fridge console

[Glen 93 patrol]

G'day all.

Has anyone turned the origional console into a fridge?
What have most people done about a fridge console?

Im currently constructing a fridge console using the existing console and putting in a aluminium insert into the console. Also i will be (if possible) putting a splitter into one of the air vent piping and directing it straight into the console some how. Hopefully (if all goes to some paln i have in my head) the insert into the console will be insulated too and keep things cool. If i am unable to direct a pipe into the console from the air vent it'll just be used with an ice brick in it.

Dont worry pics and a detailed write up will be on the way for anyone who would like to see exactly what i planning to do.

Glen

[BigRAWesty]

I see your plan but they only down fall I see is it'll only cool when ac is on.. the rest of time it'll be absorbing heat from the floor.
It will probably be easier to install a small wayco fridge. They come with 2 cup holders and when not in use can store crap. But it can be used to cool beers even when its mild temps..

Kallen Westbrook
Owner of
Westy's Accessories (http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?15134-Westy-s-Accessories.-A-small-back-yard-builder.)

[the evil twin]

What model patrol... a 93 GQ?

I don't think you will get a great result with an A/C feed. The air feels "cold as" to us humans but isn't all that great for cooling down stuff. Nissan fooled around for a while with air vent adapters in X trails that you could swap around and they held a can in the outlet. Dunno if they still have them but they are pretty shyte.

Better to go with your ice brick idea or even a "Peltier effect" set up like in the 1001 12 volt cooler/warmers available on Ebay/supercrap/retchco etc but Peltier heat exchanger circuits are fairly power hungry (about 4 to 5 amps or so).

If you do want an A/C feed and have a GU there are outlets under the front seats but they only flow when "feet" are selected so you might freeze your tootsies trying to chill your beers ;)

[Clunk]

What model patrol... a 93 GQ?

I don't think you will get a great result with an A/C feed. The air feels "cold as" to us humans but isn't all that great for cooling down stuff. Nissan fooled around for a while with air vent adapters in X trails that you could swap around and they held a can in the outlet. Dunno if they still have them but they are pretty shyte.


I actually quite liked the a/c coolers in the xtrail, found they worked ok and better than nowt at all........ Obviously much better to put cold cans or bottles in the holders than warm ones as it took way too long to cool otherwise, but then again not really any different to putting warm beer in an Engel or waeco, still takes a week while to chill

Don't stroke it, TAP it!!!!.....

[the evil twin]

I actually quite liked the a/c coolers in the xtrail, found they worked ok and better than nowt at all........ Obviously much better to put cold cans or bottles in the holders than warm ones as it took way too long to cool otherwise, but then again not really any different to putting warm beer in an Engel or waeco, still takes a week while to chill

Don't stroke it, TAP it!!!!.....

Hiya Clunk.... yeah, I hear what your saying and fair enuf. They would keep a cold can coldish while you ate your tucker or whatever but I didn't like 'em at all really. I gotta admit that my experience with them was Qld where even the A/C struggled for humans at times so my opinion may be a tad harsh.

Still reckon an A/C feed into a box on the centre console would be disappointing which is a shame 'cause the missus and I would love something there as well. The dinky little compressor frig's are too dear and the Peltier frig's suck amps big time.

ATM we have a lunch sized esky the same width as, and behind, the centre console which we keep a couple of bits of fruit, some snacks, a few softie cans and a couple of bottles of water nice and cold with tech ice...

Haven't found a better option yet so will follow this thread with interest.

[Bigcol]

In my wife's car (100series Kakadu) it comes with the center console fridge - same as the Sahara - they are a separate Aircon system - all it does it blow cold air (masses of it and fast) into the fridge area
takes about 1 hour for a warm can of coke to be cold enough to drink. and at $3500 from Toy for a new unit, not worth trying to modify
However
Engel have just released a 14Lt 12V only fridge, about $600.00 from Engel for my Xmas pressie

http://http://www.engeland.com.au/productcloseup.toy?areanid=1530&categorynid=768929&itemnid=1875
http://http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn309/collorr/CaC_500_md14f_zps2939ae6d.jpg
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn309/collorr/CaC_500_md14f_zps2939ae6d.jpg

smart little unit, with a large lid & a top door as well
well worth the missus money for my Pressie even if I do say so

cheers

[Clunk]

Hiya Clunk.... yeah, I hear what your saying and fair enuf. They would keep a cold can coldish while you ate your tucker or whatever but I didn't like 'em at all really. I gotta admit that my experience with them was Qld where even the A/C struggled for humans at times so my opinion may be a tad harsh.

Still reckon an A/C feed into a box on the centre console would be disappointing which is a shame 'cause the missus and I would love something there as well. The dinky little compressor frig's are too dear and the Peltier frig's suck amps big time.

ATM we have a lunch sized esky the same width as, and behind, the centre console which we keep a couple of bits of fruit, some snacks, a few softie cans and a couple of bottles of water nice and cold with tech ice...

Haven't found a better option yet so will follow this thread with interest.

As will I........ I either a use a 33ltr esky which keeps things about as cool as a tin roof on a hot summers day (must get a new one some day soon), or I use a 30ish ltr Waeco Tropicool cooler which my father outlaw picked up for £10 from a garage sale....... it works OK but again, need to put cold stuff in with a few ice bricks in first. Both way to bulky to put anywhere other than the boot, if all other seats are occupied..

all tapped out!!!

[BigRAWesty]

Just been reading, yep I'm up... Seems the waeco cdf11 is the pick of the bunch. If you google it there are a few build installs.

