12V / USB/ AC Powered Mini-Cooler For Car to Keep Drone Batteries and Controller Cool in Hot Summer Months

[apeel]

Living in Texas and planning a trip to Death Valley, needless to say I am worried about keeping my M2Z Batteries and controller in the car while I may be out hiking or something like that. Heck, even walking about in 100+ degrees temperature has me concerned. So I was thinking about getting a portable cooler for use in the car. I came across this one by Cooluli (it is also available on Amazon) and wondered whether anyone has used these things before to keep their batteries and controller cool while traveling. I like this one because it claims that it can lower the temperature to 40°F below the ambient temperature. So in a 120°F car, that would let it come down to 80°F. Seems like the perfect solution. Below is a link to the product on the company's web site (it is available on Amazon and Walmart as well).
Classic 4L

What do you folks think of this? Seems ideal to me. It does not seem to have a temperature dial / setting so I guess one would have to be careful to not let it get too cold (in summer) or hot (in winter). If there are other options that folks use or would recommend, I am listening ;-)

Allan
Newbie - M2Z

 

[BD0G]

You could try that it uses a Peltier Style cooler which is effective up to a point. You will only have it cool while the engine is running and plugged into a cigarette lighter socket as it will drain your vehicles battery . So keeping the items cool while traveling is definitely possible.

For yourself I recommend one of those cool towels that one soaks in water and then puts around thier neck.

 

[Thomas B]

Be cognizant that if your car is closed the interior temp will be higher than 120 degrees F.

Why not baggies in an ice chest and allowing a little “warm up” time before you use the batteries or drone.
Also, allow extra time for the drone to cool between flights at ambient temps above100-102 degrees F.

Best one to fly is likely going to be daybreak when ambient date lowest.

 

[apeel]

Thanks BDOG. I believe that the Cooluli Cooler that I referenced is in fact a Peltier-Style cooler as Cooluli described it as using "Thermoelectric Cooling Technology", which is what (after googling the term) I believe you are referring to. I realize that the cooler will get hot after I stop the car engine, but I figure that if I let it cool in my hotel room at night, and then keep it cool all the while I am driving, it would stay cool enough while I am out of the car with the engine turned off (say hiking, having lunch, etc). How fast it heats up without power will depend on how well the insulation is on the device. Hoping that it can keep the temperature for going higher than 80F for 2-3 hours in a closed car (perhaps with windows cracked).

 

[apeel]

Thanks Thomas B. I was also thinking of putting in an ice bag (space permitting) that I would freeze while staying in my hotel room overnight, and put that in with the batteries / controller to help stave off the heat as long as possible when I have to shut the car off. Curious if anyone has actually tried this as a way to protect their batteries and whether it is effective. At $45 for the cooler seems like a wise investment.

 

[BD0G]

It does seem like a good investment!
You can just pop the top and pour out an ounce of water from a standard water bottle then recap and throw in the freezer (to account for the expansion of the water once frozen) . Even do 2 or three of them that way. Inexpensive and will serve as ice packs. When the water thaws you will also have some nice cold water to enjoy. Forget buying ice or ice packs. I have 6 bottles frozen at all times for use in my camping coolers. A 24 pack of water will cost about the same as those ice packs that are sold.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

I believe that the Cooluli Cooler that I referenced is in fact a Peltier-Style cooler as Cooluli described it as using "Thermoelectric Cooling Technology"

I don't think these coolers will cut it.
They are very reliant on a cooling point about 20oC (68oF), so in a stationary vehicle it would be ineffective in a short time.
It would be better than NOTHING though I suppose, depending on how long you'd be away . . . and I suppose that you wouldn't be walking too far or long in those temps ?

A typical thermocooler available here in OZ . . .

Ridge Ryder Thermocooler - 10 Litre

Ridge Ryder Thermocooler - 10 Litre

www.supercheapauto.com.au

As a bushwalker in Australia, I have bushwalked (hiked) in some pretty remote areas and high temps, so please use some sort of tracking mapping on your phone or similar (Mapout is free for i devices), you can track from home and get back, take a small battery bank for charging if a long walk.
Also a PLB is a good investment, 10 years or failproof safety backup . . . check their use in your region but should be same as Oz, a very fast response in dire circumstances.

Sorry, that's the outdoor leader in me, back to topic.

A compressor fridge is better, we use them in the 4WD for loooong outback trips.
But they too will struggle inside a hot vehicle, end up full duty cycling, and drain battery pretty fast once inside temps come up.
A typical compressor fridge . . .

Companion Fridge Freezer - 50 Litre, with Protective Cover

Companion Fridge Freezer - 50 Litre, with Protective Cover

www.supercheapauto.com.au

A 2nd battery (charges from car alternator, but isolated when turned off) in a vehicle is generally used to run a fridge and some led lighting for camp etc.

So, maybe the best thing is to throw your batteries (at least) into your pack, terminals isolated, wrapped in some spare clothing or whatever ?

 

[WithTheBirds]

It does seem like a good investment!
You can just pop the top and pour out an ounce of water from a standard water bottle then recap and throw in the freezer (to account for the expansion of the water once frozen) . Even do 2 or three of them that way. Inexpensive and will serve as ice packs. When the water thaws you will also have some nice cold water to enjoy. Forget buying ice or ice packs. I have 6 bottles frozen at all times for use in my camping coolers. A 24 pack of water will cost about the same as those ice packs that are sold.

