Thermoelectric cooling cup holder

[ChrisM]

Inquiring of anyone that has this product in use to give your feedback.

I'm wanting to add some of these to my Vortex. I have 10 factory cup holders, the data sheet shows these units are in-line fused with a 5 amp fuse, and their power consumption is 3.1 amps. That's a lot, especially when you start adding multiples. They do have low voltage shut down technology (10.5 volts or below), and a high limit ambient/semiconductor cut off 150f or higher. You're required to add your own inline power interrupt switch, and/or wire as desired such as zoning. I would prefer to wire each unit I install off a branch circuit, with a local power switch next to or near the unit, combined with a master "zone", or master "all" power disconnect on the helm using one of the avail accessory rockers supplied on the starboard side of the dash panel. They are priced at $179.00 at a few retailers. There are videos, and data/info downloads 1/3 down on the Dometic site link. It's garnered very good reviews, but it appears only 1 or 2 seem to be installed per user, and typically on fishing boats where power consumption might be less opposed to boats with sound systems, and appliances.

http://www.dometic.com/USA/MS-11346-Marine/PG-11355-Refrigeration/PG-11578-Thermoelectric-Mobile-Cooling/MD-146003-Eskimo-Cup/SK-146004-Eskimo-Cup-Thermoelectric-CupBottle-Holder

http://www.iboats.com/Eskimo-Cup-Cooler-Dometic/dm/view_id.1416472

 

[Bruce]

I am pretty pessimistic about this product. Peltier cooling has limits to the offset it can achieve below ambient temperature. My guess is that it will keep your drink colder but not as cold as it comes out of your ice chest or refrigerator. The "scientific testing" slide shows the units performance with 75 degree ambient temperature over an hour and six minutes. I bet the performance is significantly worse in 90 or 100 degree weather when we do most of our boating. And how many of us take more than an hour to drink a can or bottle?




As for value, I believe you would see similar functionality and performance from relocating the drain to the outside edge of the cup holder and attaching a $2 60 watt peltier cooler to the bottom with a heatsink and fan attached. If you really want to make it perform you could setup a water cooling system to use lake or ocean water to cool the heatsink. Doing so will lower your ambient temperature to the water temperature allowing the cupholder to be cooler.

As for power draw, the $500 Dometic CD-030 refrigerator in my boat only draws an average of 1 amp. It is a real refrigerator with a compressor and can even make ice if you turn it all the way down. That 1 amp draw limits me to 4 days away from a charger with two x 100 amp AGM batteries on board. I would hate to have multiple 3 amp draws as well.

 

[Bruce]

Interestingly, Yeti Rambler testing a shows very similar performance with no electrical draw and at a small fraction of the price http://gizmodo.com/i-put-the-ultimate-beer-koozie-to-the-test-and-it-did-n-1685368360.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

It's a cool thing to have (yes,pun intended) but the cost doesn't add up for me. I think you would be happier using ice and a koozie. I could see more use putting one of these in my truck where I often drive for hours and my drink gets warm.

 

[bobbie]

Save your money and buy a couple of hydroflasks...they will keep your beverage cool or hot for hours.

 

[txav8r]

Only high watt sound systems are going to challenge the amp draw of a quality fishing boat. Bass boats have big ass trolling motors, water cirulations systems, and gear that consume electricity at a rate far above the average recreational boater. But a high watt sound system is comparable, and most are not backed up by the battery bank they truly need. Adding weight (batteries) for cupholder chilling seems a huge waist to me, even given the "cool" factor. I like @Bruce 's refrigerator, it is efficient and a good idea for those that boat like he does. I prefer ice in my beverage, and while we have a couple of beers on a hot day, beer is not our chosen beverage. It is generally iced tea, and while it melts, keeping it cold is just a matter of adding our favorite ingredient...ICE! Now if a freezer was available and made sense, I might be interested in that! I know they have them @Bruce !

 

[txav8r]

You know, I may revise my thoughts on this based on those that do drink from cans and bottles. It may be a very nice feature to have for those that drink beer or pop all day. It looks self contained and you might outfit the boat for 4 and with a second battery, you could share that bank with a sound system. When the tunes run down, your drinking warm beer too, so it is time to go!

