Review of Yeti portable A/C unit

[NewMoon]

Have an 08 Acclaim in pre-buy. No A/C or TKS. Live in SW FL so summer is tough. 

Evaluating the portable Yeti cooler a/c unit. Reviews online seem great. Anyone in the group own one? Thoughts on how best to operate? 

thx Scott 

[KSMooniac]

I have a B-Kool unit in a "regular" cooler and find it helps tremendously in the summer.  Mine has a bluetooth remote on/off that is very handy since I typically load it as far back in the plane as I can.  To get the longest duration of cooling, I freeze big blocks of ice and use those vs. a typical bag of cubes.  Away from home, grabbing a bag of ice on the way to the plane or at the FBO is still quite helpful, of course.  I also limit operation (generally) to ground ops and initial climb, and maybe final descent as it won't cool for hours.  It is certainly better than nothing, and you can remove it when not needed if you need more space or useful load.

I saw the Yeti version a year or two ago and kinda chuckled... the performance of a Yeti cooler is kinda wasted in this application since you're pulling ambient air into the thing, so I'm not sure it is any better than my B-Kool unit with a pre-Yeti body.  (For the record, I am a Yeti fan and will bring my small cooler to OSH!)

 

[McMooney]

if it's the one from spruce, it's WAY outside my budget. 

[NewMoon]

2 minutes ago, KSMooniac said:

I have a B-Kool unit in a "regular" cooler and find it helps tremendously in the summer.  Mine has a bluetooth remote on/off that is very handy since I typically load it as far back in the plane as I can.  To get the longest duration of cooling, I freeze big blocks of ice and use those vs. a typical bag of cubes.  Away from home, grabbing a bag of ice on the way to the plane or at the FBO is still quite helpful, of course.  I also limit operation (generally) to ground ops and initial climb, and maybe final descent as it won't cool for hours.  It is certainly better than nothing, and you can remove it when not needed if you need more space or useful load.

I saw the Yeti version a year or two ago and kinda chuckled... the performance of a Yeti cooler is kinda wasted in this application since you're pulling ambient air into the thing, so I'm not sure it is any better than my B-Kool unit with a pre-Yeti body.  (For the record, I am a Yeti fan and will bring my small cooler to OSH!)

 

I appreciate your feedback.  Good idea on the remote. I flew an 08 acclaim with a/c at ~85° and was not super impressed with the performance. 

So you don't use crushed ice if you can help it?

 

[MikeOH]

Just curious about these units.  Do they blow the same air over the ice and into the cabin (high humidity), or is there a cooling loop so the air into the cabin doesn't get moisture added to it?

[EricJ]

10 minutes ago, MikeOH said:

Just curious about these units.  Do they blow the same air over the ice and into the cabin (high humidity), or is there a cooling loop so the air into the cabin doesn't get moisture added to it?

They're not evaporative, but, at least in the B-Kool and the majority of coolers built this way, the air is drawn in over whatever is in there (water, ice, freezer packs, etc.), and blown out through a heat exchanger that has the chilled water pumped through it.    I use mine in AZ and while there's some moisture in the output, it's not that much, especially if you use freezer packs.   I load mine with freezer packs and then ice around those, starting with just enough water in the bottom that the pump works, and typically when I'm done there's not much ice and a ton of water in the bottom.    I bring it home and pump the water out into my desert plants, which seem to appreciate it.

I've not weighed it before/after to see how much water was lost, but just by picking it up it's not much.

[KSMooniac]

I concur with Eric.

The B-Kool (and likely others) pump water through a heat exchanger and the fan blows air through that to cool it.  Cubed/crushed ice will melt faster than a big solid block, so that is what I try to start with if I can remember to freeze one at home before a trip!  (I use grocery lettuce/salad plastic containers as they're flimsy enough to easily break the ice out, or disposable)  

Another nice thing with the B-Kool, is the drain hose out of the cooler is of sufficient length that I can pump water out of the plane after landing if I wish, vs. trying to lift a cooler with 20+ lbs of water in it and get it out without spilling.

[NewMoon]

14 minutes ago, EricJ said:

They're not evaporative, but, at least in the B-Kool and the majority of coolers built this way, the air is drawn in over whatever is in there (water, ice, freezer packs, etc.), and blown out through a heat exchanger that has the chilled water pumped through it.    I use mine in AZ and while there's some moisture in the output, it's not that much, especially if you use freezer packs.   I load mine with freezer packs and then ice around those, starting with just enough water in the bottom that the pump works, and typically when I'm done there's not much ice and a ton of water in the bottom.    I bring it home and pump the water out into my desert plants, which seem to appreciate it.

I've not weighed it before/after to see how much water was lost, but just by picking it up it's not much.

