At 07:21 AM 6/28/2006 -0700, Michael Elliott wrote:
>David Beierl wrote:
>>At 03:04 PM 6/27/2006 -0700, Mike Elliott wrote:
>>>Peltier devices pull a ton of current to pump that heat from one
>>>side to the other.
>>
>>Well, these are power devices -- but the Dometic fridge has an
>>85-watt heater, so 60-watt Peltier units don't look too
>>out-of-proportion to me.  That's what a 40-quart Coleman cooler uses.
>Yep. As long as a fellow is hooked to shore power, or a generator,
>or only uses it for short periods of time, it could be useful,
>otherwise that 60-watt device will quickly deplete a 12-v battery at
>the rate of 5 amp-hours per hour.

'Zackly.  When underway or on shore power you've got plenty of juice
to spend on faster heat extraction if you want it -- and when
underway the Dometic's own cooling is significantly compromised by
the motion.  The temperature of the cooling fins rises several
degrees almost immediately upon setting the van in motion, as you
would expect of a delicately balanced gravity-driven system.

--
David Beierl - Providence RI USA -- http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage," '85 GL "Poor Relation"