|
FAQs
What level of cooling performance can we expect
from a Koolatron cooler?
A Koolatron cooler can maintain its contents
at a temperature approximately 40 to 45 Fahrenheit (22 to 25 Celcius)
degrees lower than the temperature of the surrounding air. It is best
to load pre-cooled food or drinks into the cooler. As a rule of thumb,
it takes about one hour per pound of material loaded into the cooler
to bring it from room temperature down to maximum cold. At a temperature
of 80 deg.F (27 deg.C.) the contents of the cooler can be maintained
at approximately 38 deg.F (3 deg.C) (Normal household refrigerators
are usually maintained at 45 to 48 deg.F. (7 to 9 deg.C). At a temperature
of 90 deg.F (32 deg.C.) the contents of the cooler can be maintained
at approximately 48 deg.F (9 deg.C).
Can a Koolatron cooler freeze and make ice cubes?
The Koolatron cooler was designed to function
as a cooler and does not have ice cube facilities. Operating in
an air temperature below 65 degrees F. the contents could become
frozen slowly or frozen foods could be kept solid for some time.
Most Koolatrons are not thermostatically controlled and run at maximum
cold. ......( ask about the Koolatron “Arcti-Kool Freezer”, model
F86 ) ((Specialty coolers with thermostatic controls are available
for Medical, Scientific and other Premium applications))
What temperatures can be expected from the Koolatron
cooler in Heater mode?
Temperatures in the range of 130 to 140 deg.F
( 54.4 to 60 deg.C). This is hot enough to bring hot food to a pot
luck dinner or a picnic. Practice safe food handling wisdom and
do not keep food in the Koolatron on Heater mode for longer than
about 45 minutes. These temperatures are in the prime bacterial
growth range so it is very dangerous to store foods at these temperatures
for long periods of time. If you have a long way to go, bring the
food refrigerated and cook it at the destination.
If you need dedicated Heater Boxes, Koolatron can provide these
(with no cooling capability) ranging in temperature up to 160 Degrees
Fahrenheit ( 71 Degrees Celcius). At the upper temperatures these
are used for “Seniors” meal delivery programs, or School meal programs.
Mid range Heater Boxes are used as portable incubators for rare
animals or for incubating medical swab cultures on the way to the
lab. Lower heat settings are used to keep utility workers mitts
warm or for storing construction adhesives in winter so they can
be dispensed in cold weather. (Super precise temperature holding
is available)
How much power is consumed by your Koolatron coolers?
Most of our current production coolers consume
4.5 amps at 12 volts. The conversion is: 4.5 amps (X) times 12 volts
(=) equals 54 watts. The P-9 consumes only 3 amps. = ( 36 watts)
On household current the power consumed by each cooler is less than
1 amp at 120 Volts.
If my vehicle’s engine is turned off, how long can I safely leave
the cooler plugged into my cigarette lighter socket before compromising
the battery’s ability to start the vehicle?
The safe answer here is approximately 3 hours in most situations.
Actual conditions will vary depending upon the number of electrical
devices that have been switched on during the last part of your
drive (wipers, lights, blower, defogger, radio, cell phone, aux
heater, cooler and or other accessories) and what driving conditions
have just been experienced (high speed highway or stop and go traffic).
Further limitations and factors are the relative condition of the
battery and it’s charging system as well as season, temperature, and
weather conditions. Under ideal conditions a cooler could be run for
many hours on just battery power. Under the worst combination of conditions,
accessories could potentially deplete the battery in 10 to 20 minutes.
Some vans have 10 or 12 bulbs lighted when the interior lights are
on. Just these lights can drain a battery below starting power in
about 15 minutes, without any other electrical device being present.
Good judgement is required when making the decision about whether
or not to leave any device plugged in while away from the car.
Sometimes I don’t know how long I
will be away from the vehicle,
how do I ensure that I have starting power when also running a cooler
?
To completely eliminate the burden of energy
management, use a Battery Saver. It allows you to leave the cooler
plugged in PERMANENTLY. The Battery Saver will automatically switch
off the cooler when it senses that the vehicle's battery has dropped
below 11 volts. (That is about half discharge in most vehicles).
This will leave plenty of power to start the engine. When the vehicle
is started, the Battery Saver reconnects the cooler and active cooling
begins automatically. In conditions where you expect the cooler
will be switched off for extended periods of time, do not store
any foodstuffs in the cooler that will go bad under these conditions.
Stick to softdrinks and bottled water which can be consumed at temperatures
above refrigeration range. How long does the cooler stay cool when
unplugged? This is very dependent upon conditions. Koolatron coolers
are extremely well insulated and will provide many hours of cool
protection, even when switched off. Try to keep the cooler in the
shade. Instead of leaving the cooler in a vehicle overnight, use
an AC adapter which converts standard 110 Volt AC power to 12 volts
DC and plug the cooler into mains power when not driving.
Is there any way to power the Koolatron cooler
while away from a vehicle?
Yes, we have a Koolatron Portable Power
pak that has a power socket which can be used to power a cooler
or other 12V accessories. This unit has about 17 amp hours of capacity
so should run a cooler for 3 to 4 hours. It recharges at home or
in your vehicle. The Portable Power unit has booster cables attached
so can be used to start your vehicle in case the vehicle’s battery
has been drained. This unit also comes with a built in air compressor
for emergency inflation of tires and other air filled devices.
