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Replace the Yeti with a 12VCooler

chuckm4614chuckm4614 Member Posts: 4
in Modifications & Upgrades

I have a 2020 T@G Boondock Edge and am looking to replace the YETI with a 12V cooler. Has anyone else done this? Don't want to pay for the NorCold or Dometic so looking at an Igloo or Coleman model. I'm not sure on which size to get as no stores around me stocks them.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Chuck

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Comments

  • HikinMikeHikinMike Member Posts: 400

    Your trailer should still be wired for the Norcold. I believe thats what most have replaced the Yeti with.

    2019 T@G Boondock Edge 5W
    2017 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro
    2022 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 4xe

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  • JamesDowJamesDow Member Posts: 657

    Be aware that the coolers you are looking at may be thermoelectric coolers, which cooldown from the ambient temperature. They may run all the time and not cycle. The design may be a decrease in power efficiency. They may only cool about 40-50 degrees below ambient temp. For hot or desert camping, they may not do the trick well.
    On the plus side they are 20% the price or less and typically have no moving parts besides maybe a fan.
    I like my Norcold NRF30. I have had no problems and the power consumption meets my camping needs.

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  • chuckm4614chuckm4614 Member Posts: 4

    I agree with the thermoelectric coolers but a little (ok A LOT) scared of the Norcold price! If I go with the Norcold...the NRF30 is the one that will fit?

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  • HikinMikeHikinMike Member Posts: 400

    That is correct. I love mine

    2019 T@G Boondock Edge 5W
    2017 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro
    2022 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 4xe

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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 650

    Has anyone considered an ARB frig/freezer in place of the Yeti? Much more efficient. Not sure if it would fit.

    Sharon - Westlake, Ohio | 2017 TaB CSS - Forum Administrator

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  • OutdoorEdOutdoorEd Member Posts: 110

    My 2017 came equipped with the Norcold NRF30, and I have been very happy with it. If it hadn't come with one and if I had experience with one before, I would most definitely buy one.

    Ed & Karen
    2017 T@G Max XL
    2018 Subaru Outback 3.6R

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  • HikinMikeHikinMike Member Posts: 400

    Very nice. nuCamp should have that as an option.

    2019 T@G Boondock Edge 5W
    2017 Toyota 4Runner TRD Pro
    2022 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 4xe

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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 650

    What’s the amp draw on DC?

    Sharon - Westlake, Ohio | 2017 TaB CSS - Forum Administrator

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  • poliverpoliver Member Posts: 31

    Not really sure....running solar as well so not so concerned. But I will let you know.

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  • LauraCLauraC Member Posts: 23

    I'm considering replacing my NorCold with a Yeti. What size Yeti fits in the refrigerator space?

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  • JayJay Member Posts: 72
    edited June 2020

    I really wish I could understand the need to pull a fridge from a trailer and add a box that requires 1/3 of it to contain frozen melting water to keep food cold and therefore reducing the amount of food you can store in the box while continuing to hunt for more frozen water to add every few days costing you more money. Sorry, have at it, but I love my Norcold and would never replace it with a Yeti. The new 2020 trailer have the yeti turned 90 Degrees. I would suggest you take a tape measure to your space to see how width of a Yeti you can buy.

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  • FroggerFrogger Member Posts: 156

    I wanna say the Yeti is a 35, I'll check mine, it came w/ ours (2020), but as Jay said, I'd for sure measure...

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  • LightningdonLightningdon Member Posts: 110

    @Jay said:
    I really wish I could understand the need to pull a fridge from a trailer and add a box that requires 1/3 of it to contain frozen melting water to keep food cold and therefore reducing the amount of food you can store in the box while continuing to hunt for more frozen water to add every few days costing you more money. Sorry, have at it, but I love my Norcold and would never replace it with a Yeti. The new 2020 trailer have the yeti turned 90 Degrees. I would suggest you take a tape measure to your space to see how width of a Yeti you can buy.

    I agree whole-heartedly. We keep a large regular cooler in the truck bed to store drinks. I spend $20 a week on ice just to keep those drinks cold. Yet my Norcold is always cold and always dry. For what I spend on ice for a couple camping trips, I would be better off to buy a spare deep cycle battery to power another fridge. When boondocking, I do carry a spare deep cycle battery to plug the Norcold in if needed. With my dual 6V golf cart batteries and solar panel, along with the spare battery, I can run the fridge indefinitely. Much better than basing my camping on access to ice.

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  • beakybeaky Member Posts: 283

    wow! incredible kitchen mod. how much did that cost?

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  • beakybeaky Member Posts: 283

    geez, went to Kelders site, $24k for a Boondock?

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  • JayJay Member Posts: 72

    beaky, try Terry's in Owen Sound, got mine cheaper through them and I looked all over from Ottawa to Niagara to Detroit to Owen Sound.

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  • beakybeaky Member Posts: 283

    I bought a Boondock XL with Zamp solar package at Toms Camperland in Mesa, Az for $14,750

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  • JamesDowJamesDow Member Posts: 657

    No that is a better price.

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  • JayJay Member Posts: 72

    We are taking US dollars verse CDN dollars as well, but 24K is higher than it needs to be.

