72 Hour Compressor Fridge Showdown! Budget Cost VS Premium Cost!

[@Jasonoid]

*BUDGET FRIDGE SEEN IN THE VIDEO:* ICECO VL45 collabs.shop/spqp9f DISCOUNT CODE (12% Off): JASONOID *PREMIUM FRIDGE SEEN IN THE VIDEO:* EcoFlow Glacier shrsl.com/44btm DISCOUNT CODE ($10 Off): TUFEJP6N

[@MN_Engineer]

I think you'd find they'd be more efficient if you started with a gallon of chilled water in each fridge. Because there's no thermal mass, the air temp fluctuates more, causing the compressor to turn on and off more often.

[@lerodman]

What are the compressors programed to temp or on off cycles? Both make sense

[@rgruenhaus]

I would have liked to see how each fridge chilled liquids and froze things when multiple items were in them.

[@marksommers6764]

Did our host ever get around to espousing the internal temps ?

[@shaun5047]

@@lerodmanI always just assumed all fridge compressors were triggered from temperature drops no?

[@Johnny_Kanuk]

I love my Iceco. I've been using it for a year in my big truck as a freezer and it's still going strong. Great video.

[@Jasonoid]

Great feedback, thanks for sharing!

[@DutchK75]

Which one do you have? I have two in my Peterbilt. And three total. The two Iceco's and the OEM truck fridge.

[@Johnny_Kanuk]

@tdkgunnut I've got the VL45, and it came with the insulated cover. I also have one of those cheap F40C4TMP 25 quarts plus the truck fridge. I've got a Cascadia, so I put the Iceco up on the top bunk. Fits nicely up there, used a strap with hooks to keep it tied down.

[@DutchK75]

@@Johnny_Kanuk I have a buddy that has a double bunk 579. And he has his VL65 on the top bunk. I know five guys that have Iceco's. All ran as freezers. Before these Iceco's. I had my Snomaster dual zone 85L Expedition series in the truck. Company made me put my seat back in. So I bought these Iceco's. Jp40 and Jp50. They work. Like my Snomasters better. It's a pig though. 83 pounds empty. But has 2.75 inches of insulation. And the Snomaster compressor. 7 year compressor warranty. 5 years everything else. Expensive. But oh man it's a bad dude. I'm liking these Jp series though. They are pretty light. My sister has a VL45. It's way heavier than these Jp's.

[@Johnny_Kanuk]

@tdkgunnut nice, before I got the Iceco, I had a cheap Alpicool 55L worked fine for a year and a bit, then it just died. I'm thinking of taking it to a repair shop and seeing if they can do anything with it. I just love having the ability to hit a Walmart or Costco and get frozen stuff to have on the road. I remember being stuck on 70 by Grand Junction one day due to a wreck, went a grabbed an ice cream cone I had, kid in a car next to me was looking up me, I could see him trying to figure out how the hell I got it. I ended up giving him and his sister one each.

[@grindychum]

I dig the real world testing. Multiple days including unfavorable weather condtions, and 2 rigs being tested simultaneously.

[@Jasonoid]

That cloudy day was a curve ball but we rolled with it! haha Both systems made it through surprisingly :)

[@davidtotten3042]

We do things a little different. When on the road traveling, I plug the fridge into my solar generator and my solar generator into the car electrical system. This works great for me. When we stop to sight see or eat, it runs on the solar generator. When the engine is running it runs off of car electrical, and the solar generator recharges for the next stop. When we stop and camp we go to solar panels to keep the solar generator charged. One important caveat is that your solar generator must support pass thru charging (most do). My record length of run is 14 days continuous off of a 200 watt solar panel and a 700 watt solar generator. At the end of the 14 days I was at 89% charge, but we came a bit close to running out of power a few times when I had 3 straight days of rain and clouds.

[@Jasonoid]

When driving I also charge off the 12v output in the vehicle (sometimes I even use a 12v to 24v boost converter to get a little faster charging on these smaller units). Since this was a stationary test, I was using solar to charge. Thanks for sharing your experience, 14 days is a great run time!

[@MrUpscaleman]

This is what quality content looks like. I don't road trip, I don't camp and my power only seems to go out once every few years, but I still find these videos fascinating.

[@Jasonoid]

Thanks :)

[@MrUpscaleman]

@Jasonoid see if you can use your powers to find out whatever happened to that Ecoflow solar tracker. Looked great then disappeared.

[@bdmenne]

I like to day trip, travel a bit to a farm to buy frozen and refrigerated goods, and even grocery store trips in middle of summer convinced me to get a 12v fridge and power station. I even take the solar panel with so if I go to park up at a park. I get power to top off. It’s been worth it just for that. Haven’t had a power outage yet.

[@rob_cd]

You must not live in Houston. Congrats.

[@jimbo1299]

As someone building an overlander with my refrigerator questions being my biggest issue. This video was incredible and you just answered every question. Thank you sir!!!

[@JawnJohn]

it seems to me that the solar panel you use makes more of a difference, I’d take the Pecron with the Ecoflow panel since it can accept up to 400w solar input

[@spuriouseffect]

I run my iceco on two cheap 100 watt panels and two 48 amp hour car batteries that were 50 bucks at Rural King. Once my batteries are charged, it will run for a few days without full sun.

[@ExposingTruth2screwoligarchy]

Just so you know, although I do have a Bluetti 200W panel, I also got an AllPowers 200W polycrystalline panel that has performed as well as the Bluetti, and they have had great deals on those panels, about $220, sometimes even less if you get a great flash sale or "lightning" deal. I even saw their monocrystalline panel on sale for close to that once, big saving compared to Bluetti or EcoFlow panels in general.