Add some salt to reduce the freezing point and those bottles become even more effective as ice ballast in your cool box. No good for emergency hydration though.

 

[Mossiback]

Whatever you end up with, you just want to keep the batteries cool, not cold. You will also need to protect them from the moisture in the cooler (as things melt) and moisture from condensation.

 

[Bigbird48]

Living in Texas and planning a trip to Death Valley, needless to say I am worried about keeping my M2Z Batteries and controller in the car while I may be out hiking or something like that. Heck, even walking about in 100+ degrees temperature has me concerned. So I was thinking about getting a portable cooler for use in the car. I came across this one by Cooluli (it is also available on Amazon) and wondered whether anyone has used these things before to keep their batteries and controller cool while traveling. I like this one because it claims that it can lower the temperature to 40°F below the ambient temperature. So in a 120°F car, that would let it come down to 80°F. Seems like the perfect solution. Below is a link to the product on the company's web site (it is available on Amazon and Walmart as well).
Classic 4L

What do you folks think of this? Seems ideal to me. It does not seem to have a temperature dial / setting so I guess one would have to be careful to not let it get too cold (in summer) or hot (in winter). If there are other options that folks use or would recommend, I am listening ;-)

Allan
Newbie - M2Z

Remember Death Valley is a National Park and is illeagal to take off or land in the park. Just something to keep in mind

 

[apeel]

Yup. Will be visiting a number of NPS and will not fly in them. But the landscape outside the NPS’s will likely offer a lot of options as well.

 

[BD0G]

You can launch outside the park and fly over and then back out.

 

[offtheback]

You could try that it uses a Peltier Style cooler which is effective up to a point. You will only have it cool while the engine is running and plugged into a cigarette lighter socket as it will drain your vehicles battery . So keeping the items cool while traveling is definitely possible.

For yourself I recommend one of those cool towels that one soaks in water and then puts around thier neck.

Do you have a link to those hi tech towels??

 

[DanMan32]

Those towels work through water evaporation so you may have a moisture problem. If you seal them to contain the moisture away from the electronics, it probably won't work. You could seal the electronics though, as long as the warm moist air in there doesn't condense.

 

[offtheback]

Do you have a link to those hi tech towels??

Never mind I found one in the bathroom?

 

[apeel]

You can launch outside the park and fly over and then back out.

I have heard this stated before regarding city laws and/or private property but are you really sure it applies to National Parks? I just checked KittyHawk to see if I could theoretically get FAA approval to fly in Death Valley via LAANC authorization)p for Rec Users and it shows Death Valley as a RED Class 2 area, with the following statement:

“National Parks have been classified as “no drone” zones after 2014. Flying here means stiff fines and penalties”.

I thought that these types of limits by FAA barred flying THROUGH these zones even if not taking off or landing from them. Am I wrong?

In any event even if the rules ‘technically’ allow me to do as you suggest I bet a lot of Park Employees would not understand the nuances of this, so I would probably avoid the issue all together by not even trying to fly into the park from outside of it.

 

[Mossiback]

...In any event even if the rules ‘technically’ allow me to do as you suggest I bet a lot of Park Employees would not understand the nuances of this, so I would probably avoid the issue all together by not even trying to fly into the park from outside of it.

Plus, how far could you fly inside the park while keeping it in sight? There is also the problem of retrieval if it were to go down in the park.

 

[SpitFire]

Sounds like keeping the Drone cool, and you cool has been covered very well. Your flying in death valley area, which is very hot as you have already described. But what about the drone heating up, how long can you fly before it is affected by the heat? I fly in the Chicago area, and when the temperature gets up in to the upper 90's I fly for shorter periods. I take the drones temperature with a Ryobi leaser gun. The most important part of the drone is the Heat sink at the bottom. That is usually the hottest spot. I take two readings, one before flight, and one after, about 5 minutes of flight time.The internal cooling fan kicks on when core board temp gets to be 110 degrees to about 116 degrees. It will keep drone cool enough to avoid over heating. Heat sink temp should never get above 125 degrees or you risk frying your FC ESC board.

 

[apeel]

I take the drones temperature with a Ryobi leaser gun

My Amazon Prime wishlist keeps growing. Guess I need a temperature gun!

 

[BD0G]

Well it "may" be possible to fly from outside the boundaries of the Death Valley National park. I am unsure if you would be stopped by the Red Zone indicated.

The high tech towels were not to be used for the drone batteries as condensation would be an issue. Those were mentioned for yourself to use in high temperatures. I used to own a pool business and had some 100 + days. Putting one of these high tech super absorbent towels saved my bacon when performing strenuous exercise in 100 degree + heat. Wrapping one around my neck or around my head "urban turban" style.

You may want to check Harbor Freight as well for the Temp Gun.

When I fly over National Parks in the Tahoe area I do it guerrilla style. Climb up to a remote spot nestled in the tree's and launch outside the park.
Then fly and return to that spot. I have tried it from within the National Park and was threatened with enforcement by a beach attendant. I landed and did not fly as instructed. Too bad too as I was going to capture some amazing sunset footage. I was actually unaware I was in a National Park at the time and should have done more diligent research beforehand. It was a spur of the moment trip.