hole for the cord.. i may and i say this because i like two creat stuff i may decide two wreck the ice maker and drill a hole or cut a hole so the ice does not fall in the tray but slides right into the cooler.. if possible... yup you add 1 two 2 gallons and they make ice all day long... until the water is gone
jason hullihen, Using an $100 ice maker is an idea that get passed around from time to time. They are really cheap compared to a 12v compressor fridge. A few youtube videos out there of real people trying it. Bottom line was it just cant keep up. The tiny cubes melt really really fast (like about the amount of time the next batch came out), and it takes a lot of power to make that fast ice. It is such a neat idea though that someone has to be able to come up with a scheme that works for them - recycle cold melted water faster to make new ice faster; colder climate; starting with pre-made ice and use ice maker to use ice water to extend the purchased ice longer; ??? Hope you figure it out😃. Would be interesting!
Great video, wonderful family and wholesome living, I love it... I have an overlander and use a yeti but this iceco 20 will fit perfectly and I’ve had 2-100 watt panels on the hood for a year now! I’m ready for an advancement... thanks
Very informative. Information packed video! It looks like a really good system. Charging speeds are the first thing people should be aware of as well as proper solar panel output even on them cloudy days. Consumption of energy as in powering your toys should also be in you're figuring.
We honestly didn't even think of charging speeds when we got this fridge. We were more concerned with the size of the portable generator. But you are right size doesn't matter too much if you properly factor in the charging speed and consumption of energy of your toys.
I love the places your all camp,wish I could join you all one day.but I. Way out in Virginia
Funny, May is always saying she wants to join all the folks on the East Coast someday. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest she thinks the East Coast is ideal. Love how the grass is always greener somewhere else.
Thanks!
My teardrop has a glued on 100W solar panel and a built in mppt controller that charges the battery (which I switched to a LiFePO4 battery, but of course that's not low budget). More interestingly, I also wired a plug to the side of the trailer which connects via a switch to the solar controller. This allows me to plug in a external foldable panel, so my total solar capacity is 220W. The switch allows me to "wire" them in series or parallel. Parallel is the setting you usually want, but if you're in a spot where both panels are in the shade, going serial will likely improve your ability to charge. My controller (Victron) will only start charging when you hit 18Volts (even if the voltage sinks a little later, but you have to make it over this threshold). In serial you add the voltages up, so two panels producing 10V each will result in 20V at the controller, thus triggering the charge. I don't know whether all MPPT controllers do this, but my Victron does. My trailer came with a Norcold 30 quart fridge and it has been working flawlessly on solar. Of course, I don't live in Alaska, so chances of being in a sunny spot are quite high here on the west coast. On the other hand as mentioned we also have a lot of high temperatures which is why I built an extra insulation around the fridge to help with maintaining the temperature (caution: do not cover vent openings!!) All these modern low energy compressor fridges are amazing and a total game changer to what you can bring. I usually bring a lot of stuff because I like good food and always cook. I store certain things outside the cooler (unwashed eggs don't need a fridge and a lot of hardy veggies do well in a ventilated box with a couple of moist rags in it - cabbage, carrots, potatoes, cucumbers wrapped in plastic etc. ). Having 30 quart of real fridge capacity allows to bring a few perishables without having to find ice every few days. With careful planning I can stay out for at least 2 weeks without needing anything - that's a nice boondocking trip!
Uwe we probably say this too often, but you have some of the best posts we have seen on KZhead. Your setup sounds perfect. As you are probably aware, we don't stay very often at campgrounds. The bear rules added a unique twist to our solar setup. It made us realize we need something like yours where we can run both built in solar from the roof and portable solar from a fold-able panel. If you are out hiking or can't leave things out due to bears the more secure option of a mounted panel would give you peace of mind when hiking and the ability to run the fridge inside. Charles Moman just made a great video on this where he drilled through his fiberglass Runaway trailer to be able to not only charge his regular batteries, but also charge his portable solar generator inside his more secure trailer. kzhead.info/sun/h7mrirGjcJV4oq8/bejne.html Thanks for the tip on the veggies and eggs. We do the same when we purchase eggs from our friends, but not with our store bought eggs (you can't do that with them right?) The vegetable tip we have never heard before, but makes sense.
