Powered cooler for sub trunk. Questions & Suggestions

[Febtober]

I'm looking at getting an electric compressor cooler and am trying to find the largest one that'll fit in the sub trunk of my 2023 MYLR5. I also have a couple of questions about how they work. This will be used while camping (in a tent, not the car).

It'll be drawing power off the low voltage 16 volt battery. While the car is running that's no problem as the HV battery is keeping the LV charged. However if I wanted to keep it plugged in for a long duration while the car isn't being used, is there a risk of draining the low voltage battery? Will the HV kick in automatically to charge the LV if the voltage drops to a certain point? I know most the coolers advertise that they'll shut off automatically at a certain voltage, but I don't trust some random Chinese brand to not screw me over with that.

Would I need to keep camp mode on in order for the 12 volt outlet to be live while the car is parked? From what I've read, climate controls must be on while camp mode is one, which seems like a needless waste off energy since I won't be in the car.

I was concerned about ventilation down there, but from most everything I've read, people report it's no problem, or at worst they put a small spacer under the lid of the sub trunk to give it a little air.

And lastly, any recommendations? I just want one that's a refrigerator - not one with a separate compartment that acts as a freezer. Looking at the $200 - $300 price range.

 

[RedTesY]

We just completed a 5,400 mile road trip and used a Dometic cooler. I don't remember the model. We borrowed it from a friend. They are pricey, but worked very well. Based on our observations, the 12v outlet in the left rear panel was "on" all the time. The cooler was very energy efficient. We had no issues with the 12v battery being discharged too much, even when the Model Y was not used for several days.

 

[Billpaymia]

Ordered a powered unit from Costco.com as one of the reviewers stated that it fits a Model Y sub trunk.

https://www.costco.com/phantom-30l-portable-electric-cooler.product.4000146294.html

However has anyone figured out other than using Camp Mode to keep the accessory power plug in the trunk always on?

 

[Febtober]

Ordered a powered unit from Costco.com as one of the reviewers stated that it fits a Model Y sub trunk.

https://www.costco.com/phantom-30l-portable-electric-cooler.product.4000146294.html

However has anyone figured out other than using Camp Mode to keep the accessory power plug in the trunk always on?

I actually ordered that exact one as well and it's arriving today. However I purchased a different from Walmart about a month ago and I'm going to see which one I like better.

After some testing, I've discovered that as long as sentry mode is enabled, the rear 12 volt outlet will always stay on. If you disable sentry mode, it'll shut off when the car goes to sleep.

So the easiest way is to simply use sentry mode, however if you want to shut it off to conserve the battery, you could use a portable power station. I have this one. It'll power the cooler for close to 24 hours by itself, so you could use it overnight, then charge it up from the car during the day while driving.

 

[JohnB007]

So the easiest way is to simply use sentry mode, however if you want to shut it off to conserve the battery, you could use a portable power station. I have this one. It'll power the cooler for close to 24 hours by itself, so you could use it overnight, then charge it up from the car during the day while driving.

That model is 288wh, correct?

I have another brand, two models, 300wh and 1.5kwh. My fridge burns around 85w when the compressor is on, and depending on the weather outside, the compressor could stay on fairly continuously in the extreme case. I had my 300wh model drain completely in less than 6 hours, after a long hike. The car was not set on camp/sentry mode.

So for any long extended trips, I hook the fridge into the 1.5kw model, which easily lasts 24 hours with no worries. But this model is expensive and big.

 

[Febtober]

That model is 288wh, correct?

I have another brand, two models, 300wh and 1.5kwh. My fridge burns around 85w when the compressor is on, and depending on the weather outside, the compressor could stay on fairly continuously in the extreme case. I had my 300wh model drain completely in less than 6 hours, after a long hike. The car was not set on camp/sentry mode.

So for any long extended trips, I hook the fridge into the 1.5kw model, which easily lasts 24 hours with no worries. But this model is expensive and big.

Hmm yes good point about the weather. When I tested it, it was indoors at my house, so it was shaded and about 70 degrees. The cooler would draw about 40 watts while the compressor was running. However I'll have to try it again when we're in the middle of the summer and place it outdoors in direct sun on a 90 degree day and see how long it lasts.