Member Since: 30 Dec 2007
Location: Mansfield
Posts: 221
Fixed My Center Console Cool Box
The cool box in my centre console has not been getting cool so I decided to investigate it and see if was possible to fix it.
The cooling is based on the Peltier effect. Basically this is a small heat pump centered around a 40mm square 3-4mm thick piece of ceramic coated silicon.
Google "Peltier" if you want to know more but basically if you apply a voltage to the square one side gets hot and the other gets cold (moving heat from the cold side to the hot side).
The cool box removed easily by removing the console lid, removing the 2 torx screws in the 2 top front corners behind the console trim, disconnecting the plug and pulling up.
You then remove the 4 screws that hold the fan on to reveal a big heat sink. There are then 2 screws that you remove to take the heat sink off. Everything from here in is covered in a layer of thermal grease so don't do it on SWMBO's best tablecloth unless you like living dangerously .
Behind the heat sink is the ceramic square and another small heat sink (that is fixed to the body of cool box from the inside).
I found that there were 2 possible problems. The ceramic device or what I believe to be a thermostat on top of the small heat sink. Looking at the way everything is connected if the fan runs the problem is the creamic device if not then the thermostat.
With mine it was the ceramic device. A quick search on fleebay came up with a pair of 136 watt 12 volt replacements for £9.00 delivered from Hong Kong on a buy it now - which I did.
If your problem is the thermostat it can be bridged out but I don't know if it shuts the box down on over cool or over heat so take care.
3 days later they arrived and I cut the old one off and connected the new one on. You need to test it first to see which is the hot and cold side before you re-assemble it. Don't run it for more than a few seconds without the heat sink or you may overheat it.
Making sure that everything is clean apply a bit of thermal grease to the small heatsink and "stick" the cold side of the ceramic device to it. Apply a bit more thermal grease to the device, "stick" the big heatsink to that and refit the fixing screws. Try and make sure that the ceramic square is correctly centered.
Refit the fan to the big heatsink - the fan blows onto the heatsink.
Refit the cool box in the car and test.
Put beer in the box and enjoy a cold one at journeys end.
1st Apr 2009 8:48 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 73086
Looking to swap the coolbox from SWMBI's D3 into mine, this is great to explain how!
By coincidence fitted my other coolbox to my car, 40ltr Engel. Bolted to load platform & getting it wired up with new 2nd bat Monday. Happy Days!
Just done this repair, ordered the peltier from a UK seller for just over £3 yesterday, it arrived today and I removed, repaired and refitted the fridge in just over an hour!
I have very little technical know how and no electronics and I found it very easy!
Thanks to ENT for telling me how to remove gear knob to get console trim off!
LOVE this forum!If you aren't living life on the edge, you're taking up too much space!!
2010 Discovery TDV6 HSE with a few bits and bobs on.
1986 V8 90 County
2012 Evoque TD4 (for the Mrs) and really VERY pleased!
Formerly BuckinghamBazza
29th Mar 2011 8:41 pm
Ent
Member Since: 12 Oct 2007
Location: In the cack
Posts: 6488
Is it getting any cooler with the new part?Club Exped trailer
Club Timed Climate
Club Flappy paddle steering wheel
Club 300bhp
Club Prospeed test pilot/lab rat
Club National Luna Stella conditioner
Yep straight away. It wasn't going cool at all so I'm really chuffed!
I've got 3 buckets of spare bits left over but she starts and moves and stops so I'm not too worried!
Lee you're a legend If you aren't living life on the edge, you're taking up too much space!!
2010 Discovery TDV6 HSE with a few bits and bobs on.
1986 V8 90 County
2012 Evoque TD4 (for the Mrs) and really VERY pleased!
Formerly BuckinghamBazza
29th Mar 2011 9:22 pm
Carabraxis
Member Since: 30 Dec 2007
Location: Mansfield
Posts: 221
Well done mate.
Glad this was of help and that you got it sorted.
This forum is fab for sorting the unsortable isn't it
30th Mar 2011 9:01 pm
Beeredup
Member Since: 03 Mar 2014
Location: Fleetwood
Posts: 160
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
so I decided to investigate it and see if was possible to fix it.
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