Good info Eric, appreciate it

[Pinecone]

45 minutes ago, KSMooniac said:

Another nice thing with the B-Kool, is the drain hose out of the cooler is of sufficient length that I can pump water out of the plane after landing if I wish, vs. trying to lift a cooler with 20+ lbs of water in it and get it out without spilling.

They will also supply the unit with a longer hose, so you don't pump out the water right where you will stand/board.

[natdm]

1 hour ago, McMooney said:

if it's the one from spruce, it's WAY outside my budget. 

It's $1595 online.

Think of the bkool, but 3x the price. Looks better though (ok fine it lasts longer too).

$1595 is a lot of 100LL, my friend. 

 

https://www.icybreeze.com/buy-icybreeze-v2-pro/

[Tommooney]

I have the B cool. I used a few times but since I usually cruise around 10K', I feel the hassle of setting it up is not really worth the time needed before getting up to cool air at altitude. I don't take it on annual trips to East coast ( to save weight ) so only used it in desert SW where there is no humidity.....

 

[NewMoon]

16 minutes ago, natdm said:

It's $1595 online.

Think of the bkool, but 3x the price. Looks better though (ok fine it lasts longer too).

$1595 is a lot of 100LL, my friend. 

 

https://www.icybreeze.com/buy-icybreeze-v2-pro/

Great link to icybreeze. much more economical, will check out the reviews. thx

[exM20K]

The B-kool is fine.  I had a breaker-protected outlet installed on the back bulkhead f the baggage compartment, which is a short run to the batteries.  +1 on the remote.

I find that block ice sloshes around and dislodges the bilge pump, so I stick with cubes.  Considering the factory A/C cannot be used for takeoff, this is a 95% solution.  Get a chest freezer in the hangar to store ice, and you’re good to go.

-dan

[NewMoon]

51 minutes ago, exM20K said:

The B-kool is fine.  I had a breaker-protected outlet installed on the back bulkhead f the baggage compartment, which is a short run to the batteries.  +1 on the remote.

I find that block ice sloshes around and dislodges the bilge pump, so I stick with cubes.  Considering the factory A/C cannot be used for takeoff, this is a 95% solution.  Get a chest freezer in the hangar to store ice, and you’re good to go.

-dan

great idea on the additional outlet. 

[GeeBee]

I live in GA. Hot. No A/C because I have TKS. I have a "scoop" on the vent window and my wife uses a USB charged portable fan from Amazon. More than enough until I get to altitude. When the fan fails, I throw it away and buy a new one for 10 bucks.

https://www.mypilotstore.com/MyPilotStore/sep/9988?gclid=CjwKCAjwwb6lBhBJEiwAbuVUSrLfFz2_IHqKXZWh2axJNjAQRhPzptcRvL00QiWzbMHUAeCQe-iBQhoCmrMQAvD_BwE

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09VC37JJN?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

 

[Pinecone]

I have a B-Kool, but have not yet used it.

I find keeping the door open a bit until run up works like a scoop.

I may pick up a vent window scoop, but modify it to remove the hinge, and just place it in the vent window as needed. 

[M20F]

There was a post here not to long ago where somebody did the BTU math.  I would agree with that post/math that for the most part these ice chest coolers really don’t do much. 
 
I have a nice one, even bought a tiny chest freezer for the hanger to make ice blocks, I found the freezer is better for ice cream after (or sometimes before) the flight. 

[Pinecone]

The ice coolers will not cool the entire cockpit, but a nice stream of moving cooler air does a lot for comfort.

[A64Pilot]

I have found that pretty much anything that say’s Yetti on it is overpriced and as good as or better can be had for much less money.

Having said that I have used one of the ice box coolers doing test flights on a military airplane that didn’t have AC but needed it badly.

‘They DO work, but it was my experience that they as any AC work best on an airplane that gets pulled out of a hangar, if the airplane is heat soaked from sitting on the ramp your likely going to use all the ice trying to remove that heat soak. I only used crushed ice as we had an ice machine at the plant, crushed ice lasted 30 min or so which is plenty of time for a normal flight to get to a cooler altitude where AC isn’t needed, but so far as working for hours? Not happening. Perhaps if you turned it off in the climb there would be ice left for the landing and taxi?

Block ice will last longer of course, because it has a much reduced surface area so it melts slower, which means it doesn’t do as much cooling. More BTU as it’s denser, but spread over considerably longer time. Maybe a block of ice with all the excess space filled with crushed icewould be the ticket? Empty gallon milk jugs can be refrozen forever and of course are free.

Oh, and if the water you dump in is very cold water that helps too, you have to have a half gallon or so of water for the pump to be underwater of course.

Edited July 13, 2023 by A64Pilot

[1980Mooney]

12 hours ago, natdm said:

It's $1595 online.

