> rgano@mantech-pc.com muses: >The current plan is to take the guts of one of these carry-around >ice chests >(you know, the ones with the little metal plates for keeping food >cool) and >stick that in there as a means of holding ice a bit longer that would >otherwise be the case. Rich: I have one of these units in my ice box (came with the boat). It is physically larger than the ones in the Coolatron (that's what we call solid state refrigeration around here) and draws 5 amps at 12 V when running (which is all the time in the summer). Without it, a block of ice lasts one day - with the unit running continuously, the same block of ice will last about two days. Used without ice, the unit will keep my beer lukecold (that is a little better than lukewarm but not much). I thought about putting a second one of these units in my ice box but haven't found a supplier. What I am trying to say is: These units are woefully inadequate and power-hogs to boot. A few years ago I investigated the insulation in my ice box and - like you - found cheap white styrofoam. I added one inch of blue polyurethane all around which helped considerably albeit cost me some storage space. This year I might add another inch of blue polyurethane inside the box plus a layer of the aluminum covered foil pack insulation. The problem with solid state or Peltier effect refrigeration is that it can at best create a difference of 20 degrees from the ambient air. So, if the temperature inside your cabin is 50 degrees F, your cooler will pull down to near freezing. If on the other hand the air is 80, your beer will be as I said "lukecold". :-) George of Scaramouche, Lake Ontario, Canada, who keeps most of his beer drinkable by hanging it overboard in a net or on ropes. (Those waters are cccold :-)