ICe BOx Material - Fiberglass vs Poly

[Reef_fisher]

I use the Tropicool poly, its somewhere between 95-110 ltrs and has held block ice for more than 4 days, plastic bottles frozen last longer. I use it in my boat as the seat at the back of the boat, it also has the measuring sticker on it for sizing fish and has two bums at 100 kgs each sitting on it all day. It gets kicked dragged about and some times has bait/fish cut up on it. It gets a hole load of rough treatment that a fibreglass one just would not cope with.
At the end of the day would 4-5 days of ice cold be enough, and how much abuse would the thing get, and would it be used for a seat in or out of the boat. Would it be transported sucurely or just thrown into the ute or boat. If it is going to get any or all of the above treatment the poly is the way to go.

I have had my poly esky for 5 years now and never had to repair it, and it cops a fare amount of abuse. Also be aware that some cheapo poly boxes have very dodgey hinges and lid hold down clips.

[Splash]

Thansk boys - had a good gander a good cross section of boxes at a shop in Cairns.

SPoek to a guys there - good tips - decided will go for the poly - becaue of heavier wearing, hinges.

Great input guys! Thanks again family..

Splash

[kingtin]

Just did 4 days camping with tropical eskies and brought ice back. The secret is not just about the esky but also how long you freeze your ice for. I have frozen cordial and juice bottles permanently in my freezer and I can assure you that the 3 litre juice bottles frozen for longer than a month, will last 7 days in a tropical poly esky this time of year and 4 days in summer.

kev

[Nowhere Bob]

I dont own either - Mine are 140l Cold room panel & 20l el cheapo Kmart plastic. My Big esky just has a flush fitting lid with a bit of rubber tape, I'd prefer it had some kind of fitted moulding so that a better air seal was made. But the price was right
FWIW:
A mate with a whizzo Brand X fibreglass job must say 500 times each camping trip "Don't sit on the Eva****"
The other mate with a big Poly bashes it around, uses it for bait cutting board, stands on it, generally treats it mean. He even screwed & glued eyelets onto the box for tie down points, I wouldnt be keen to do this to a glass box.

I reckon [as said before] ice holding depends on isulation more than skin.
If I was on the market I would be more interested in hinges, handles, and seal quality than outer skin. This will probably steer you away from the El Cheapo Chinese jobs. And back to the more expensive but better made Oz jobs.

[Splash]

SOLD - Tropical ICE BOX it is!

Thanks

[kingtin]

SOLD - Tropical ICE BOX it is!

Thanks

Don't jump the gun mate poly by all means but there are polies at half the price of tropical. Although I have an 85 and a 125 poly Tropical they are outperformed by my tecni ice at a much cheaper price. They have stainless clasps as well as rubber, they are lockable, have a better seal, and they also have lid restraining straps.

http://www.techniice.com/english/iceboxes.asp

HTH

kev

[Wahoo]

I know the EVAcool glass boxes have basic rubber tape as seals - looks a bit dodgy to me.

THoughts.

Splash

well put it this way
evakool IS the only esky that i have ever seen turn a tapwater bottle of water into ice, was'nt solid ice but there was ice in that water bottle

[tiny_tinny]

Just did 4 - 5 days camping with tropical eskies and brought ice back. The secret is not just about the esky but also how long you freeze your ice for. I have frozen cordial and juice bottles permanently in my freezer and I can assure you that the 3 litre juice bottles frozen for longer than a month, will last 7 days in a tropical poly esky this time of year and 4 days in summer.

kev

I've kept 3 litre containers frozen for 4 days in Qld mid-summer conditions in an "ordinary" cheap esky by:

1. Drilling holes in the lid and injecting aerosol foam to fill the space in the lid.

2. Placing a thin sheet of foam from a closed cell camping mat at the bottom of the esky for additional insulation.

3. Freezing everything that can be frozen before I go.

4. Placing another thin sheet of foam over the top of everything before closing the lid for more insulation.

5. I made a cover from reflective aluminium foil insulation that goes right over the esky.

6. As far as possible, keeping the esky in the shade.

7. While I'm travelling, I put sleeping bags, towels etc over the esky.

I fill one 3-litre container with juce and a couple more with plain water. These go at the bottom of the esky. Not having any water sloshing in the esky reduces the transmission of heat into the esky. The juice melts at a lower temperature than plain water so the juice can be drunk after a couple of days. The water ice melts gradually, and we drink the cold water it produces.

If you did all these things with a better quality esky, you might add a day or two to the time the ice lasts.

Mike

[Splash]

GOod advice boys!

With space restictions onboard, how critical is a slurry mix?

Can I get away with one icebox with solid ice?

Splash

[Nowhere Bob]

I think your on the right track with the poly for a boat box, with regard paid to hinges handles & seals.

With space restictions onboard, how critical is a slurry mix?
Can I get away with one icebox with solid ice?

I guess it comes down to factors like,
1 How long are your fish staying in the box.
2 What condition do you want them to be in when they come out.
3 If the box is in a boat [I sound like Dr. Suess] will a single block bash hell out of your catch?

If put to a vote, I'd put my money on saltwater chip ice to make a thick slurry with couple of big blocks in 2l plastic bottles for extra coolth [the opposite of warmth.]

I make chip ice by freezing 2cm thick sheets in ice cream containers & smashing them. Saltwater doesn't mean sea water, just throw a handfull of cooking salt in & give it a mix. This recipe makes plastic milk bottles into the freezer blocks of doom. I think even better than the EthylGlycol filled commercial jobbies.


I like the quick kill factor of a slurry - a 4 Kg Pearly is plenty strong enough to pound the stuffing out of a little tusky while it takes its time to kark it.
Before you ask I've never worked out the Iwaki jimi brain spike thing - I just neck them.

[Splash]

Thanks NOB.

Would you prefer to have a single ice slurry box without a dedicated block ice box? Thus, one box instead of two?

Splahs

[Splash]

Just did 4 days camping with tropical eskies and brought ice back. The secret is not just about the esky but also how long you freeze your ice for. I have frozen cordial and juice bottles permanently in my freezer and I can assure you that the 3 litre juice bottles frozen for longer than a month, will last 7 days in a tropical poly esky this time of year and 4 days in summer.

kev

Kingtin,

Without sounding too pedantic, what type of juice do u use? Is it the sugar content and/or food acids that allows it to melt at a lower temperature?

Splash

[Splash]

I have both the poly is good cos it's tuff as hell but the f/glass definatly hold's ice longer.I think you should look at how the esky is sealed before you buy as some of them are a bit dodgy look for a good tuff rubber seal and not that foam sticky tape stuff i know it can be replaced but rubber give's a better seal.Dan.....

Dan,

Can you provide examples of brands that have good rubber seals?

Splash

[kingtin]

Kingtin,

Without sounding too pedantic, what type of juice do u use? Is it the sugar content and/or food acids that allows it to melt at a lower temperature?

Splash

Sorry for the confusion mate. I just meant that I use the juice bottles for freezing water. The main factor for me is how long the water is frozen. If you freeze it for 24 hrs you'll be lucky if it lasts that long. OTOH water frozen for 2 months takes 5 to 6 days to thaw completely in my Tropical esky.

kev

[kingtin]

Dan,

Can you provide examples of brands that have good rubber seals?

Splash

there's nothing to compare with the seal on a waeco but they're too good looking to bung fish into

kev