Can I put ice in my Koolatron cooler?
Yes BUT not loose (any water inside the cooler
will splash up under the cooling fins and short circuit the electronics).
Put the ice in a sealed container, NOT a plastic bag. That way you
can use the ice for drinks and it will help to rapidly cool the
contents on really hot days. Keep the ice container at the opposite
end from the cooling fins. This way your contents get the benefit
of two cold sources and you are not blocking the interior air circulation.
Can I put the cooler in the trunk of my car?
NOT recommended. The coolers give off heat
externally while cooling. If this heat is shed into a closed space
like a trunk, it will eventually heat up that space. These coolers
need good ventilation to cool properly.
How do I calculate the volume capacity of my
cooler?
Put the cooler in the chest position. At the
halfway point in depth measure the inside length, width and height
in centimeters. Multiply these three dimensions by each other. This
will yield so many cubic centimetres. One cubic centimetre is equivalent
to 1 millilitre. Divide your cubic centimetres (millilitres) by
1000 and you now have the capacity in Litres. Multiply litres by
1.0567 and you will have the capacity in U.S.Quarts. OR multiply
litres by 0.881 to get Imperial Quarts.
If I need Warranty work performed or need spare
parts, how do we arrange this?
In North America call 1-800-265-8456 or
e-mail to service@koolatron.com Mention your location, model of
cooler and problem and/or parts required. If you don’t know the
model number, measure length width and height so we can identify
the cooler. We have factory service centres at the following addresses:
Canada Koolatron
27 Catharine Ave.
Brantford, Ont. Canada N3T 1X5 1-800-265-8456
U.S.A. Koolatron
4331 Commerce Ct.
Batavia N.Y. 14021 U.S.A. 1-800-265-8456
U.K. Koolatron Europe
Unit C3, Knights Park,
Knight Road, Strood,
Rochester, Kent ME2 2LS. U.K.
Phone 44-1634-297383 Fax 44-1634-297374
Is there any time limitation on running the
cooler on the AC adapter while in the house, office or dormitory?
These units are designed to run 24/7. Make
sure that there is good air circulation to the cooler vents and
for the adapter. This will assure long life for both.
Can we use a battery charger to operate a Koolatron
cooler?
No, not directly. When plugged into a vehicle’s cigarette lighter
receptacle, a battery charger can be connected to the vehicles battery
to keep it "topped up" while the Koolatron is running.
Are there any concerns with long term full time operation?
Do not place the adapter on carpeting since
this tends to block the airflow up through the bottom of the case.
Instead, put it on a brick or tile or other smooth surface. Every
few months the external fins may accumulate dust to the point of
blocking the airflow. Take off the end panel and vacuum and brush
away any dust on these fins and fan. The internal fins may accumulate
frost and ice occasionally during operation (frequently during humid
weather). To defrost, simply reverse the current by unplugging the
power cord from the small pigtail cord near the base of the cooler
and replug putting the red mark to the arrow putting the unit into
heater mode. The ice should melt off in 2 to 3 minutes. Remove any
ice that falls off and wipe up any melt water.
MAKE SURE TO REPLUG INTO COOLER MODE OTHERWISE YOU WILL COOK THE
ENTIRE CONTENTS OF THE UNIT.
Why does my cooler work on the AC adapter but
not in the vehicle?
Some vehicles do not have power to their cigarette
lighter sockets when the ignition is off. If the vehicle is running
and the relevant fuse is good but the cooler still will not run
then get the cigarette lighter socket tested.
Why does my cooler work in the vehicle but not
on the AC adapter?
Make sure the AC adapter is plugged in. Check
with a multi-meter to determine if there is at least a 12 volt DC
output voltage from the Adapter.
Can we use an AC Adapter other than the one supplied
by Koolatron?
Not recommended and may void warranty.
What should I check for if the cooler is not
running at all?
1.Are both ends of the
power cord plugged in?
2.Is there power coming from the socket or adapter being used.
3.Check for kinks, knots or other damage to the power cord.
Is it allowable to use a 12 volt extension cord
to run the cooler further away than the 10 foot factory cord will
reach?
This is NOT recommended. There is a voltage
drop in long cords so cooling performance will be degraded.
Is a Koolatron cooler strong enough to sit on?
In most cases yes, but it's not a good practice
as a heavy person could warp the lid thus affecting the seal and
the cooling performance of the unit.
What are some common complaints and how do we
deal with these?
The Coolers are too cold and tend to freeze
things inside: Move the cooler to a slightly warmer area of the
home, office or dormitory room. Leave the lid open slightly (say
by putting a pencil between the body and lid) ((this may necessitate
more frequent defrostings)) Unplug the cooler for a period of time
each day. Stand the cooler up into the fridge position. Cold air
will leak out the bottom of the door and cooling performance will
be less.
The cooler is not cold enough:
Place the cooler in chest position so the
cold air stays inside. Make sure it has an ample power source. A
weak power adapter or low voltage in the vehicle can cause decreased
cooling performance. The fan must be running and all air vents internally
and externally must have free access to air. Do not park the air
vents up against curtains, walls or other obstructions. Make sure
the fins inside and outside are free of ice and dust.
If you have an questions not answered here,
drop an e-mail to
service@koolatron.com or call our toll free number
1-800-265-8456. Our operators are very knowledgeable, very
friendly and will be happy to assist you.
|