I think I have owned this cooler for around a year and a half now and quite honestly not impressed! I make the effort to cool it down on the mains before leaving and to try my best to keep it out of direct sun however the results seem to be completely random.
Take my recent trip for example: I went to Dorset Steam Fair for 2 nights where it happily ran on propane after being pre-cooled at my house and powered by the 12V en-route. Afterwards I traveled on to East Devon and stayed at Salcombe Regis and had the cooler connected to EHU where it proceeded to sit there and get warmer and more humid until it was pretty much ambient temperature. This cooler is supposed to cool 25º below ambient, yet even after a whole night when it was only 10º it was like the Congo in there. On the way home however, it suddenly decided to work again when plugged in to the car.
Meanwhile, does anyone here have this cooler and what is your experience? Do I have an intermittent fault or is this just a cruddy product? I am considering the possibility of a small compressor refrigerator and just use an ice cool box when I don't have EHU (usually only short trips). I think that might not work very well though because refrigerators need to be rested for something like 3 hours before you use them I think.
I've been thinking about buying one of these, so I've been trying to find reviews for a while. One thing I've learned is that the fridge won't work properly if it isn't level.
I've got a different 3-way fridge in my van at present and, that too, won't work unless the van is level.
I found that a small spirit level helped to keep my beer and milk cold!
Quote: Originally posted by rhino88 on 07/9/2010I've been thinking about buying one of these, so I've been trying to find reviews for a while. One thing I've learned is that the fridge won't work properly if it isn't level. I've got a different 3-way fridge in my van at present and, that too, won't work unless the van is level.
I found that a small spirit level helped to keep my beer and milk cold!
I can see what you are saying, however I think I have had these issues when on both flat and sloping pitches (in a tent). It really is a puzzler, might even be a lose connection? I wouldn't know where to start poking around in a fridge.
I think I'm going to get a new one next year. This time I'll pay the extra for a Dometic. I've had this darn thing for over a year and so it's outside of warranty. However there is a little known EU directive 1999/44/EC which states that goods are guaranteed for 2 years. Apparently it hasn't been completely implemented in the UK and could be difficult to argue but I'm going to try anyway to convince Gooutdoors to refund me. I am no fan of the EU but I am happy to exploit it when it benefits me
My Review: Go for a better known brand, I think this is random Chinese import stuff. It was only in the last week I have even managed to find a web presence for Quest Leisure.
i have the quest supercool 45 egp too, terrible service from quest, im trying to get hold of a gas connector that connects to the fridge so i can hook a gas hose to it, and no one in uk can help me. plus its left hand thread..why??
I`ve had one of these for about 10 years (for some reason it was marked up at £85.00 at Go Outdoors, not the usual £135.00) and had no problems.
Never had the need to run it on gas, on 12V it stays cool, on 230V it will freeze food adjacent to the element. Never taken it abroad, but it has no problem coping with British summers when it lives in the awning.
I too have one of these, and am underwhelmed. I think that it may just be a poor product rather than a one off.
I have had ours for 4 years, we mostly camp without EHU so it predominantly runs on gas (mains at home to pre-cool), and results vary but in general terms is does struggle as soon as ambient temperature hits 25 degrees or so.
One trick to try is turn the fridge upside down for a few minutes before each use - it remixes something if memory serves me right. I have done that since new and it has always managed better than 10 degrees. As mentioned above, it does need to be perfectly level so take a spirit level with you.
We too are looking at a Dometic for this season as the reviews for that are much better.
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