Powering a Coolbox - 12V or 240V?

[Ayjay]

We're away for 5 weeks in June and feel the need for a little bit of fridge space over and above the limited capacity of the built in Domestic CRX50. We've had a little Halfords 14L / 40W coolbox for years which should fit the bill but I'm wondering what's the best way to power it when on EHU. It runs on either 240V with a mains adapter or 12V via a lighter socket. A small part of my small brain tells me that that using 240V would be kinder to the leisure battery even when it's being topped up by the EHU but is that right or does it actually make a difference in the real world?

As always, thanks in advance.

 

[DaveCrampton]

This is what we have:-

Quest Arctic 3 Way Fridge | GO Outdoors

Upgrade your kitchen facilities in you caravan, garden or garage with this premium noiseless absorption system chest fridge.

www.gooutdoors.co.uk

Three way fridge from Go Outdoors. It is huge, and has a top entry so the cold air doesn't spill out like a front opening fridge. It fits 2ltr bottles in and we use it as a worktop too. It runs off Main electric (240v), vehicle 12v and calor gas. We precool it at home, run it off the vehicle when moving at at the campsite run it off gas. It is capable of cooling to 20 degrees below ambient so in summer abroad we keep it under shade and in Scotland it's a semi freezer!

 

[Shaun Witts]

I would say that using 240V when on EHU, your van electrics will just be like an extension lead. But using 12v will involve the battery charger at least. It probably won‘t make a big difference either way though.

 

[DXX]

We're away for 5 weeks in June and feel the need for a little bit of fridge space over and above the limited capacity of the built in Domestic CRX50. We've had a little Halfords 14L / 40W coolbox for years which should fit the bill but I'm wondering what's the best way to power it when on EHU. It runs on either 240V with a mains adapter or 12V via a lighter socket. A small part of my small brain tells me that that using 240V would be kinder to the leisure battery even when it's being topped up by the EHU but is that right or does it actually make a difference in the real world?

As always, thanks in advance.

The CRX50 freezer box is removable to create more fridge space.

 

[Ayjay]

@DXX. Thanks. The freezer box is already out (and it’s not much more real space anyway!).

 

[Dellmassive]

If your on-site with EHU then use that. - 240v

Use 12v while driving if you wish, provided you have a leisure battery and DC DC charger to feed power in from the engine.

 

[Ayjay]

@Dellmassive. I have what I would call a standard leisure system with a healthy 110Ah AGM leisure battery, DC DC (Victron Bluesmart) and EHU (Ctek D250SA). I was asking as I didn't know whether leaving it plugged into 12V leisure would would stress the leisure battery even though it was in theory being kept topped up by the EHU and roof mounted 160W solar panel (assuming it's sunny).

Basically, I'd like to leave the coolbox outside the van in the awning when we're parked up and I've got 12V by the door - if I want to use 240V, I'll either have to trail a cable across the inside of the van which is never pretty or use a splitter from the EHU to a mains unit in the awning. I've already got them but the mains block in particular is a big ugly thing and is just something else to be lugged around. That said, I suppose that I could make up a lead with a single 240V socket on the end instead. These are similar to the stuff that I already have:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sockets-Splitter-Generator-Distribution-Caravan-Orange/dp/B075VDRVTS/ref=asc_df_B075VDRVTS/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=205215094696&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5562498404085437935&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007129&hvtargid=pla-717795537530&psc=1

and

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Maypole-MP3765-Mobile-Mains-Power/dp/B00JM4P6E0/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=mobile+mains+kit+camping&qid=1684743584&sr=8-3

 

[Salty Spuds]

We have a 12/240V compressor cool box. We normally just run it off the 12V leisure side, even when on EHU. The Victron mains charger supplies all the 12V requirements when on EHU, Van fridge/cool box/all the lights/USB/AMT12 etc. I’m currently sat on a site in Italy, both fridges running & the leisure battery has gone into storage mode (fully charged & gone to sleep) all the load is being supplied by the Victron.

 

[Ayjay]

Again, thanks for all the responses. The correct answer to my original question seems to be that there is no correct answer (ie. it's six of one and half a dozen of the other!).