[@caver6292]

That is an excellent price for the VL45, I bought mine when ICECO was a relatively new name. I am so very glad I did and am VERY happy with it. I've been running with the 12v adapter in the car when driving and the Jackery 500 and solar when in camp. Ecoflow is very nice, but for the price, I'm sticking to the budget friendly equipment. Great quality and it works as advertised. Thank you for the review.

[@tylerf5223]

Makes me happy with my budget set up! I got those panels because of your vids! Got 3 now. Very happy.

[@KatysCampKitchen]

Really awesome video Jason! Really interesting! Both of these setups are great! My campervan has a small built in 3-way fridge. I bought a second fridge/freezer that fits in between the front seats (that I found based on one of your videos!). I use the second fridge/freezer for extra food and beverages when traveling. On an extended trip such as going to Wisconsin from NH, I turn it to freezer mode for some home cooked freezer meals and ingredients and switch the RV fridge to more of a beverage and condiment fridge. The bonus is that the dog's bed fits on top and he loves it!!!! I use one of my power stations to power the fridge while traveling and then switch over to campground power if we have it or use the solar panels to power it if boondocking. In the winter when not camping, we use it for emergency backup during storms and as an extra fridge for holidays. These work great!!!!!

[@Jasonoid]

Great info here Katy!

[@pvanderwall3473]

Right now I'm using the EcoFlow Mini standard unit to power up my old Colman ice chest for use in the house temporarily. It's pulling 55 watts using the cigarette lighter adapter maintaining 36° temp. Easily getting the temporary job done in a pinch. Thank you for all the reviews you do, they are definitely well appreciated.

[@Jasonoid]

Are you using one of their "thermo-electric" coolers they used to make?! I always thought those were super interesting.

[@pvanderwall3473]

@@Jasonoid Yes, that's exactly what it is. Funny, I don't think they make this unit anymore. Many years and miles of use.

[@tool8204]

Thanks mate, exactly the test I was looking for the Ecoflow. Cheers from New Zealand 🤙

[@pvanderwall3473]

Excellent video ! 72 hr test is a big help. I do like all the units and panels use for this test 👍👍

[@OnusBones]

That was a good one; very confidence-inspiring that this sort of setup can work long-term, particularly if you have enough capacity to account for cloudy days. My most recent camping has been in a small RV, so I've used a 37qt. compressor-cooler to carry my food on the road, and then move the food to the camper's plug-in fridge when I reach my destination (whether using shore power or a generator). I last used a smaller power station (300WH) for the 2-1/2 hour drive. In a protracted power outage (such as the one due as WW3 ramps up), I'd get at least 4 180W-200W panels online to keep a couple of smaller fridges plus one or two 53qt compressor-coolers going, at least until I had canned our meat using propane.

[@Jasonoid]

I was hoping some real world testing would help people see how easy it is to run a fridge :)

[@jefflunt9615]

Great test. I like these tests as they are spot on, not advertised specs. Thanks Jason.

[@Jasonoid]

I gotta show how these behave in the real world so people know what they are getting into :) ....and plus, it's fun to run these types of tests!

[@YourOldPalFernbark]

I am actually running a similar set up. My minivan is in summer mode. I go camping every weekend and just leave the fridge running on solar power in the van all week. I have the same Elaecanta panels powering a Rockpals power station to a cheapest model from Amazon fridge. The whole set up is about $700 with the extras I needed to make it work. My panels aren't even out all day, I put them away at about 6pm and bring them back out after work around 1pm. This set up actually works a lot better (in my limited experience) with the Dr. Prepare battery and hub because the battery capacity is much larger and I don't need an inverter. This video actually impressed me with the bifacial panels.

[@JeffSkymaster]

Cloudy day = Keeping it Real! Nice Video comparison.

[@RandiG63]

I’m glad you did the testing ,because, a lot of people are just getting by, knowing they can still get the results without 🤑 is valuable info thanks Jason

[@Jasonoid]

It's so bad these days! Everything is so expensive. My day job isn't fancy so KZbin allows me to keep with the finances. Thanks Randi!

[@Sylvan_dB]

No reason to use a power station when the primary use is 12v. I'd go with a LiFePO4 battery, probably a 100ah for about $350+/-. To that I'd add a solar charge controller and/or a DC:DC charger to charge from the alternator and that would give me all the functionality from the power station needed for this scenario. However with a 100ah battery it would likely handle weekend excursions without worrying about charging, or additional functionality such as USB ports or even an inverter are easy to add if/when needed. Edit: I forgot to mention that doing my own battery means I do not have to live with horrible "cigarette lighter" power connections. For 12v I normally use anderson powerpole following the amateur radio standard layout, but I also have a selection of larger anderson connectors as well as XT60, XT90, XT30 for various purposes.

[@Jasonoid]

A 12v DIY setup is one of the most affordable ways to go. You get a HUGE bang for your buck running of a standalone LFP battery and solar charge controller.

[@HuChing-ob4kk]

Your solution makes ZERO sense when a small portable power station already has charge controller, mppt, etc all BUILT into a small portable package....you are as smart as telling someone not to buy a car off a lot but to throw an engine and transmission on a golf cart...buying seperate matteries charge controller, mpppt, etc is just id0tic in todays age...unless you want to brag to everyone that you can do it yourself or that you are stuck in a DECAE ago

[@lexuslowlife3055]

What a great idea for a new style of videos , stating facts , while doing real world testing, and while showing if and expensive item is necessary. Watching reviews and hearing peoples opinions is not entertaining. And i love real world test videos like this of products. Awesome Jason

[@Jasonoid]

Thank you! I've been trying to find some new creative content to help people understand how these work

[@lexuslowlife3055]

@@Jasonoid great video brother. People and me of course in the beginning didn’t know the importance of a good & larger panel and how much more power fridges use in a avg summer like temperatures. And how the weather changes like how it did on you. And also at night assuming there gonna use the power station for the fridge but to also run a small fan , charge phones and drone or GoPro batteries , walkie talkies , Garmin gps while they sleep. For me id end the afternoon at 100% battery after solar charging all day but wake up to a almost dead battery from running the fridge all night with also heating blanket or lights filling up air mattress whatever people use at night.

