Alpicool C20 Refrigerator

[XERTYX]

Well its here. I'm going to be letting the refrigerant settle for 24hrs before I plug it in.

My initial impression of the build quality:
Impressive, the weight distribution is a little odd as expected. Kinda like the old projector tv sets with an offset center of gravity. Its lightweight and the handles make moving it simple. 

It was very well packaged with plenty of styrofoam, taped well, and even had plastic strapping around the box.

The materials seem to be sturdy. I was expecting kinda cheesy cheap plastic but to my delight it's well built.

The unit has a QR code sticker on the front for the app that is available for it. It comes with the AC/DC transformer for use on AC power as well as the 12v DC cigarette lighter socket plug. 

I havent powered it on yet so I dont know if the thermostat is in C or F, but there is a USB port on the control panel which is interesting. I'm planning to use that port for my 5w USB fan.

As far as the interior so far I have put in a 1 gallon container of milk which DID fit, but the lid would pop back up by a millimeter or 2, so I'm going to be looking for a square half gallon container that I can use to put milk in for the fridge.

A 2 liter coca cola zero bottle WILL NOT fit. At least standing up it will not. That's fine by me as i dont chill my 2 liters. Those are all the items I've dry tested for fitting so far.

I'm planning to update this thread on the regular so stay tuned, I'm planning to test it in freezer mode as well as continuous duty as a refrigerator. So far I'm impressed with it if it turns on and gets cold. $200 price tag seems to be worth it for me.

 

[highdesertranger]

Thanks for the follow up and for sure give us a review once you use it for awhile. Highdesertranger

 

[HappyLife1977]

I did a hell of a lot of research on these things, so just to let you know, set it for about 5 to 6 degrees than you want it to keep at. Otherwise, awesomeness. We vac the vents once a month to keep the dust and lint from choking the motor. And if it's like our t50, it burbles like a fish tank when it's cycling.

PS, we put a piece of duct tape over the usb on ours because it's on top. Good thing to, because it would have drowned the day after we plugged it in. Twice since things have spilled. Not sure if yours is on top or the side.

 

[hugemoth]

I have the C-15 which is the same except for the lid. It's been running since last July with no issues. It sets under my bunk where I don't hear it at all. 5 out of 5 stars.

 

[jacqueg]

Hint on the Alpicool - and probably others as well - I finally got around to covering the nonvent outside surfaces with Reflectix and duct tape. Not only is it maintaining cool temp better, but it really cut down on compressor noise!

 

[PeterPiper]

I've wanted too....but just too many early failures.....

Kevin E
1.0 out of 5 stars Great at first now just a big headache.
Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2021
Size: LGT60 versionColor: LGT60Verified Purchase
This unit was awesome when I first bought it now when I run it for more than a day I keep getting a error 2 fan code it's happened 3 times but the fan still works and my unit is always out in the open I cant really see any thing that would hinder air flow but after a few hours im able to turn it back on but god forbid I dont catch it all of my food will be lost and that only has to happen a handful of times for me to lose the cost of this fridge in provisions it's ok but use extreme caution and make certain to check every 12 hours without fail.i originally got this to go cross country with my family but I thi k I will have to reconsider that.


Tophe
2.0 out of 5 stars Got louder and then died
Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2021
Verified Purchase
It worked great for us for just over a year. Used it for a total of about 5 weeks during that time. I notices the compressor was getting louder when it kicked off. Then this morning I had F1 and F4 error message. Could not get it running on A/C or 12 volt. Put it at the edge of campground and it was gone in an hour. Someone maybe can fix it, but not me. I got another mini fridge from Lowes to save all the groceries I just bought. I guess the are a fraction of a domestic fridge for a reason.


Pete kyle
1.0 out of 5 stars Not working after 2 months
Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2021
Verified Purchase
Thank you for sending the possible fix for only one side cooling, however it did not work. Do you have another suggestion? We have purchase 3 units since Dec 2020 and only 1 has worked. I am really surprised as the construction and quality looks good. That is why we have continued to try to support you.

Please send addition ways to fix this problem

 

[user 37446]

Square Trade warranty maybe?

 

[tripper]

I have the Alpicool T60-LG Portable Refrigerator Dual Temperature Control 63 Quart(60 Liter) Compact Fridge Mini Freezer. The first one had a sticky valve and only one side worked, they replaced it immediately under warranty. This second one has been quirky and occasionally I lose the ability to control it or one side wont display. I used the reset procedure below and then it works fine. BTW I have had a Winter fridge for 7+ years, works flawlessly. This Alpicool is quirky but a good value for the money, I have had it 2 years now. You can get them with either the LG compressor or the Chinese one, it isonly a few dollars more for the LG one get it.


Step1: Keep plug in ac adapter. Turn off the fridge
Step 2ress “SET” button until it displays “E1”
Step 3:Then press button “UP” and button” DOWN” at the same time until it displays”888”. Then all data returns to factory default.

Change C to F display: Power off the fridge,press SET button, it will displays settings of E5 that you can change to Fahrenheit display.

 

[hugemoth]

My C-15 has worked flawlessly since I got it last July. Same unit as the C-20 except for the lid.

 

[XERTYX]

Ok so sorry. It's been a hell of a couple days folks. I got my solar panels installed in my van and hooked up the fridge. 

I finally got it all together about 4pm and started the fridge in MAX mode at a setting of about 27° F to cool down all the stuff I put in. Just a 2 liter bottle of soda on its side and a bunch of energy drinks. (I wanted lots of thermal mass and liquid seemed like the right tack)

As I had the battery fully charged it was running completely off of my 200 watts of solar for most of the cool down phase. About 5:20pm the sun was behind the trees already and it still was running off of the solar until nearly 6:30pm.

