Want To Buy: Coleman Stirling Power Cooler

[parallelmotion]

I'm new to this forum. I'm looking for a used Coleman "Stirling Power Cooler" which the co. sold around 2004-08 but which was expensive, not very popular, and discontinued. This is not like the current thermoelectric models but used an entirely different method of cooling. Would anyone here by chance have bought one back then and be willing to sell? I demonstrate other machines using the same stirling engine principle to kids and adults at open houses in engineering at our university. Any help or leads would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[pesarsten]

I believe that is the same technology used in the current line of Engel portable freezer/refrigerator units. I doubt that you will find a coleman but the Engel units are readily available albeit expensive.

[parallelmotion]

While similar on the surface, the technologies are radically different between Engle’s “swing motor” (apparently a Japanese invention) and the free piston stirling engine as in the Coleman cooler (also made in Japan, but an American invention) and in much more advanced stirling cryocoolers. Engle's motor is not stirling cycle but uses a traditional refrigerant while Coleman and the more advanced stirling crycoolers use inert helium to pressurize the engine. Stirling cryocoolers are now commonly used in both space and defense applications; some have been orbiting earth in satellites and are still working normally after over 14 years.

Many thanks to a forum member who has offered a Coleman--still running after nearly 8 years of service.

[txg]

Originally Posted by parallelmotion

Many thanks to a forum member who has offered a Coleman--still running after nearly 8 years of service.

8 years - thats not long

Our boat was built in 1978 and the original Engel fridge that it was delivered with 40 years ago is still running fine - and at the moment we're located in the tropics.

Will be replaced now because 14 litres is a little bit on the small side and compared to modern stuff it uses a little bit more energy. But still i feel like that is in an impressive lifetime for a fridge.