[@Cody4k]

The Battery: Eenour P2001 2KWh powerstation The Solar: 2x Eenour 200W folding panels The Fridge?: The residential-sized fridge in a class A RV (runs on propane as well) The powerstation's primary duty is acting as a UPS for my server rack. Solar for longer outages.

[@Jasonoid]

Great setup, thanks for sharing!

[@Adaptedsolarpower]

I do this test on every power station I get I have a Bougerv and an Iceco fridge that you sold me on 😂 I was surprised on my eb55 on a 120w panel. It ran and ran and ran. I love my Pecron as well. I have to turn off solar for a while I’ve built a whole system because of Will Prow.. and panels and solar that I’ve seen from your channel😂😂🎉 Solar is so addictive.

[@miniharez]

right now they are $899 with the exta battery. I just got mine with the battery and $100 ecoflow credits for $840 with tax, So glad by the time I wanted the glacier the price went down😅 great video, now I have faith in what i just bought!🤙

[@davidrobertson1980]

Holy crap man almost two and a half times the price of the cheaper option is mindblowing, and if you added another $160 for another solar panel setup for the cheaper unit it'd outperform the ELITE one without question lol

[@jeffreyallen1290]

I have an Iceco jp50 and love it. It is a low consumption fridge that works well. I have found the 50 qt fridge to be way bigger than I need as a single camper. I also have an Alpincool 20 qt fridge that is great for short weekends.

[@Jasonoid]

Yeah, I like the smaller 20qt - 30qt designs for just one person. The smaller fridges are easier to move around and also take up less space in the car.

[@gsp49]

My Alpicool is going on 5 years now, thinking of getting another, one is not enough.

[@ksburner01]

FYI the eco-flow solar panel does have a stand. The case it's stored in doubles as it's stand.

[@shelley131]

As always great video. I have the CFX3 45 liter Dometic. I did a similar test with my old Jackery 500 and the solar saga 100W panel. It was enough to power the fridge basically indefinitely as long as you had sun. It was a little touch and go for a couple of days when it was overcast both days and since the Jackery 500 is limited to 81W input on those days I was lucky to get 5 watts of input. I normally like to run my fridge at 33ºF so to make my fridge more efficient I went to 35º the first day and 39º by the second day. Once I got sun again the Jackery was recharged completely. It kept the fridge running for 2 weeks. I now use two ecoflow 160 watt panels to charge my power banks. I also bought the ecoflow river pro with the extension battery to power the dometic and the Jackery powers my Bipap machine and designate one solar panel for it using MC4 plug to 8mm adapter cable. Even on overcast days with the 160W panels it allows me to have more input on the Jackery. If it is raining I use the river pro with the battery to charge my jackery if it needs it. Thank you for your videos.

[@Jasonoid]

You have an awesome setup, thanks for sharing your experience for others to read!

[@feline-n6b]

Just read your post & I’ve been looking at a eco flow .I have a dometic 45 cooler as well so I’m trying to get as much as I can for information

[@PWoods-cd6tk]

Great test. Thanks for doing this. I'm really liking the idea of a DC to DC converter and a LiFePO4 or two in the bed or trunk for things like this.

[@Jasonoid]

Are you rockin` LFP batteries in your setup?

[@PWoods-cd6tk]

@@Jasonoid I don't have a setup yet, but Li Time minis are $307 from Walmart. I have four of them in a home setup and like them for a car or pickup. I use an EB 3A for fast charging while I'm driving because I can gain quite a bit in a very short amount of time after running around with my phone in my pocket all day.

[@Jasonoid]

*If you want to see the exact power usage of each fridge, check out this spreadsheet where I have documented all that info:* (once the shared doc opens up, click on the "fridge comparison" tab at the bottom: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BZLY89iHF94vO2enPln7_HjlH-_IkgSbCfh3ofZ1h0c/edit?usp=sharing You can also see each dedicated fridge review BELOW, which also breaks down detailed power consumption numbers and other features EcoFlow Fridge Review: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hZ6WaoyHhMhgm8k ICECO VL45 Review: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKjKpnd_qdx5brM

[@davidg4058]

I have been looking for power usage of 12v fridges. Your spreadsheet is very informative. Thanks!

[@randalmartin22]

Too many variables. You should do a test with the same refrigerator and solar panel capacity with two different batteries to really compare the batteries. No idea from your review how much of the performance difference is the 1) Battery 2) Solar Panel or 3) Refrigerator

[@Michelle-bw1xg]

Excellent video. I like that you set it up in a vehicle where it can be warm as that will be my real use for long periods of time. I would get an Iceco that fits in my car and a Bluetti AC180, not sure of panel yet, something compatible. Your videos and spreadsheets are invaluable.

[@gsp49]

My Bluetti quit after 7 months, and they refuse to give me a return authorization, stay away from Bluetti.

[@Michelle-bw1xg]

@@gsp49 Sorry to hear that! That's a short fail time; they should have honored a return under warranty in my opinion. I did buy the Bluetti for my van but it hasn't been used as I'm still building it out. Fingers crossed.