I checked it out about 8:30am and the battery voltage was at 12.6v according to the charge controller. Which is what it was at when I went to bed around 11pm. So I checked it with a multimeter. 12.72v the CC is registering 14v 0.0a from the panels. Today will really be the acid test as it's raining.

I also finally got the bluetooth app to work. I didnt scan the QR code. I just went into the play store and searched for alpicool. Pro-tip the app need location permissions AND location has to be turned on for some reason for it to connect.

The app is kind of interesting. Especially if the battery protection voltages displayed are true. I have mine set to L because when the sun is fading the fridges battery voltage display is lower than the actual voltage. It was displaying 12.2v when the true voltage was still 12.9.

 

[hugemoth]

The fridge shows the battery voltage at the fridge. It will be quite a bit lower than voltage at the battery when the compressor is running because of resistance in the circuit. Should be pretty accurate when the compressor is off. The fridge reads the battery voltage before starting the compressor, so as long as the resting voltage is above the low voltage cutoff it'll start. It'll continue running when voltage drops below the cutoff voltage but won't start when it's below.

 

[XERTYX]

From what I've seen the voltage display is always off. Even when the compressor isnt running. EXCEPT when the battery is in float. Then it's either dead on or off by 0.1v. When the it's dark it's pretty accurate except when the compressor is running.

When the sun is setting and the panels are putting out a teensy lil bit its 12.5 when the compressor is off and 12.3 when it's running. Either way on mine it's not very reliable as a volt meter.

I am kinda concerned about "the rise of the machines" having a fridge with bluetooth though.

Obviously not that concerned though. I'm going to be adding a wifi dongle to my charge controller.

 

[Shyian]

I have been using an ice chest since my fridge broke. This small fridge you have is it big enough to put a half gallon (cardboard container) of almond milk? ((Standing up?))

 

[XERTYX]

Umm. I'm not totally sure on that. I did try a standard gallon of milk and the lid did shut but popped back up by a couple mm. So if it's the same height as a gallon of milk I would say no. It wont seal property. But if you used a little bit of the almond milk and then crushed the container a little bit to make it slightly shorter (assuming it's the same height as 1 gallon milk jug) it possibly would work.

Sorry I dont have any other containers of similar height to test it. I'll try and test it with a few other containers tomorrow. I think I have a container of apple juice and one of V-8 juice at my sister's place. I'll report back with what I find.

 

[hugemoth]

Alpicool's published interior height for the C20 is 9.9".

 

[user 423]

This small fridge you have is it big enough to put a half gallon (cardboard container) of almond milk?  ((Standing up?))

Have you tried powdered almond milk?  I buy 1qt. packets of dry (regular) milk and use 2 containers that are short enough to fit in the C20. One will be cleaned and air dried for a couple of days, then filled with water and chilled while I'm using the milk from the other. Rinse and repeat. The taste isn't so great as a beverage and it's just used for cereal and oatmeal or misc. cooking.

 

[Shyian]

WOW I had no idea they had powdered almond milk. Thank you!

 

[XERTYX]

1 week later.

I've kept it at 34° F in ECO mode for the most part. I have occasionally cranked it down to 27°F in MAX mode to rapid cool some drinks that went in at room temp.

I open it at least once a day to take out energy drinks or to refill it with energy drinks. It's only had energy drinks a 2 liter of soda on its side and adult beverages in it. I'll be putting perishable food in it now that I know it works well and I can replenish it with 200 watts of solar.

Today for instance my system was in float mode around 2pm when I checked my CC. The fridge has been plugged in and running steadily for 6 days and 23 hours or so now. So 7 days.

It seems to pull about 210-400 watt hours daily depending on the temperature inside my van. I HAVE NOT yet insulated it. Over 1 week the only loads have been my fridge, a 5 watt fan during the day, and a tablet.

I've generated 1.86Kwh in 1 week and some of that was the fan and tablet. But just for the sake of argument.... 1.86Kwh or 1860 watt hours ÷ 7 days = 265.71 watt hours daily average.

Some days it's been HOT in the van so hot in fact that I put up a reflective shade in the windshield and foam boards over all the back windows and cracked the front and rear windows and ran the OPOLAR usb fan on max and it was still very hot inside the van.

The fridge has never gotten hot, it cools down to 30°F and warms up to 35-38°F before it comes back on. It does as someone mentioned make a noise that sounds like a fish aquarium pump or something. It gurgles a bit. Practically not noticable once you get used to it.

The fridge has little bits of ice on the metal plate on the inside where condensation has frozen. So I would assume that the thermostat is pretty accurate. When its 32° theres ice. When its 35° I havent noticed any ice. It cycles enough that so far none of the drinks inside have frozen.

So far I'm very pleased with this fridge. At some point I'll be trying it out in freezer mode. Probably closer to the summertime to be honest. To make sure I can recoup the extra energy it will use.

 

[user 423]

I've used mine for the past 2 summers when it was very hot and it did fine.

For insulation you can just add on to the foam pieces that it was shipped in:




They recommend that you leave room between items to allow air to circulate so it shouldn't be loaded up solid.

I've been searching for a large weave plastic fabric or something (sort of like plastic chain mail) to line the bottom and sides.

This should allow air to circulate better.

 

[XERTYX]

Yeah I saved the foam that came with it. I've been thinking of using it as a base to build up some of the pink panther insulation foam board from home depot.