Kallen Westbrook
Owner of
Westy's Accessories (http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?15134-Westy-s-Accessories.-A-small-back-yard-builder.)

[Glen 93 patrol]

Alrighty, so i have made a start on the fridge console using the existing console. However instead of using the air con from the car to keep it cool i found an old 12v 'travel cooler' thingo and have opted to pull the guts out and use it in the console. Gave it a quick test run in the truck today. Will have to get back with temp inside, but it was fairly cold with a fair amount of condensation inside it. All thats left is some more trim bits and a lick of paint.
Pics tell the story. (sorry the computer wouldnt help me get the pics the right way up)

[Glen 93 patrol]

P.S: it has enough room inside to put a six pack in, how convenient!

[BigRAWesty]

Looks neat. Well done. And nice use of the top tray. How cold does the lid get though?? Id be insulating that to, to assist in efficiency.

Kallen Westbrook
Owner of
Westy's Accessories (http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?15134-Westy-s-Accessories.-A-small-back-yard-builder.)

[Glen 93 patrol]

was thinking of insulating the top tray too. havn't really had it running long enough to really test it out yet, but i will get the temp of how it goes soon.

[threedogs]

I use the Waeco 12v job when travelling only, cools to 20 below ambient, holds 9 cans from memory. only for passenger,
just remember to un plug they pull heaps and will flatten your aux in no time

[the evil twin]

Very nice job. Very nice job indeed.

Amazing how much 'extra' space there is in the centre consoles without the moulded box as well.

Where does the hot air from the "tray side" peltier effect heat exchanger vent too?

[Winnie]

I'd be looking for some way to vent that hot air out, looks like a bloody good idea though and I have a little 12v travel fridge jobbie. Not terrible but certainly no Engel.

[Glen 93 patrol]

The console isn't much smaller with the insert in it. The only real loss of room is in between the 2 angled bits at the bottom. (which is bugger all space anyway)

I ran it in the truck today with the console lid up to let the hot air out till i could figure out a way to vent it out without cutting big noticable holes into it. i'll put some pics up of the vents i made this afternoon.

Glen.

[the evil twin]

Sweeeet...

I think I can hear the sound of several forum members rumaging in their shed for that old POS cooler that might not be a POS after all ;)

[BigRAWesty]

In all honesty I would have mounted the cooler to the base.. that way the ventilation could be naturally under the console..

Kallen Westbrook
Owner of
Westy's Accessories (http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?15134-Westy-s-Accessories.-A-small-back-yard-builder.)

[Glen 93 patrol]

I had a look at mounting the cooling system at the base of it, However the angle of the base put me off a bit and the amount of room I needed for it all to fit in.
Also the origional cooler had all the guts mounted to the lid so i tried to keep it the same in thinking that they would have thought about the best spot to mount the cooling system.

So its been running in the truck for about an hour and i have found a small proboem with it. The fan on the underside doesnt do a whole lot. It only keeps about the top 50 odd mm cool so i may have to modify a computer cooling fan and attach it to the bottom of the element so it suckes the cool air and blows it down and around the console. Should be sweet then.

[Clunk]

How about cutting a hole at the back of the console (rear passenger side) and mounting the fan and cooling element/ heat exchanger towards the bottom....... Just like they do in the actual coolers

Don't stroke it, TAP it!!!!.....

[BigRAWesty]

So glen this weather lately would have tested it. How's it working

Kallen Westbrook
Owner of
Westy's Accessories (http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?15134-Westy-s-Accessories.-A-small-back-yard-builder.)

[Glen 93 patrol]

Yep i've tested it out a bit.
After about an hour of running it, it put a chill on a warm drink, so i guess it works alright. Looked round for a thermometre but i cant find one. From what i can gather it will cool to about 20 below the ambient temp.

Glen

[the evil twin]

... LCD thermometers incl battery... less than $3 delivered. I bought about 10 for house fridges, freezers, my 2 Engels, camper and a couple of spares

You can't even buy the battery for $3 in Oz

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Digital-Thermometer-Temperature-Mini-LCD-Refrigerator-Freezer-Fridge-/281000715082?_trksid=p3284.m263&_trkparms=algo%3DSI%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D 21%26pmod%3D110609582901%26ps%3D54

[BigRAWesty]

Evil do they control the unit and cut it out once they reach a set temp.


Kallen Westbrook
Owner of
Westy's Accessories (http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?15134-Westy-s-Accessories.-A-small-back-yard-builder.)

[Winnie]

No it's just a thermometer at that price...

[Glen 93 patrol]

Update on the fridge console.

Moved the element and fans around a bit and is working much better. Mounted the system towards the bottom. Bugger all room for the fan and outer element, but it all fits, JUST. Only had it running for about 5minutes and it gets cold as appose to before when it took about 45 minutes to get cold.
Took out the top tray of the console to make it a bit bigger. Also lined the lid with foam too. Whilst i had the console out i put in a 12volt plug in the back of it. Much happier with how the unit works now. Few pics of how it looks.

[Winnie]

Hey off topic question but what seats do you have in the front?

[Glen 93 patrol]

Not 100% sure but i have a feeling they are recaro seats. Quite good. Can Find out definatly if you like.

[the evil twin]

Evil do they control the unit and cut it out once they reach a set temp.


Kallen Westbrook
Owner of
Westy's Accessories (http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/showthread.php?15134-Westy-s-Accessories.-A-small-back-yard-builder.)

Nah... just a temp indicator like Winnie said.

Handy little tackers to have tho