[@Brood_Master]

Extra solar and extra battery power make a huge difference... I have an iceco VL60 dual zone in my overland rig that I run year round because I work out of town 6 months or more per year... About 1.5 years ago. I built a DIY 400 amp-hour power station into my rig with the ability to charge from 3 sources. Solar, Vehicle Alternator, 120vac shore power... I originally had 200 watts of solaon the roof. This did fine during the summer. Not so well during the winter... Mid winter, I added another 200 watts to the solar. Now I have power-O-plenty for tye fridge, lights, ham radio, M18 battery chargers etc...

[@OzarkOverlandAdventures]

Love this test. The case for the ecoflow solar panel is also it's stand. Why didn't you use it?

[@Jasonoid]

Glad you liked the video! In my opinion that Ecoflow "kickstand" case design is horrible. It's heavy, it slides down / falls over constantly. It also takes awhile to setup. I'm not a fan of the case kickstand. Everything else about the panel is excellent, I just wish they had kickstands like other portable panels.

[@OzarkOverlandAdventures]

@@Jasonoid 100% agree

[@OCMike]

I've never had an issue running my Iceco VL45 fridge with my Jackery 240. I have it set up with the Jackery plugged into the 12v so it stays full while I'm driving, and then switch it over to a 100w panel on the roof of my truck when we get into camp.

[@Jasonoid]

Thats a great setup. Simple and efficient!

[@todd.parker]

Cool video Jason. Shows you don’t need to spec’d a lot to run a fridge. Interesting results!

[@Jasonoid]

Thanks Todd for checking out the video. I love running these experiments :)

[@RamblinBobReviews]

Great video as always Jasonoid !!!!! You are helping many people with your videos :) P.S. Your channel deserves a lot more "Scribers" !!!!!

[@Jasonoid]

Thanks Ramblin Bob!

[@johnarcher8090]

Which power station is the quietest?

[@richeastmain4031]

Great test on the 2 combinations. Being the cheap guy that I am I use a $209 Bluetti EB3A, a $207 Vevor fridge and a $130 Itehil 100w portable panel. The little Bluetti will power the fridge for 12 hours without any solar input and will go for days with moderate to full sun. I am very happy with the budget setup. The price of the panel has gone up by about $100 since I bought it last year but depending on what I have it connected to I can see full rated output or sometimes even a little more.

[@Jasonoid]

You got an excellent budget setup right there! How do you use it mostly? Camping?

[@richeastmain4031]

@@Jasonoid I have been using it at multi day racing events. So much better than buying ice and getting food wet in coolers. I use our AC200P and Harbor Freight 100 watt panels when we are out with our travel trailer. We only bring our generator when we expect that we will be running the air conditioner.

[@Jasonoid]

@@richeastmain4031 so true about the soggy food! No more wet sandwiches haha

[@rob8540]

I also use the Bluetti EB3A or my older Suaoki PS5B (400 wh) with a Alpicool CX50. I think the Vevor is the same product. Great for having you food cool or frozen if going to a supermarket in combination with a nice road or city trip :-) For solar i have a XTAR SP100. Nothing wrong with being the cheap guy with your great combination 🙂

[@leelowder8824]

Just ordered an Ecoflow River 2 Max (500wh) with 160w solar panel. Good to know I can run the Glacier with it until I buy a bigger power station. Great video!

[@discep24]

I have both off these for the past week. I was going to keep the pecron due to higher solar input, but I came across an issue. The pecron is too slow to ramp up watts for power tools. Even though the river 2 pro is rated at 800w it powered my electric chain saw with instant power that leveled off at 760watts. On the other hand the pecron E600LFP took a full 8 seconds for the tool to spool up to normal speed and pull 760watts. Pecron is rated at 1200w but Maybe ecoflow handles surge much better. Update: both of these units overloaded once cutting so 1800w systems are probably the min even for small power tools. Both are great for this videos use though!

[@Jasonoid]

That's an interesting observation about the Pecron inverter. I haven't seen that 'ramping up' issue on my e600.... but I use the DC output way more than the AC inverter. Thanks for sharing your experience with both models!

[@twloughlin]

I'm a bottom-line kind of person, so the Pecron/Elecantera/Iceco combo is clearly the winner for me due to low cost and equal ability to keep food cold. You could add another Elecantera 125 and hook them in series for more solar and still come way under the ED units in price. I run a BougeRV 23qt (solo) and a 53qt (for two+) with a Pecron LFP2000. and 2 Elecantera 125s. Are we allowed to comment on the moustache? 👍

[@Jasonoid]

LOL, the mustache is from laziness of me not shaving this week. Great idea on putting two of the Elecaenta panels in series since both power stations could have taken the higher voltage.

[@hansolo7205]

I got a VL45 and love it. 1st plugin to 200 amp hour lithium batteries with cooler set at 32 degrees. Took 9 days to drain the batteries!

[@Jasonoid]

Those 200ah batteries have a lot of juice in them! Excellent setup!

[@SGM97B]

I have an Ecoflow 1,300 with a 200 watt folding panel. Total price was $560. The Ecoflow stays at 100 percent charge while driving so when I get to camp I am fully charged. I run a small fridge, a small fan, and a small light off that solar setup with no problem.

[@rob8540]

Great video, and 2 nice setups. With hot temperatures and going to the supermarket it is almost a neccetarity. Greetings from the Netherlands. 🙂

[@dogishappy0]

Thank you for this head to head test! Something to keep in mind for future off-grid use, the case for the 220W Ecoflow is intended to double as the stand.

[@Jasonoid]

Yeah, the case stand isn't convient at all.

[@dogishappy0]

@@Jasonoid Yep, but on a positive note, it's very good to know it is able to put out enough energy even when no attempt to optimize is made!

[@mcgyversadventures6021]

If you look at the graph the ICECO it cuts off and on more which would help the accuracy of the temperature but it will also run your battery down faster too during the night.