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  • daveandcorlenedaveandcorlene Member Posts: 74

    Hi Jay, Apache RV in Everett WA (north of Seattle) is selling 2021 TAG XL Boondocks for just under $20,000USD

    2021 TAG XL Boondock
    Toyota Tacoma
    Evergreen State

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  • CharlieNYCharlieNY Member Posts: 22

    Juniata Valley RV is selling 2021 T@G XL Boondock for $17,450.

    But the Yeti cooler is going to be a problem. Even empty, it doesn't slide in and out of its tunnel easily because of the friction. I'd love to hear from others who have found workable alternatives. Heavy duty door slides? A 12V fridge with a door on the front?

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  • LuckyJLuckyJ Member Posts: 1,240

    @poliver said:
    We just picked up our NEW 2021 T@G XL and as everyone knows, they have replaced the fridge with a Yetti. Certainly nothing wrong with the Yetti. They work very well and will keep ice for up to 8 days. But, we wanted a hard wired front door fridge with with a small freezer (for ice cubes).
    A few cabinet modifications needed to be done but nothing crazy. Our dealer Kelders trailer sales looked after everything. Very happy with the switch.

    This is very nice. Looks very goodx and professional.

    But I would really pay attention. If you use a pan or put to large on the left burner, you could end up burning that lifter corner surface, not by the pan itself, but from the flame that will shuffle the heat toward the side. Just pay attention. You might have to dind a way to protext this.

    Have fun out there! 😉

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  • zgfiredudezgfiredude Member Posts: 212
    edited February 2021

    @CharlieNY said:
    Juniata Valley RV is selling 2021 T@G XL Boondock for $17,450.

    But the Yeti cooler is going to be a problem. Even empty, it doesn't slide in and out of its tunnel easily because of the friction. I'd love to hear from others who have found workable alternatives. Heavy duty door slides? A 12V fridge with a door on the front?

    I am in the midst of this......I am building a slide out shelf to put the Yeti on. There is a fair amount of careful measuring involved due to the sloped floor and the "box" in the upper rear of the cubby. I got sliders from NuCamp with the trailer...the ones they used to
    use previously. I am 99% sure that I have it such that when pulled out it will just clear the footman loop in the floor, and when pushed back, the cooler will just clear the corner of the "box" in the cubby. I am having an aluminum shelf made up so that it's stronger and thinner that wood. As soon as I get that made and installed I will post pics.

    We are "ok" with using the cooler for now, as we will likely have a fridge in the Jeep that is our tow vehicle. We will use the cooler for food storage, not drinks, so it will not be opened up as often. It is also in the back of my mind that I use a fridge that is sized similar to the Yeti so that we could swap positions in the future if we wanted.

    '21 T@G 5w Boondock, 2006 Toyota Land Cruiser B)

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  • paulmzpaulmz Member Posts: 3
    edited April 26
    poliver said:

    We just picked up our NEW 2021 T@G XL and as everyone knows, they have replaced the fridge with a Yetti. Certainly nothing wrong with the Yetti. They work very well and will keep ice for up to 8 days. But, we wanted a hard wired front door fridge with with a small freezer (for ice cubes).

    A few cabinet modifications needed to be done but nothing crazy. Our dealer Kelders trailer sales looked after everything. Very happy with the switch.

    @Poliver - What model refrigerator was used for this upgrade?

    (@paulmz - by adding “@“ before a member name, the member will be notified.  Post edited as such.  Moderator)
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  • The_RiggerThe_Rigger Member Posts: 166
    The previous owner of my '21 T@G XL apparently decided to keep the Yeti when they traded in the teardrop, so I got an empty box. I've stuffed an Iceco JP30 fridge in there on an Iceco slide-mount, and I'm pretty pleased. FWIW, that's about the biggest fridge you can put in there without unduly interfering with the clamshell closing. @Sharon_is_SAM, I'm not sure ARB makes a fridge/freezer small enough to fit in a T@G.

    Dave in Michigan
    '21 T@G XL
    "If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there." ~ The Cheshire Cat (Alice in Wonderland)

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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 650
    Probably the ARB may be too tall or wide.

    Sharon - Westlake, Ohio | 2017 TaB CSS - Forum Administrator

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  • The_RiggerThe_Rigger Member Posts: 166
    edited April 27
    Sharon_is_SAM said:
    Probably the ARB may be too tall or wide.
    If I read the dimensions right, the smallest ARB - the 38-quart model - is around 27" long; my JP30 is about 21" in length and it just barely fits without impinging on the galley lid. A 27" fridge would completely block the galley from closing. The height and width wouldn't be a problem.

    The only other part of the ARB that's way too large is the price tag, but that's another conversation entirely.

    Dave in Michigan
    '21 T@G XL
    "If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there." ~ The Cheshire Cat (Alice in Wonderland)

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  • AlleycatAlleycat Member Posts: 8
    I use my sg5w by myself and removed the queen size bed. I have quite a bit of room now so I bought an Rvbougie fridge. I have run it on dc and ac and it works beautifully. On my last trip that I just returned from it maintained 35 degrees no problem. Fairly quiet as well. Truckers highly recommend them for the low noise. 
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  • AlleycatAlleycat Member Posts: 8
    Ps it was 34 degrees out.
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