Grande centre console cooler

[Racketsports Member Find all posts View Profile Close Racketsports]

I have the opportunity to purchase the Grande console cooler/heater to install into my GXL. I would like feedback from the Grande owners as to how they rate and how useful you find the centre console cooler fitted as standard in Grande's.

Thanks
Racketsports

[damonat Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close damonat]

i don't have a grande, but from owners a few years ago i spoke with, they are ok.
i think they run off the AC system, or only when ignition is on,
as the main comment i remember is a diabetic saying it would be good if
it worked all the time to keep their insulin cool/chilled, but they needed
to run an additional fridge for this.
but they said it worked well.

[Guest Close Guest]

I think you will find its a big job, certainly a lot more than just bolting it in.

The fridge works off the climate control system as well. Do you have the option pack with climate?

Then there is the connections to the air con etc, big job as I said.

Apart from that the fridges are great and work damn well. But you need the air con running all the time.

[Richo Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Richo]

Apart from that the fridges are great and work damn well. But you need the air con running all the time.

The cooler box does use the air con compressor but you do NOT need to have the air con operating to make the cooler box operate. It will sort itself out and switch on the compressor etc by iteself.

One would assume that it does integrate with the climate aircon computer somehow however so not sure how this would go in a non climate vehicle.

Perhaps a look through the service CD for the differences by someone?

[mototrim Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close mototrim]

I find the fridge brilliant,it does cool as required by itself whilst the ignition is on and the a/c button is on but it will not let you turn the a/c system off whilst the fridge button is on.

It will take a can at room temp to very cool indeed in about 20 mins 8)

[Guest Close Guest]

The cooler box does use the air con compressor but you do NOT need to have the air con operating to make the cooler box operate. It will sort itself out and switch on the compressor etc by iteself.

:?: :?: :?:

You CANNOT turn the air con OFF with the cooler box on. this means you have the climate control running the whole time.
You can however turn the climate to manual from AUTO and have the fan speed right down.

It is one of the things I found annoying on the grande.

[Richo Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Richo]

The cooler box does use the air con compressor but you do NOT need to have the air con operating to make the cooler box operate. It will sort itself out and switch on the compressor etc by iteself.

:?: :?: :?:

You CANNOT turn the air con OFF with the cooler box on. this means you have the climate control running the whole time.
You can however turn the climate to manual from AUTO and have the fan speed right down.

It is one of the things I found annoying on the grande.

TP - maybe this is the case on newer models. I had an 03 Grande and it definitely did not have to have the air con on to operate.
Sometimes I had to lift the lid to see if it was switched on because I could feel the compressor come on and off when driving. Weird - maybe mine wasn't working like it was supposed to?

[Guest Close Guest]

Could be?

Mine is a pain if you want to use it but not have the aircon going in the car I like yours better !!!

[Zapper Member Find all posts View Profile Close Zapper]

I second the aircon off and you can still operate the cooler because thats how my 2004 Grande works.
I find the cooler handy when you want to keep your drinks cool on trips and also when you have to do a milk run for the boss :wink:

[gwatts21 Member Find all posts View Profile Close gwatts21]

Ditto. Tried it on the way home tonight. Console cooler on with climate control set to off. Also works with climate control set to heat. For reference this was a mid 2005 Grande.

[Racketsports Member Find all posts View Profile Close Racketsports]

Bugger

Thanks for the replies guys. It would appear that I was somewhat niave to think that it would be an "easy" bolt on conversion! Oh well, back to thoughts on other mods.....

Cheers
Racketsports

[TimJNB Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close TimJNB]

I don't know why they call it a 'cooler'. It's a proper fridge.

It works very well indeed, keeping whatever's in there at around 2 degrees.

Because it has a fan inside the box to circulate the cold air, the items in the box cool down far quicker than in a traditional fridge.

I wouldn't try to retrofit one though. It would involve all manner of plumbing into the climate control gas piping to bring it through to the cooler box, plus there's a bunch of electronics involved to interface the cooler box to the air conditioning system.

It would be a major task.

Tim

[Justo Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Justo]

Ditto ditto on the fridge, mine still works without the aircon turned on. Seems they don't make em like they used to...!! :P :P

[jcas24 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close jcas24]

If you really wanted one, consider one of the Waeco cooler/heaters. They look pretty good, but they arent a proper fridge. just 20degrees below ambient (spl?)

[Damien Parker Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Damien Parker]

If they utilise the refrigeration system then they will be a true fridge. This may be the case in the new vehicles. This will only work in conjunction with the climate control system as it will need the compressor to be operating to pump liquid refrigerant to the console heat exchanger.

If it operates without the car running, it will use a peltier module (an electrical circuit/ device) as a heat exchanger. This is the type that will only remove 15 - 25 Deg C on ambient temp.