[@code3k5]

I have the ICECO APL55 with the same solar panel you have and the same Pecron E600LFP. I've been on 3 roadtrips in 3 weeks and my setup kicks ass. I plan to upgrade the panel to the Pecron PV330W just for insurance reasons. Just FYI to newbies getting into solar, IT'S ADDICTING 😆

[@HuChing-ob4kk]

I was thinking about that fridge...but I still like the "Tank" Iceco VL60 thats a little bigger with two compartmetns. I currently use th Alpicool 50 which has been AMAZING for 4 straight years of constant use with my EcoFlow Delta MAx

[@dlbracer56]

I have TWO SETPOWER 12v refrigerator/freezer 1)30 qrt 2)42 qrt. Both are single zone, but since I have two I decide which is used to freeze or refrigerator. I use them on road trips and as power loss refrigeration. Oh, and 800 watts of PV on two strings as well.

[@Jasonoid]

Thats a great setup!

[@jhjustinlee]

The percentage on the power stations were a bit deceiving since their capacities are different. A bigger cheap panel with the cheaper system would be about perfect.

[@andrewvickers4487]

Having carefully researched just about every sub-1000wh station out there, these 2 just so happened to be the frontrunners for me! I say put the 400 solar watts into the Pecron and there's your winner ;) Looking at all the strengths of each, I think a lot depends on whether you're mostly charging solar or AC.

[@Jasonoid]

These two are some of my favorites! I lean to the River 2 Pro for some of the premium features but both are excellent in their own way!

[@andrewvickers4487]

@@Jasonoid My own personal assessment: R2P: Half AC charge time, 100Wh more usable capacity, few lbs lighter, "UPS", app control Pecron: Double solar input, 1200W inverter, 10dB quieter, more efficient AC output, wireless charger, less bulky/folding handle My final thought is that the amazing value of the Pecron makes it worth a shot despite the shorter warranty (register for 24mo).

[@MrWinger1951]

I have the same ICECO fridge (45 liter), an Ecoflow River Max, and a Baldr solar panel (120 watt) and have been very happy with the setup. The cost savings was significant compared to 'premium' setups. The only drawback has been the discrepancy (as much as 9 degrees) on the set point and actual internal temperature of the ICECO. Sure wish you would do a video or some sort of explanation on how you corrected that problem on your fridge!

[@Jasonoid]

I'm sorry for not putting out that video yet!!! Ugghhh, I think about it all the time actually. Here's the problem... each ICECO fridge has a different process to get into that special menu and theres no easy steps to fix the temp settings. Theres just a bunch of trial and error and changing settings until you get it right. Since theres not an exact process of how to change the settings I think people might do more harm than good. ...So while there is a 'secret menu' to adjust the temperature settings, it's almost easier to just set the display higher or lower to match the temp you want. Once you know how the temp is inside, its a set it and forget it type of thing.

[@DutchK75]

My Jp40 is dead on. My Jp50 has a 5 degree discrepancy. I have a thermometer in both of them. And I just do what Jason said to do.

[@csquire3]

Great video, exactly what I wanted to know in terms of would the solar panels keep offsetting the power used by the fridge.

[@alf3553]

I just picked up a Bodega TAW59 portable fridge 59 QT & a Bluetti AC70P (864WH). The power pack doesn’t give any cut out specs but I can set the fridge to cut out at H- 11.1 V, M- 10.1 V, L- 8.5 V. So my question is what’s the best cut out volt for the fridge so I don’t damage the power pack.

[@thetoolmat8632]

Wow Spectacular Testing video! - I use a Bodega and Delta 2 when I travel, definitely will be getting a panel. I have been wondering about what I need when camping, I basically leave the D2 and Bodega in my vehicle just utilizing a Cig. Lighter output to the D2, I believe the lowest I have ever seen the D2 get was 52% , I was using the AC out from the D2 to the Bodega cooler, and apparently i should be using the DC out for better efficiency… Thanks for the Video! They are all great!

[@Jasonoid]

Oh yeah, you'll get way longer runtimes off the DC output vs using the AC inverter. Since the Delta 2 is larger, you might not even need to charge it on a short trip. I love that power station :)

[@cunexttuesday513]

I ran a full size 120v freezer in the back of a moving truck in the south, during July, for a 12 hour trip on a 1000 watt battery pack.

[@JimMcPartland]

I'd love to see a video of if you were going camping for ...let's say a week, what is your setup? Do you bring one large generator to power everything? Or several different generators of different sizes?? Same with the solar panels. Thanks.

[@Jasonoid]

I have a few camping videos from last year. Since I have so many options I try to mix it up each time. I think a 1000wh device with 200 watts of solar is a great setup for running a fridge. Running a 100ah LFP battery or rocking a power station both work well.

[@jimdaly5077]

That was great, thank you for the side by side run test. 👍🐝🌞

[@marusholilac]

In the 1990s I bought an Igloo 12/120V thermoelectric 56 quart cooler, model 40001 on ebay, used. I used it and still use it for my monthly trips to my cabin, which is 5 hours each way. It uses 5A or 60+W, and when used with a transformer, is very inefficient, as the big brick gets hot. In 2013 I got worried that it was getting very old and would probably fail, so I bought a backup unit, used on ebay, for $112. I still haven't needed it. (Today is September 19, 2024). The cooler stays in my vehicle and my refrigerated and frozen groceries go into it. If I plan to leave it in a hot parking lot for some hours, I bring a 1/2 gallon (OK, 52-ounce) frozen jug of ice. When traveling I take it into the motel room or if visiting friends, leave it on their porch, plugged in. I've gotten 25 years' service, which is 600 trips to the cabin and hundreds of grocery runs. It is mammoth. It will not die.

