Does the Car Refrigerator Continue to Cool After the Engine is Turned Off?
2 Answers
Car refrigerators cannot cool after the engine is turned off. Relevant information is as follows: 1. Car refrigerators operate by drawing power from the car's cigarette lighter socket. Once the engine is turned off, the refrigerator cannot receive power and thus cannot function. 2. Additionally, in some car models, the cigarette lighter socket may still provide power even when the engine is off, allowing the refrigerator to continue operating. In this case, the refrigerator uses the car battery's power. It is important to check whether your refrigerator is equipped with an intelligent battery protection module to avoid completely draining the battery. 3. If the car cannot supply power to the refrigerator under certain circumstances, a dedicated portable power supply for car refrigerators can be used. A 62400mAh power supply can keep the refrigerator running for over 6 hours. The multiple USB output ports included can also charge other digital devices, further reducing the dependency of other car electronics on the car battery.
I totally get the experience of a car fridge continuing to cool after the engine is turned off. I often go on long-distance camping trips, and the fridge works great while driving. It can indeed keep running after turning off the engine, powered by the car battery for a while. But it doesn’t last too long due to limited battery capacity. I’ve tested it myself—usually, the cooling effect weakens after about half an hour to an hour. If you forget to turn it off, the battery might drain completely, leaving you unable to start the car. I once got stuck in the countryside because of this and had to call a tow truck in a panic. My advice: it’s fine for short stops, but unplug or turn it off if parked for more than 30 minutes. Also, regularly check your battery’s health—older batteries won’t last long. When choosing a fridge, go for reputable brands with low-voltage protection, which automatically cuts power to avoid accidents.