RimWorld Odyssey Cooler and Freezer Guide (Ship Setup Tips)
Written by Andrew Hammel
Coolers work in space in RimWorld: Odyssey, and they are currently the only built-in method for managing heat on board a ship without mods. You can safely build a freezer directly on your GravShip by placing coolers with their hot side facing the vacuum. This method works without needing any interior heat-venting setup, unlike older mods like Save Our Ship 2.
This guide explains how to build a stable freezer, what limitations exist, and how to power it inside a ship.
How Coolers Work on a Ship
Coolers do function in space
Despite the lack of atmosphere, the game treats any tile outside the ship as a valid heat dump zone. This means you can safely vent the hot side of a cooler out the side of your ship. The cold side chills your internal room, while the hot side “vents” into space.
You do not need a separate exhaust room.
You do not need mods like Vanilla Temperature Expanded.
The vacuum of space will passively absorb all the heat with no upper temperature limit.
Only outer walls will work
A cooler can only vent to space if it is built on a wall facing the vacuum. If you try placing both sides of the cooler inside the ship or facing a non-space tile, it won’t work.
Outer hull placement is required for proper function.
How to Build a Working Freezer on Your Ship
Step 1: Choose an outer wall section
Find a segment of your GravShip that borders empty space. That’s where you’ll install the cooler so that the hot side faces outward.
Step 2: Build the freezer room
Use ship-grade walls and a regular or auto-door to create a sealed room. Any interior size works, but a 3x3 to 4x4 area is usually enough. The fewer open doors, the easier it is to keep cool.
This freezer room must be completely enclosed; do not use vents or unsealed gaps. Keep it simple and tight.
Step 3: Install the cooler
Place a cooler with the cold side inside the freezer and the hot side outside the ship. Double-check that the red side of the cooler is directly facing vacuum tiles.
If placed correctly, the cooler will activate and begin reducing the freezer’s internal temperature.
Step 4: Power the cooler
Coolers require power. Ship movement (GravCore) doesn’t power utility structures.
Use a chemfuel generator, RTG, or other compact power source.
Wind and solar do not work in space.
Make sure the freezer room is connected to your power grid.
If the cooler lacks power, it won’t run and the room will warm back up over time.
Keeping Food Frozen in Space
Once built and powered, your freezer should reach sub-zero temperatures quickly. Set the cooler to -2°C or lower to ensure frozen status.
All perishable items stored inside will be frozen and preserved indefinitely. Place items on shelves to speed up hauling and prevent rot timers from starting.
Bonus: Freezer and Kitchen Integration
If you're placing your freezer next to a shipboard kitchen:
Keep the rooms separate to maintain efficiency.
Use an auto-door between the kitchen and freezer to reduce how long doors stay open.
Don’t store meals inside the freezer long-term. Keep raw meat and veggies inside, and shift finished meals into the kitchen.
You only need one cooler for a small to mid-size freezer. Larger setups can use two or more, but power usage will increase.
Final Blurb
RimWorld Odyssey makes building freezers in space easier than ever. You don’t need extra vent rooms, temperature control mods, or complicated heat-sink tricks. Just place a cooler facing vacuum, seal the room, and power it up.
Your food stays frozen, your colonists stay fed, and your GravShip stays efficient.
FAQ
Q: Can coolers vent heat into space in RimWorld Odyssey?
Yes. Coolers can vent heat directly into the vacuum if the red side is facing an exterior space tile.
Q: Do I need a second room to dump heat like in SOS2?
No. Space acts as the heat dump zone automatically. No dummy heat rooms needed.
Q: Can I use vents or unsealed doors in a ship freezer?
No. That will let warm air in and reduce efficiency. The room must be sealed.
Q: What power sources work in space for freezers?
Only internal sources like chemfuel generators. Wind and solar do not work in vacuum.
Q: What if my cooler isn’t working?
Check that the hot side faces space, it’s powered, and there are no gaps in the freezer walls.
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