[@johntate5284]

I use the Iceco GO20 with a Bluetti EB70, which i just keep in the hatchback on road trips. Works great. I never use the eco setting on the Iceco as the temperature swings quite a bit more, especially in the back of a car sitting in a parking lot for even a few minutes during summer. Even with the odds stacked against the Pecron/Iceco with the 120 watt panel, i was glad to see it held its on against much more expensive EcoFlow system. Time will tell on the Glacier as i'm just not sure the compressor used is as reliable over time compared to the Secop compressors in the Iceco refrigerators. I think that the EcoFlow 220watt bifacial solar panel is one of the best on the market and sometimes, the premium price is acceptable. I hope that you don't have any similar experiences with that NMC battery in the Glacier! Great review!

[@Jasonoid]

Thanks for sharing your experience John, I really like the ICECO GO20, it's a great little fridge. I do agree, it might be worth splurging on a 200w panel for better performance during cloudy conditions.

[@GypsySoul2023]

quick question, John, since you have same gear as me: I'm still new to this so wondering if it's better to charge my Iceco GO20 'while driving' plugged into cigarette lighter, or plug the fridge into my Bluetti EB70S and plug that into the cigarette lighter? Any advice is appreciated.

[@johntate5284]

@@GypsySoul2023 The only reason i don't do that is it's easy too forget and leave it plugged into the lighter socket. I have found that the EB70 runs the GO20 for 10 to 12 hours even in the summer with no problem.

[@johntate5284]

Sorry, some cigarette lighters like mine stay on when the ignition is off so i don't use it for charging. If your ignition shuts it off, then by all means plug your EB70 into the outlet and it will stay topped off while you are driving.

[@GypsySoul2023]

@@johntate5284 Thanks so much!

[@ericb.4358]

To run my small ICECO fridge AND charge the 2 Li - ion batteries on my E-CELLS e-mountain bike at the end of a day of hunting I use: 1.) Off Grid TREK 220 watt folding solar "blanket" charging a 2.) BLUETTI AC200 MAX Li Fe Po4 "solar" battery. Though an expensive system it's totally reliable and works amazingly well.

[@EngiTrek]

Thanks for the video. Very interesting comparison. I was wondering if you have tested either the ARB or Dometic lines of fridges? Those seem very popular and was wondering if they were worth the money. Thanks!

[@Jasonoid]

I haven't tested a Dometic personally but I have heard great things about them. I always try to get the best value on my purchases and there are some other brands that give you that value over Dometic since they cost so much. Maybe one day I will test out a Dometic fridge to see how they do.

[@EngiTrek]

@@Jasonoid agreed. Maybe if they sponsored a test or something haha. They don’t seem to have any more features than something like the iceco but cost 2x as much.

[@AdzeCO]

Great video and review. Been catching up on some new reviews on power stations and came across this one. I bought a Setpower RV45D a couple of years ago and really like it. The dual zone is key. I'm actually glad I have the one I do, the newer ones have wheels and other handle options that I don't think are good for my use in keeping in the back of the SUV. When needed, I supplement my SUV 12V power with an Ecoflow River Pro. I just ordered the Delta Pro with 220W solar panel on Amazon Prime Day at a deal too good to pass up. Slowly building the capacity. REally like the Pecron 3600 review you did in another video. That seems like a great option for household backup.

[@Jasonoid]

The Delta Pro is a great option too! You'll love it 👍

[@kasiaderezinski3326]

Why didn’t you lock the Iceco?

[@NOLAgenX]

I actually have the budget version of the ICECO made by Setpower. It is practically identical in all ways and I love it. It’s saved a good deal of my meats a few times. I rotate in different power stations, since I’ve always got one or two charging while others are running stuff.

[@Jasonoid]

Setpower is a great budget brand, even cheaper than ICECO :) I like their fridges!

[@joycemartin8354]

@@Jasonoid Iceco is German made vs China if that's a concern. I've been really trying to decide because I like to buy the right product the first time if possible and not have to go through it again. My first Ice-less was the Coleman and I was sold but it didn't hold up very long. That was some time ago though and there was little else. I think I'll go with the Iceco.

[@marksommers6764]

I don't have a use for a " power station " .. I have a 200 amp hour Chinese Lipo battery and 2 x 230 watt panels . When charging my cordless vacuum or shaver , a small inverter is used . Note: I purchased a VEVOR 100 liter dual compartment fridge/freezer that ran fine 'till it failed 6 months later showing low voltage ( was well in spec ) .. VEVOR said get it fixed and they'd work with me under warranty .. NO ONE. wants to touch a fridge with an electronic issue .. any suggestions in the San Diego county area ?

[@fischer0762]

I got an Echoflow Delta 2 (1024wh) ($480 on sale on Amazon), a HCALORY 42 quart fridge ($152 on sale on Amazon) and a Massimo 300w solar panel ($150 Walmart). With taxes it came in under $850. I have more watt hours, more solar, but little less fridge room.

