For those long...ish road trips where you are camping for 2- 3 days at a time I want to lug around an electric cool box but don't want to squeeze my battery dry for obvious reasons.

Has anyone tried fitting a second battery to an FR2 and can it be done without rebuilding the cars innards!!!!  Freelander 2 TD4 HSE
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Xenons
Lot's of mud!!!!

Sounds a bit complex/expensive. Isn't there a voltage controller available that will cut supply to the cool box if the fl2's battery gets dangerously low? The caravan lads should know about such things... I normally just use the fridge in the holiday cottage/hotel.
Or try a solar powered charger to help keep the battery topped up. At work
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"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

I was thinking about having an electric cool box, and I have just found in Maplin, and device that will cut the electirc to the cool box, if the battery starts to get drained at all, think it was about £20, so a lot cheaper than a second battery

Rich

I used to run a small cool box in my Freelander 1 and never had any problems with the battery, even on 2-3 day trips driving down to Italy. Last year I bought a much bigger cool box with more features; these include a sensor that would switch off the box when it sensed a voltage drop, as well as an adaptor that allowed the box to be run from the mains as well as 12v. Again I used it on a long trip to Italy last Autumn with the Freelander 1 and no problems. In December, equipped with new Freelander 2, I used the big box on a trip from Manchester to Hythe and used the rear, 'permanently on' 12v socket, including overnight during a stop-off in London. Again, absolutely no problems at all. I did use the mains adaptor to cool the box and contents well before setting off for journeys, imagining that this would make less of a draw on the battery. Both boxes have been from Halfords and I've been very pleased with both.

DT

When i use to sleep on the floor in my tent, i had a desent cool box, with freezer packs

i progressed to get the 12v electric cooler, i found this not to be as good as the cool box with ice packs and had a few jump starts due to it

most campsites had the freezer to refreeze them and i rotated the Gel freezer packs daily

I then got a electrical hookup and got a small Stella Fridge from the local Supermarket

Then upgraded from sleeping on the floor to a caravan bed Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

"Then upgraded from sleeping on the floor to a caravan bed"


next you can upgrade to a dustbin, then to a hen house , stone floor, carpet floor eventually to a bed  At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

Theres a contact on the Disco3 site who does this sort of thing extremley well 10forcash is his user name
send him a PM disco3.co.uk is where is at !

Rapierwit wrote:

For those long...ish road trips where you are camping for 2- 3 days at a time I want to lug around an electric cool box but don't want to squeeze my battery dry for obvious reasons.

Has anyone tried fitting a second battery to an FR2 and can it be done without rebuilding the cars innards!!!!

I think you've got a few options, first if you fit towing electrics (not cheap!) you would have a split charge system so could charge the 2nd battery as you drive about; as per us caravan chaps!

Plan B, get yuorself a power invertor to produce 230volts from 12vols and then run a battery charger from the 230volts - this is not a pretty solution but would be cheap and effective.

Plan C, get yourself a solar panel to charge the second battery, OK slightly weather dependent but would work to some extent, many caravanners do this when there is no elelctric hook up.

Plan D, get yourself a generator, another option used by some caravanners, run the genny a couple of hours a day to top up the 12volt battery.

I think there are a number of options, I'm sure you could make one work for you.

if you opt for the 12v to 240v (500w) inverter Costco have one in for £35 made by Ring

They also had a Ring trickle charger next to it, but didn't look at that price Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

I have a cordless compressor with a 12v power source.

includes an AC charger and a DC 12-volt charger for recharging in the car as you drive,

Best thing i ever bought,i guess there are alot of options and hope it works out for you.

Thanks for all the feedback

I've ordered a 35L electric coolbox with "active battery security" which will cut out if the batteries voltage falls below a certain level. This seems the best compromise

Just a quick tip...if you want decent outdoors kit at, from what I've seen, the best prices try www.socal.co.uk and before you ask, I don't work for them.

Now to find some jumper leads to carry with me...........  Freelander 2 TD4 HSE
Silver
Xenons
Lot's of mud!!!!

chicken george wrote:

Sounds a bit complex/expensive. Isn't there a voltage controller available that will cut supply to the cool box if the fl2's battery gets dangerously low? The caravan lads should know about such things... I normally just use the fridge in the holiday cottage/hotel.
Or try a solar powered charger to help keep the battery topped up.

"Or try a solar powered charger " - in England? I would have thought a rain powered charger would make more sense.  FREELANDER 2 TD4 SE (XS UK) IZMIR BLUE SIDE STEPS COLD PACK BI-XENON TINTED WINDOWS - AND PROUD OF HER

exactly thats why I said 'try' but if its not sunny you don't need a cool box? At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

chicken george wrote:

exactly thats why I said 'try' but if its not sunny you don't need a cool box?

Fair enough.  FREELANDER 2 TD4 SE (XS UK) IZMIR BLUE SIDE STEPS COLD PACK BI-XENON TINTED WINDOWS - AND PROUD OF HER

I like my beer cold

The cooler arrived and it's the dog's bo cks!!!

First real test this weekend on the farm.........  Freelander 2 TD4 HSE
Silver
Xenons
Lot's of mud!!!!