I'm connected to a dc 12v cigarette outlet. why doi keep receiving the f1 code?

This is for everyone who uses the 12volt power cord provided with the Alpicool unit, and is experiencing F1 codes. Bear with me, electrical stuff can get a bit complicated. Voltage-drop in the Alpicool's original power cord and cigarette-lighter male connector may be a part of the problem. On the 12 volt power cord's outer insulation, the printed information appears to say the cord is #16 gauge, which is small for a 12 volt application like this. And ... if there is a significant drop in the voltage being provided to the cigarette-lighter style power point in your vehicle, that's part of the problem, too. In a 12 volt system, voltage-drop is a problem, and this is why heavy-gauge wires must be used. Your batteries might still have plenty of charge, and you can still get an F1 code. Using my T36 plugged into a cigarette-lighter type of outlet in my van, the voltage reading on the T36's display panel is usually about 0.4-0.8v lower than what's available at the battery terminals of my van's 220 amp-hour battery bank. Keep in mind that it is the voltage available right where the power cord plugs into the refrigerator, that the unit probably uses to decide whether or not to trigger an F1 code. When the Alpicool first starts up a cooling cycle, the increased current draw results in an even greater voltage drop, for a short time. That short time is the most likely time an F1 code would appear. Using a pretty good voltmeter, I found that much of this voltage drop happens in the #16 connector cord that is provided with the Alpicool T36, and the cigarette-lighter male connector on the end of that cord. The long length of this cord is probably part of the voltage drop. The rest of the voltage drop, about 0.2v is happening in other areas of my electrical system, which consists of 4 large AGM batteries charged by a grid-powered charger. The considerable voltage drop in the Alpicool's connector cord, and within the cigarette-lighter type of connection, could trigger an F1 code, even when your battery bank's voltage is not low enough to trigger that. This is especially true during the first few seconds after the Alpicool starts up. Using the Alpicool's "L" setting for the low-battery-voltage cutoff, might be a "have to" for many people who use the original 12 volt cord that plugs into a cigarette-lighter socket. To solve the voltage-drop problem with the Alpicool's 12v power cord, I cut the cord (sure hated to do that), about 6" from the refrigerator end, firmly attached a #12 cord to that short end, and wired the other end of the #12 cord to the nearest 12volt source I could find .. that has a solid connection to the battery bank. I did this keeping the new #12 cord as short as possible. Keep in mind that cutting the original Alpicool cord might cause a customer service problem if the Alpicool fails in any way, and you have to return it. But, I do believe that the original Alpicool cord should be #12 or #10 wire instead of the lighter gauge wire that it is. This is especially true since the unit does draw about 9amps for a short while after startup. This is for a T36, a T50 or T60 might draw more than 9amps at startup. And using a cigarette-lighter type of power point, is always going to result in a small voltage drop. For those of us who use a 12 volt system to power the Alpicool, this is a reminder that power-cord connections have to be good, and wires have to be HEAVY GAUGE. I know this is a bit long, but having this information might help you avoid a few problems with an otherwise nice refrigerator. great refrigerator so far, best regards

Has anyone used this longer than 2 years?

I've used one for 1 year, having it run nonstop in my Van for 5 out of the 12 months of on and off use. No problems so far and it works great. It was the one with the LG compressor. Hoping it will continue to work, but time will tell. I've already saved a ton over eating out when I'm away from home months at a time. Well worth it. I'm sure a better brand might last longer, but at over $1k I'm not going to invest in one.

does this unit have a low voltage adjustment like on the dometic so the cooler does not shut off from a low voltage power source like a lithium gen.?

The battery protection settings are Low, Medium and High. I have not found a way to completely turn off any protection, but I read somewhere there might be a way to do it. Just setting it to low may work for you (9.6V off;10.9V on). You can contact the seller to see if there is a way to set it to off to allow for lower voltages from a lithium power source, since they can deplete much more than a standard AGM or conventional lead acid battery without causing any damage to the battery.

Color	T60
Size	60Liter
Power Source	Corded Electric, Battery Powered
Features	Portable
Usage	Outdoor activities, camping, RV, boat, truck, travel
Wattage	45 watts
Batteries Included?	No
Brand	Alpicool
Manufacturer	Alpicool
Item model number	T series
Product Dimensions	44.53 x 76.56 x 59.84 cm; 17.01 kg
ASIN	B07MGXQY3V

Alpicool2022 T seriesCar Freezer

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