@@PlayingwithSticks No, you can't keep store bought eggs unrefrigerated and FDA regulations require that eggs are washed in the US. In Europe nobody does that so the first time I saw eggs in a fridge was when I came to the US. Eggs have a naturally waxy coating courtesy of the chicken and that's what keeps the bacteria out. Naturally a egg is sterile on the inside, so it lasts. Anyone "commercial" is prohibited from selling unwashed eggs, so you have to find someone who has chickens in the backyard (or you know a farmer really well and he can hand you some off the record - I used to trade them with a farmer and since he didn't sell them he didn't break the law - yet that's a slippery slope unless you're good friends) You may want to check out Slim Potatohead kzhead.info/tools/5LjexFk9wZEnFsXA3TOx-g.html He's from Canada and not only has a very soothing video style, but also has a bunch of videos on low budget and some quite ingenious improvements for small trailers, particularly for storage, shower etc.. He used to run an A liner and now has some sort of fiberglass trailer like a scamp (some canadian company, forgot the name). He just recently did a inside and out solar solution for that trailer using a AGM battery and a solar generator with fixed and mobile panels. Not as refined as I would usually do things but quite usable (I'm German, so of course I over-engineer everything)
Uwe Schroeder, Great Information! I just learned why fresh natural eggs last a long time. Chickens lay about 1 egg a day. They want a batch of eggs, and they want them to hatch at the same time. They gather eggs (including stealing eggs and things that look like eggs like avocado pits), but don’t sit on them. The eggs are dormant until activated by heat and moisture when the hen decides to sit on them for the hatching phase. Once the hen adds heat and moisture, all the eggs start growing at the same time. Before washed and before activated by heat and moisture, the eggs are in the dormant phase and can be stored at room temp for weeks. Some people in Europe will buy fresh fertilized quail eggs from the store and hatch them as pets 😃
2:44 Its the bright at midnight? Thats cool!
just got one . woks great
Love it! That is what we have heard from so many subscribers and viewers. That is why we went with ICECO as well. We did our first real life freezer test today (not just a home test). left it in the car for 3 hours and had nice hard ice cream with those we love. Pretty cool little party trick pulling ice cream out of a car.
Like the other voters stated, I'm impressed with the performance of your little RockPal system. I can't believe it ran a small fridge/freezer along with charging electronics without skipping a beat. I was always under the impression that I had to get at least 1,000 watts and massive panels to do that. Very nice job guys, thanks for the review!
We honestly couldn't believe that either. The only reason we ran this setup is because it is what we had on hand. We thought it would be fun to see how long it could go before being exhausted. We were estimating it would be just right for the weekend warrior crowd. Come to find out it is like the little Energizer Bunny.
@@PlayingwithSticks Energizer Bunny indeed, must be running on "kid power" 😆 I'm glad it worked out so well for you guys. What's cool is you're inspiring others with your little experiments, so we're all learning from you! Thank you! And the walkie talkies... what a great idea, for both backing up and for kids to play with. Almost as fun as "Playing with Sticks" - dad jokes, couldn't help myself lol
I have a go20 which I really like, and FYI refrigeration goes MUCH farther than freezer or dual zone. With a jackery 240 and the go20 in fridge (31 deg) and freezer (0 deg) mode, it ran a lot. It was taking about 10% of the battery per hour, so ~10 hours with no added solar. Set to just a fridge at 40 deg., it's taking 2-3%, so 33+ hours. That's at 70 - 80 degrees ambient.
I know I'm late in the game, but I really liked your video and content. I have just ordered the same GO20 fridge and looking at the new Rockpal's solar generators with the solar kit panels. At this moment, I'm actually considering all three which are on sale, Rockpal's 300W, 330W, 350W, and the 500W. To my understanding, they all have the MPPT technology. My priorities are centered on solar charging capabilities and also running the GO20 all day while camping (2-3 days). With the new updated 2020 generators, what are your thoughts and recommendations? This will be my first solar setup and I really want to get into it. Looking for a really good beginner level combo for future overland trips. Thank you in advance and I will be subscribing to your videos too!
I've been doing something very similar .. Charge Speed is so important and so is regulated 12v. IMO, nothing charges faster and more brainlessly than your primary Led Acid starter battery over alternator + Solar. I've been doing endless refrigeration and running a roof vent fan on medium overnight in my van WITHOUT a house auxiliary battery and I'm in very HOT Florida. I did not want to sleep with batteries or take up any precious floor and storage space with another battery and all the wiring. So all I did was upgrade my starter battery from 65AH to a 115ah Deep cycle dual purpose marine battery ($100) and mounted a 100 watt solar panel ($75) on my roof. My Fridge is an Alpicool c15 ($199) with a very similar 12v compressor. During the day my battery is usually close to full @12.6v with almost any level of sun and since i like to cool off in the van when taking a break my batteries quickly top off with just 15 minutes of alternator charging. I consume about 500WH overnight (for 25F refrigeration and a rooftop Maxxair vent fan on medium) and wake to 12.2v (60% remaining). Have never been stranded with a dead battery. but just in case I do carry a cheap lithium jumper brick ($50) that works great when I've tested it. My inverter is 1200watts and can power a 1200w electric kettle that can cook even steak with the engine running without any charge loss so no propane tanks here either. Some details and testing on my channel.