[@htoddgriffin4787]

Here's the only real issue I have, and it's related to panels: cost. I ordered a bunch of portable panels in 2021/2022 and even ordered a couple of solar blankets from Australia just to see what they were like. After about six months of playing with these panels, sometimes in near ideal conditions, none of them ever met rated output. Generally I got 50-70%, so on a cost per watt basis these panels were even more expensive than originally thought. And the build quality on all of the models I ordered was pretty poor as well. Most were showing signs of wear after just a few uses; and I pamper my gear. I don't expect a folding panel to be destroyed by..........folding. So I ended up going with 4x160w rigid panels configured as two solar suitcases. Panels plus parts was about $600. Each suitcase weighs 46lbs, and under normal conditions I'll see close to rated output, and under ideal I have actually exceeded rated output. So, most importantly, they work. To get similar results using the Ecoflow 220w panel I'd have to use three panels costing $1400+ and weighing 63lbs. So the Ecoflow option would save me about 30lbs over my dual suitcases, but cost over $800 more and likely have a much shorter working life. If you're truck/SUV camping you're better off mounting a rigid panel on top of the vehicle to charge the batteries. Even a 100w rigid panel (for about $90) is likely to produce about the same power over a day as a much more expensive foldable panel, and most vehicles could fit a 150-200w panel if desired. I haven't found a portable panel yet that hits my sweet spot.

[@Trail_Trash]

I have the VL45 that's been installed in my cargo trailer running off a 100 amp hour lifepo battery, can run for 3-4 days easily before any need charging off my tow vehicle and the trailers Dc to Dc charger. I would add solar if my trips ran longer than 4 days but unnecessary at this point. I have about 50 days use over 2 years on the ICECO and not a complaint, highly recommend it.

[@judyle4893]

Hi! Thanks for all your videos! I really appreciate them. I just bought both an Elecaenta 120W panel and a Pecron E600LFP based, in part, on your videos. I haven't gotten them in yet. I see that you start the video with the solar input on the bottom port, and then move it to the top port. I believe the top one is 12-18V, and the bottom is 32V-95V. The Elecaenta is rated 21+/- 5 percentV. Is that much higher than 18V a problem?

[@Jasonoid]

The Elecaenta panel is a "12v" solar panel so it goes in the lower voltage port.

[@Dan-bj1cz]

How long can the EcoFlow charge the cooker before it stops charging?

[@jhjustinlee]

I like to use the 12 volt in the car to charge the power station and then use the power station 12 volt output to run the cooler. That way when I'm driving the battery charges, when the car is off it keeps running. 500wh is the minimum I would recommend as 300wh does not last long enough and often charges much slower as well.

[@jimoray3]

Great review. Big difference in price and performance although a little better with EF the Less expensive solution was the winner. Did I miss something?

[@Jasonoid]

I didn't really specify a winner, I just wanted to show the different setups off so people could see what might work better for them

[@campbellsoup4910]

What up Doe!? I like the Vl45, Pecron and Elecaenta setup Dr J' Iceco makes some very reliable and efficient products! Great job👍🏼

[@goneoutside1011]

I already had the 220w solar panel and the old river pro now I have the glacier with battery. Mine has been running for about 3 weeks now continuously.

[@danslickers8166]

Good information on the two setup’s. Thanks for the video. I’m guessing though that the iceco would have used a little less power if it would have been latched down so it was closed all the way making a good seal. Grace and Peace Slick

[@Jasonoid]

The ICECO lid is actually pretty heavy on it's own and seems to make a decent seal. That's why I usually don't latch it.

[@danslickers8166]

@@Jasonoid I can appreciate something of good quality works well when not used how it was designed but I’ll bet the company would not appreciate, especially when testing, using it 100% correctly for results.

[@pilgrimdav]

I think one comparison I would like to see is the best solar panels for shaded use. Here in the east coast usually we are camping in the woods.

[@Jasonoid]

Have you seen this solar panel video? kzbin.info/www/bejne/hJfPnZJ3rNOJkMU In that video I tested lots of 200w panels for partial shading. Any panel that has each section wired in parallel will get the best shading performance.

[@timquain5341]

I'd like to see a comparison between a battery box and the ecoflow.

[@vincentmontambault217]

When the power pack reach 100%, does the charger automatically divert the solar power? Or you have to manually unplug the panels?

[@Jasonoid]

You can leave the solar connected all the time. It just charges when needed.

[@TobyCostaRica]

Hybrid Toyotas with the OEM pure sine 1500 watt inverter don’t need solar if you drive often enough. I wfh and charging at 4-500 watts during errands is enough to keep my Dometic 28L fridge running on a EcoFlow River Pro 2.

[@shanes481]

I picked up a river 2 max and a ecoflow 160 watt solar panel from home depot for $500 after watching this video. I plan on getting one of the iceco to run with them. It would be very useful to have a small fridge that can run independent of the power grid.

[@Jasonoid]

Wow! Great find on the River 2 Max and solar panel at that price :) The VL45 is an excellent option from ICECO, they also have some newer models.

[@mellie1022]

I am looking at that deal right now but I can't decide between this or pecron

[@artsalazar9841]

$500?

[@HuChing-ob4kk]

I did the same thing..i bought the ecoflow River Pro and paired it with my Alpicool 50....once youget power you will need more power...get the extra battery with the ecoflow river if you cant afford a bigger power station...believe me you will need it and the investment is worth it. You can never have to much power..get as much as you can

[@ericwitt4586]

I used my solar generator and two 100 watt panels for my iceco vl 60/65 and it’s a 2000 watt generator I just kept it topped off at times I was getting 186 watts and it got enough which when cold the iceco only drew 36 watts cooling down it used only 56 watts the fridge was set at 36 and freezer was at 11 degrees it ran day and night for 4 nights and 5 days no complaints here at my off grid cabin 😎😀👍🙏🏻🇺🇸

[@subhuman3227]

would the eco flow battery system work just as good with the iceco vl45? or only works well with the ecoflow glacier?

[@jw3843]

Great test. I like the comparison. I would love to see how the Pecron would do with 200 watts of solar on it. But I am sure it would be about a tie even on the cloudy days. Great test and one of these days I might actually buy a iceco fridge. So far, I am sticking with the cheapo 12-volt fridges. On the Dr Prepare battery with the 12 volt module I got 6 days of runtime on a 12 volt fridge with out charging it at all during the test keeping it at 36 or 34 degrees on the setting. But that was inside with a room temp anywhere between 68 and 78 degrees.

