Frunk as a camping ice cooler - test prior to a family Summer road trip.

[azerik]

My job 1 vents the electronics right into the frunk. Stupid design for this application. What needs to be done is a reflective bubble wrap around the frunk. And on the bottom. I wrap my bath tubs like this, they’ll stay warm for hours. The idea being the reverse of that. To keep the ac and coolant from heating the frunk while driving. I’m sure it’s not the original intent for this as there is a radiator right in front of it. So far my frunk gets the gym shoes, jackets and Walmart crap. Which is all nearly melted in 90 degrees outdoor temps. I should meter it when I get the chance. Still have no reasonable idea why they vent those electronics to the frunk
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Reach-B...Air-Roll-with-Double-Bubble-DD48050/204476657
How to attach it is the hard part. Really good 3m spray adhesive I say.

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[21st Century Pony]

Just buy a 12V cooler and plug it in the rear hatch. I have one of these, but have not used it in the Mach E yet.

https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Powe...9Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Yes except for space flexibility.

There are two of us going on a six-week cross-continent road trip. Just like on a sail boat or a sailing ship, space is at a premium.

 

[Logal727]

Sounds like a market for @AOSK

I was thinking same thing lol

 

[21st Century Pony]

Besides, when (not "if"... when) the 14-year old gets uppity in the six weeks on the road, I want to have the option of locking him in the frunk jail Insulation is an important safety factor to keep the prisoner healthy or the parents will have an issue.

Oh that's right I forgot about the escape button...

 

[Mach-Lee]

There is something around the frunk that gets very, very, very warm when driving at 70+ MPH with the AC running.

Yeah the radiator fan blows hot air right into the front of the tub. If you have the A/C on it doesn’t make much sense to try keeping something cold there.

 

[21st Century Pony]

Yeah the radiator fan blows hot air right into the front of the tub. If you have the A/C on it doesn’t make much sense to try keeping something cold there.

Yeah didn't think of the radiator.

Based on the location of the louvers, it seems to me the radiator air actually flows under the frunk. Hmmm...

 

[DevSecOps]

One of the things that I think is amazing about the Rivian community is the ingenuity. I know the vehicles have different use cases so it probably lends itself to more creativity. This is a really amazing project that could easily (not cheaply) be done in any EV however:

https://rivian-aftermarket.proboards.com/thread/10/12vdc-frunk-cooler-freezer-project

They also have a water storage system that can go below it:

https://rivian-aftermarket.proboards.com/thread/13/gallon-frunk-water-tank-project

I'm not sure if the demand would warrant a company investing in something like this. You would also have to come up with a solution for power in the frunk, but I imagine you could just do something insulated without power that would act like an ice chest.

 

[Mach-Lee]

Yeah didn't think of the radiator.

Based on the location of the louvers, it seems to me the radiator air actually flows under the frunk. Hmmm...

The louvers supply the plenum (void space) in front of the condenser/radiator, after entering the louvers the air actually makes a turn and goes up the whole hight of the radiator before being pulled through by the circular radiator fan on the backside. The fan blows directly on the front of the frunk tub. With the tub removed, you can see the location of the fan, which situated directly under the molded cupholders:

 

[PicoR]

Maybe we should be thinking of using the frunk to keep those restaurant leftovers warm for the ride home

 

[21st Century Pony]

The louvers supply the plenum (void space) in front of the condenser/radiator, after entering the louvers the air actually makes a turn and goes up the whole hight of the radiator before being pulled through by the circular radiator fan on the backside. The fan blows directly on the front of the frunk tub. With the tub removed, you can see the location of the fan, which situated directly under the molded cupholders:

We might do some McGyvering and then run another 80 lb ice test...TBC.

 

[Mach1E]

I might visit Lowe's or Home Depot today for some thinnish, rigid high R Value cyanoacrylate boards... might just make a foldable liner myself for the long trip. Good idea!

I was thinking more long term.

Pull the frunk out, coat the outside with insulation and reinstall. There really isn’t much holding it in place. Should be a quick job and not much $$. Plus you’ll never see the insulation.

 

[Mach1E]

Yeah the radiator fan blows hot air right into the front of the tub. If you have the A/C on it doesn’t make much sense to try keeping something cold there.

Insulation would still help.

Just look at how long ice stays in a Yeti cup…….. even with the lid off.

 

[Mach-Lee]

I was thinking more long term.

Pull the frunk out, coat the outside with insulation and reinstall. There really isn’t much holding it in place. Should be a quick job and not much $$. Plus you’ll never see the insulation.

I don't think there's enough clearance on the outside. The walls are within about a cm or less of some components. Insulation would have to go on the inside of the tub. Even 1/2" rigid foam would be a huge improvement.

 

[azerik]

I have a small roll of that bubble insulation up north. I'm going to have my wife bring it back down with her. If I don't get a different MME in the next few days.. I'll try to do a write up. Reality is I can get to it from under the car without taking the whole frunk out, just drop the diaper. I have to get under there for more swaybar work so 2 or more birds with that stone.

Other thing is we need a way to close off those vents in the top. They're for letting air 'out' supposedly but heat rises and it'l going into the frunk area. Some rubber mat across it would help hold cold in and hot out. doesn't need more than a quarters size hole for air to move. I assume they just made it huge to look like it was important.

@Mach-Lee 1/4 inch bubbl

e insulation. The stuff is not great, but works. .95 r though.

 

[MG101]

Personaly, I probably wouldn't be trying to trap heat in the under frunk area.
Coolers are cheap.

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