So simple! I wonder why more people aren't doing this? Like you said, it eliminates the need for an extra battery and saves a lot of space and money. Thank you for sharing!
I diged into this. I found out the deepcycle batteries are not made for starting your car. Do you have any problems with this?
@@Rauppie Ive been working fine for over 18 months on this battery. No issues.
Ty for this. 👍🏻👍🏻
Our pleasure Jodie!
Hmm I need something like this in my life!
We never thought we needed one. But we picked one up mainly due to questions from folks in the community. After testing this out we realized this was something we should have done long ago! Great to see your channel really getting some momentum. I think your topics are really hitting home right now as we are living in a state of unpredictability. I could see a lot of folks interested in moving to Alaska just to start over, get away from it all, and have a more simple life.
Its pretty awesome... but I made my own. Small box, 12v battery, solar charge controller and wire it up. Cost me $150 + the folding panel from Amazon.
@@soldermecold7456 Now that is awesome to hear. We are all about the diy frugal approach to things. Thanks for sharing.
I now have a 12v compressor fridge for my car traveling. We go to hotels at night, so it gets a wall plug, but it's just plugged into the car all day. These things do have decent insulation, so they can go without power, say you go into a museum for a few hours and park the car, and they only get a little bit warmer. I set mine to 39 degrees, it was in the mid 40s, and this was 80 degree weather. If it was any hotter, I would have plugged it into a potable power source that the car could recharge. I now have 2 100 w solar panels with the good sine wave power back ups so I can run computers, 12v, and USB. They are great for camping and power outages.
Great little system you have. We had no idea how much we would love this little fridge. Completely understand why you take it everywhere with you.
I have a 12L Iceco fridge connecting to Jackery Battery (290), which is wired to 12V Dual Battery. However the cigarette light connector from the Iceco always loosen from the Jackery. Otherwise, I really like the bluetooth app for monitoring the temperature while driving, and it's power consumption. We camp out in non-electric campground and rely on the Dual Battery (Genesis). It has no issue to the cranking battery so far. Definitely, we will consider Solar panel.
We all seem to have that cigarette lighter issue with the ICECO. Some folks use tape. I think the best trick is to add a rubber gasket to the male end (that didn't come out right :))
Thank you for posting so much knowledge about camping!! My boyfriend & I recently went on a camping trip with friends and feel it's ESSENTIAL for us to learn more to go on more trips on our own, especially during this pandemic. Stumbled across your page & your cute family reminds me of my sister & her family! Your content is super informative & helpful for planning our next outing. Thank you for sharing your insights! This is my new favorite channel :D
Our pleasure Rowena! This is so awesome to hear. Love finding out that these videos are helping others.
I listened to your comment at 2:23 and all it proves is that the 12vdc output from the sogen is regulated, which is a good thing, but in this case doesn't really matter.... Once your sogen runs out of charge, it will automatically shut down and you will lose power to the fridge.. If the 12vdc was not regulated, most likely your fridge will shut down at the voltage thresh hold you set it to.. Usually the lowest is around 10.8+-.. Read your fridge manual to find out.. I too, own the AC50s... Nice piece of kit..
Thank you for sharing this!
wow great video, Looks like what i made need. I go camping in the dessert with the dirt machines and in the evenings enjoy my cocktails with ice. My issue is the ice melts in the ice chests to fast sometimes even over night. I usually put a bag in a smaller chest to try and prolong the ice for another night or two, but mostly impossible depending on the temp. I even upgraded to a Walmart Ozark trails ice chest that does no good. This looks like it should keep the ice for a while and do the trick.
The best coolers for keeping ice are the thick styrofoam ones that food gets shipped in.
@@tennesseeterri thanks, I’ll look in to that.
Mini coolroom for fish hunting. Sometimes you can catch a fish about 4”7!
I like that idea!
charge time is dependent upon the load, total battery capacity, current battery capacity and pv output. A jackery can charge just as fast as this unit if you have a bigger pv panel, or reduce the load.
Good info 👍
Glad it was helpful Patrick!