[@Jasonoid]

If you have a fridge that works now no need to replace it. You'll see around double the power usage in hot temps so you'd probably get around 3 days runtime instead of 6. Still very decent since that's without charging. Add a solar panel and it's unlimited runtime if the sun is shining.

[@JuNpwr]

I was gifted with BougeRV fridge/freezer to be powered by EcoFlow River Pro or my Tesla 12v. How do you maintain the cooling when the fridge is running and blowing hot air inside the car parked ?

[@Jasonoid]

The hot air coming off the fridge is nothing compared to the amount of heat you'll get through the windows and hot roof. When leaving a fridge in the car I always try to park in the shade and crack the windows to keep it as cool as possible inside the car.

[@NoZenith]

I have a couple questions but I'm trying to watch all your videos before I ask them trying to figure out which video is the best one to ask the question on haha. Thanks for your content

[@l.l.5274]

Thanks for your informative video. I'm new to this and I have one question for you. If I want to use an inductive cookware and/or microwave, would I need a 1500 watt inverter?

[@Jasonoid]

Most cooking appliances pull 1500-1800 watts. I'd recommend having a 2000w inverter.

[@GHE2005]

What's the eco flow pro power station? Is it = to the other power station? Everyone does the test on running the frig, no one does the testing on running the freezer only. I use the freezer only, it's dang hard to keep that going using even a thousand watts power station. The thing I love about the Eco Flow is how fast they can change using shore power. Thx u for doing the testing video. How's that working for u with the ice maker 1? Power hog I bet. I'm fulltime using my Iceco go20. Love that little frig/freezer. 👍🏾

[@Jasonoid]

Running these in freezer mode is much more taxing on the battery. I show those numbers in each of my fridge reviews on my channel. Gotta have lots of battery capacity and solar to keep the freezer going!

[@gossumx]

What was the peak power draw from each refrigerator while running? Edit: I found another guy that showed 36.2 watts on the Iceco when running. It may be a littler higher draw to start the compressor.

[@chefartiebucco22]

I think the Eco flow cover for the solar panels is the kickstand.

[@astrowing4952]

I would have liked to see the test with the same solar panel power. With an economical 200W solar panel, the performance will surely be equal. And it would still be about $1,000 cheaper.

[@ericwitt4586]

I’ve been thinking about a unit like the ice co for my cabin thanks for the video.

[@Jasonoid]

I have a couple of viewers who mentioned they run them in their cabins! They have been going for 2 years straight and no issues.

[@davidpaine7398]

Great overview of two different setups! I would definitely go for the budget system.. But I have a question, I'm considering doing some months long boondocking in my minivan, with fridge, powerstation, and a glass panel mounted on the roof. My question is there a way to hook up both 12v from my car as well as a solar panel to a powerstation simultaneously to either use both sources at the same time, or one or the other depending on conditions?

[@Jasonoid]

I get this question a lot actually. There really isn't a way to hook up both charging options at the same time on a power station currently. Some people will use one of those heavy duty power switches that allow for multiple sources and just switch when needed. Another option will be to go with a standalone 100ah LFP battery setup and use a dual charger that has solar and DC to DC built in so it will automatically chose the best charging source. One dual charger that I own is shown in this older video on my channel: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpWllWOViK-ZZqM

[@EBuff75]

I have a BougeRV 35qt dual-zone fridge/freezer that I've run off of either a BigBlue CP500 (538Wh) or an Oukitel CN505 (614Wh), with a Renogy 100w rigid panel bolted to the roof rack on my Suburban.

[@TheAngryCamper]

I bought that Iceco based on your videos, I love it!!

[@jeffdana9402]

I'd love to see if one power station can run two fridges for 72 hours, increased pressure on power station and solar panel !!!

[@DoritosResidue]

the pecron 600 lfp has issues that seems to be widespread with owners . The bottom USB ports do not work when the top ones are being used. Mine has the same issues. Didn't find out till I went camping with it. It is a great unit but the ports not working bother me. The 2000 lfp I own doesn't have these issues luckily. I already have a few of the new ecoflow models and no issues like that what so ever.

[@JawnJohn]

have you contacted Pecron regarding your issue? I’m curious to see how their customer service is

[@Jasonoid]

Yes, that is known issue where you cant use two usb ports at the same time. Luckily their new models will have smart app connectivity and the ability to upgrade the firmware to fix those issues without having to replace the whole thing.

[@richardhobbs7107]

Best 'Bang for the Buck' obviously is with the Iceco & Pecron . . . . . and maybe two 100 watt panels in parallel . . . . ? ( I have two 100 watt portable panels 'in stock' from other purchases .) NICE review / testing , enjoy your videos ! Take care, rh

[@colliscox481]

Great video, this is something I am looking to do, thanks Jason!

[@Jasonoid]

It makes camping much better, I've never gone back to ice since I found my first 12v fridge :)

[@offgridcanuck8819]

I'd like to see the power consumption of both coolers side by side. In curious if one is more efficient than the other.

[@Jasonoid]

If you want to see how each fridge performs and their actual power usage, check out this spreadsheet: (once the shared doc opens up, click on the "fridge comparison" tab at the bottom: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BZLY89iHF94vO2enPln7_HjlH-_IkgSbCfh3ofZ1h0c/edit?usp=sharing Each fridge review also breaks down detailed power consumption testing to compare both models side by side: EcoFlow Fridge Review: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hZ6WaoyHhMhgm8k ICECO VL45 Review: kzbin.info/www/bejne/aKjKpnd_qdx5brM