 

[ChrisM]

Well, I'm a 223 Vortex. The port and starboard storage compartments are highly prized at the moment, in other words I don't want to take up the only valuable enclosed space with an appliance. I've looked at various cooling options, and felt this was the best idea for my needs. I still have to measure clearances around each cup holder to make sure this device is not jammed against some part of the hull, or deck seating architecture. I'm the type that if I'm going to do any, I'd prefer outfit all existing cup holders. I suppose I could just replace the Port and Starboard ones. I did do the sound system upgrade which was 900 watts, the main Polk head unit's low battery feature is set to shut the system down at the 10.5 volts or less in addition to sounding an alarm through the speakers, and I'm equipped with the single/dual battery switch in case the house battery becomes too weak . There are some great low power consuming cooling ideas here, http://www.defender.com/category.jsp?path=-1|2276204|2276226&id=2530781 but my deck and cockpit was laid out as such, there really isn't avail real estate to utilize those drawer models. I'm sure someone with these Eskimo cup coolers will be able to chime in and give their opinion. If it wasn't for the large power consumption, I would've just installed 10 by now, because any amount of cooling would be a nice feature over the current ones. But your talking 31 amps total load...!!!

 

[Evildwarf]

Beer just doesn't stay around long enough to warm up all that much...

 

[Bruce]

I would've just installed 10 by now, because any amount of cooling would be a nice feature over the current ones. But your talking 31 amps total load...!!!

At 31 amps you would drain a group 31 battery to 50% in less than two hours. Any lower than 50% and you risk damage to the battery.

Your 900 watt stereo is theoretically capable of drawing 67 amps but that is peak draw and would only do so for a very small fraction of the time.

Combining the cup holders and stereo you might drain a group 31 battery in an hour and a half. How long do you stay out when you go to the lake?

Would you want to have 4 group 31 batteries for house batteries? Golf cart batteries might be better for this application. Some consider them to be ballast and are happy to have the extra batteries on board.

You could significantly reduce consumption by having an on/off switch for each cup holder. I had hoped that the would have a pressure switch in the bottom of the cup holder to activate them when a drink is inserted.

I would like to see actual test numbers from running one of these coolers. They appear to have one or more fans which may switch on and off but the peltier is likely to have a constant amount of consumption and unfortunately 3.1 amps is reasonable for such a device. Assuming that it does not include a thermostat I believe that you would see the same consumption testing one in 40 degree weather that you would see in 100 degree weather.

 

[Ronnie]

$179 each! At that price I'm sticking with plain old ice and/or kookies (sp?).
I doubt I've spent more than $179 on ice for the boat since I've bought my first Yamaha jet boat in 2008.

By the way, we used dry ice on several occasions when we we brought ice cream on board, it works so well we had to use a separate cooler for the ice cream because the dry ice would freeze any food or drink next to it.

 

[tdonoughue]

If you do go ahead (and I personally would not, agreeing with most on here that there are cheaper/better ways--ice and a Yeti cup for me, personally), do take care with the wiring. Recall that your normal wiring is not rated for 31 amps, so you cannot do these all in series off of one run from the battery. Probably going to need 3 or so with appropriately-sized wiring.

 

[ChrisM]

Definitely, I'm pretty understood about the amperage and wiring requirements. My background started in the HVAC trade some 25 years ago including all facets of residential to commercial, then shifted to the major and light commercial appliance service the last 15 years. I started my service company 9 years ago. I also repair and maintain the mechanics and electronics on my pinball machine collection. The accessory rocker switches provided in the helm console are surely not rated at 30 amps, if I had to guess I'd say probably rated at 5 or 10, I have yet to pop it out and look at it. I'm guessing no one on this forum has this cup cooler, I've been tossing around the idea of just buying one, and giving it a good bench test, using my amp probe, and an infrared thermometer, and a preheated oven to 125 to start. If it doesn't perform then off to the trash with it.
I just have fun adding cool accessories and gadgets to personalize my stuff, but only if they work, and add some level of convenience. I recently added LED utility lights to the port and starboard storage holds with sealed magnet switches, and the 2015 Suncoast 250 table and hardware, with the mount in the bow area where I thought Chaparral should've put one. The humor of it all is I will probably never take the boat out at night, or have that many people aboard to use both tables!

 

[Bruce]

@ChrisM, I would be excited to read your review and learn what the true power usage is?

 

[ChrisM]

@ChrisM, I would be excited to read your review and learn what the true power usage is?

Once I get a chance to look over the Vortex for a suitable place for one of these, should the bench testing prove successful, I'll move forward and get one.