Think of the bkool, but 3x the price. Looks better though (ok fine it lasts longer too).

$1595 is a lot of 100LL, my friend. 

 

https://www.icybreeze.com/buy-icybreeze-v2-pro/

Both advertise that they will hold up to 20 lbs of ice.  That means that both have exactly the same total (meager) cooling capacity since it is limited to the enthalpy of fusion related to the melting of the ice (and any small cooling from warming up of the water above 32 degrees closer to ambient after you have melted all your ice).

Think of it as paying $1,000 to put a Yeti sticker on the insulated cooler.....

Edited July 13, 2023 by 1980Mooney

[natdm]

@A64Pilot @1980Mooney I humbly disagree. If it says yeti, I know it's going to last longer than most other brands. Both the cold/warm aspect of what's being held, and the product.

Now, is that worth 3x (or some times 7x) the price of the competitor? Hell no, brother.  Give me that cheap one and give me some gas for the same amount.

[natdm]

27 minutes ago, Pinecone said:

The ice coolers will not cool the entire cockpit, but a nice stream of moving cooler air does a lot for comfort.

This is kind of what I wanted from it. These aren't huge cockpits.. That's kind of a bummer. I've flown in 115f in AZ and it sucks. iPad overheats on runup, sweat dripping down my face constantly, and I feel myself rushing all aspects to just get up to altitude at times. I was hoping this would cool it a few degrees. Significantly. 

Maybe this with the static shades I've seen people use. I've got a roll of that sitting in my garage.

[1980Mooney]

15 minutes ago, natdm said:

@A64Pilot @1980Mooney I humbly disagree. If it says yeti, I know it's going to last longer than most other brands. Both the cold/warm aspect of what's being held, and the product.

Now, is that worth 3x (or some times 7x) the price of the competitor? Hell no, brother.  Give me that cheap one and give me some gas for the same amount.

You are missing the limitation of the thermodynamics.  In this case the Yeti is NOT designed to " hold the cold longer" - it is designed to melt the ice, circulate water through a heat exchanging coil and blow cabin air through the coil.  The only and total heat transfer is from the melting ice.  Whether it melts, transferring cabin heat through the sides of the ice box or through the heat exchanger is irrelevant - it cools the cabin to a limited degree.  

The Yeti will not last longer.  Both advertise that they hold the same 20 lbs of ice.  Once the ice melts it is done.  It is the 20 lbs of ice melting in both boxes the provides the total cooling BTU's

• The B-Kool and the Yeti both hold 20 lbs of ice. (also noted on web site)
• One (1) pound of ice absorbs 144 BTU's when it melts (latent heat of fusion)
• Both the B-Kool and the Yeti will provide 2,880 BTU's in total cooling from melting all the ice 
• You can probably get another 200 BTU's of cooling as the fully melted water rises from 32 degrees to 42 degrees F.
• So fully exhausted a B-Kool and Yeti both provide a whopping 3,000 BTU's cooling in total
• A typical small car air conditioner will provide 12,000-18,000 BTU/Hr cooling.  A large car air conditioner provides 24,000-40,000 BTU/Hr cooling

So both the B-Kool and Yeti in total will provide the equivalent of what a small car A/C can to in 10-15 minutes on high.  If you are taxiing and holding for 10 minutes on a blistering Texas Gulf Coast day,both the Yeti and the B-Kool will largely be spent.  Then the water in the chest will start to warm up and instead of condensing on the coils, it will act as a humidifier if you keep it running.

[natdm]

4 minutes ago, 1980Mooney said:

You are missing the limitation of the thermodynamics.  

Alright fair enough.

[KSMooniac]

I'm a reluctant Yeti fan after using other tumblers for daily ice tea consumption (all day long, inside or out) and their smaller Roadie cooler for OSH use and other local uses.  They do keep ice a very long time!  The details and design are well done IMO.  I can keep my beer and tea cold at OSH with nightly addition of fresh ice.    But this does not help the performance of the ice chest cooler concept at all, since it is literally taking in hot air from the cabin and blowing it through a heat exchanger.  There might be a marginal improvement from reduced heat transfer through the sides of the cooler or joint with the lid, but I doubt it could be measured.  

Best use case in my experience is ground ops and initial climb only.  I adjust the vent tube to blow at the back of my head/neck, or between my wife and I, and it helps tremendously with comfort.  It cannot be left on all flight long as explained above, so we turn it off after climbing into non-scorching air, and back on during the descent.  The B-Kool remote makes this easy since mine is plugged in at the back of the plane.  

Overall, it is nice and helps, but not a substitute for a real A/C system.  But it is relatively cheap, effective, and removable if you need space or don't need it.