The great esky debate

[Dignity]

BTW - my 14kg ice test (frozen 10lt jerry can & gel packs ) saw the 120lt EvaKool fiberglass get to 4 days at holding under 5 deg C .

Just for some realism - I ran the test in a small greenhouse that I have which has a minimum of 20 dec C overnight & was reaching 30 deg C during the day.

Interestingly - the 10lt Jerry can was still 60% frozen (I measured the water) - the freezer packs were thawed .
I went an extra day but pulled the pin as the Temp was 9 deg C ...... So I reckon 2 x 10lt frozen water packs could do a week . I'm going to try that once I freeze up another 10lt pack.

The things you do in lockdown

Chris

To make the test more realistic you need to add some consumables such as beer etc and then test the product to check the results. A test I would be doing

[NAGG]

To make the test more realistic you need to add some consumables such as beer etc and then test the product to check the results. A test I would be doing

I hear you & you're right but that boils down to what you have in the esky ..... cans will retain the cold much better than an esky full of salad ...... I'm simply measuring the air temperature inside the esky as this esky will be used to hold fresh food items like Ham , eggs , salads , vegetables etc .... or for thawing meat that was frozen.

So when I ran the 4 day test the other day - the temp stayed between 4.2 - 4.7 deg C - which I was pretty happy with .

Chris

[Dignity]

I hear you & you're right but that boils down to what you have in the esky ..... cans will retain the cold much better than an esky full of salad ...... I'm simply measuring the air temperature inside the esky as this esky will be used to hold fresh food items like Ham , eggs , salads , vegetables etc .... or for thawing meat that was frozen.

So when I ran the 4 day test the other day - the temp stayed between 4.2 - 4.7 deg C - which I was pretty happy with .

Chris

Just throwing some levity in there Chris. I usually freeze water bottles and spread them through the food, not salad though.

[NAGG]

Just throwing some levity in there Chris. I usually freeze water bottles and spread them through the food, not salad though.

& here I was thinking that you were having a shot at my application of ASTM 1989 Nagg (Determination of Ice retention - Version 2) .

Btw just try the little Coke bottles (frozen) for your salad

Chris

[Dignity]

Why coke bottles? I use Travellers water bottles as when finished they squash down really small then put the top back on, reduces the amount of space in the rubbish bag especially if you're away for a couple of days. I don't take salad on the boat these days other than prepared coleslaws, potato salads etc but a few years back when camping just take broccoli boxes for lettuce, tomatoes etc line it with alum foil bubble wrap then put those gel packs on the bottom and an ice pack I made up of a cryovac of water inside the bubble wrap to sit nicely on top. Takes longer to freeze initially but works a treat.
The aluminium bubble wrap and gel packs I got from a neighbour who was going through a tough time and these items were usually in the coolite boxes his medication was delivered in. I don't know where you would buy it as never looked for it. Also the bubble wrap stops freezer burn on the veggies.

[NAGG]

Why coke bottles? I use Travellers water bottles as when finished they squash down really small then put the top back on, reduces the amount of space in the rubbish bag especially if you're away for a couple of days. I don't take salad on the boat these days other than prepared coleslaws, potato salads etc but a few years back when camping just take broccoli boxes for lettuce, tomatoes etc line it with alum foil bubble wrap then put those gel packs on the bottom and an ice pack I made up of a cryovac of water inside the bubble wrap to sit nicely on top. Takes longer to freeze initially but works a treat.
The aluminium bubble wrap and gel packs I got from a neighbour who was going through a tough time and these items were usually in the coolite boxes his medication was delivered in. I don't know where you would buy it as never looked for it. Also the bubble wrap stops freezer burn on the veggies.

Because ... "Coke is it man"

Thanks for the tip on bubble wrap . .... tomatoes & avo's turn to crap when in direct contact to ice. Generally I put the lunch stuff in those soft type coolers which can last for 2or 3 days - that seems to work pretty well

I like to do ham / cheese salad wraps on he boat ... easy to do

Chris

[NAGG]

Just passed 48hrs on my retest of the 120lt EvaKool fiberglass esky with 20kgs of bulk frozen water . Measuring the air temperature
The temperature is certainly lower @ 1.9 deg C (48hrs) but how long can it keep under 5 deg C ?

Time will tell

Chris

[chris69]

They say a quarter of a cup of salt in 2 lts of water then frozen will last longer than normal tap water when frozen.

[NAGG]

They say a quarter of a cup of salt in 2 lts of water then frozen will last longer than normal tap water when frozen.

Yep did these things over the years & still do it for my ice for fish keeping.
What I've never tried is to do this with a 10lt jerry can . After I finish my current test - I will try making up salt water & freezing it to see how long it lasts ........ it certainly will be colder.

Chris

[disorderly]

Man these lockdowns are really messing with your head arent they...?

Whats on the agenda for tomorrow...?

Maybe spending the day watching some paint dry..?..

[Lovey80]

They say a quarter of a cup of salt in 2 lts of water then frozen will last longer than normal tap water when frozen.

Yep did these things over the years & still do it for my ice for fish keeping.
What I've never tried is to do this with a 10lt jerry can . After I finish my current test - I will try making up salt water & freezing it to see how long it lasts ........ it certainly will be colder.

Chris

Maybe its been too long but I seem to remember this being discussed in high school physics. Salt v Fresh water just have different freezing temps. 0 deg vs -2 or -3 degrees. So salt water will turn to a liquid sooner but depending on what is used to freeze it, it may get to lower temperatures. Adding salt to ice inside the esky will cause some of the ice to melt but the chemical reaction for this to happen draws some of the heat out of the other ice making the esky colder which may preserve it longer.

If your goal is to have the water maintain its solid form then all else being equal, salted water will turn to a liquid faster but the process is likely to make the esky colder.... at least initially. That could all turn to waste the second the esky lid is opened. If you're using the esky to drop a fish into every Half an hour the extra hassle of messing around with salt water doesn't make it worth it IMO. If you plan on adding salt water to it anyway to keep the fish in a salty brine, then I think the best thing to do is freeze fresh water in bottles and add the salt water from the sea separately.

[NAGG]

Man these lockdowns are really messing with your head arent they...?

Whats on the agenda for tomorrow...?

Maybe spending the day watching some paint dry..?..

I'm feeling that It's a bit like that

but hey there is a practical element to it .

When you do these big trips ( 2 days driving) & end up on an island for a week - I'm trying to work out the most efficient way of having enough cold storage combined with making ice .
So we are talking about - ice for fish , ice for drinks , ice for food .
How much ice will be needed ? - Yes I can buy party ice at Hamilton Island ..... so that takes care of fish ice & drinks - but I dont want melting ice for my main food esky ...... hence why I am working on the bulk packs as I can remove one each night & refreeze it ...... alternate two 10lt packs .

Yeh , I know it's a bit anal ..... but it will beat carrying 60-80kgs of block ice like I did previously . .... I reckon I could limit it to 30kgs

Chris

[NAGG]

Man these lockdowns are really messing with your head arent they...?

Whats on the agenda for tomorrow...?

Maybe spending the day watching some paint dry..?..

BTW - Day 5 @ 2.1 deg C

ice test 2 (2).jpg That 2 x 10lts frozen bulk & I reckon I'll get another day out of it

Chris

[Ducksnutz]

BTW - Day 5 @ 2.1 deg C

ice test 2 (2).jpg That 2 x 10lts frozen bulk & I reckon I'll get another day out of it

Chris

Nice to see another Coopers fan.

[NAGG]

Maybe its been too long but I seem to remember this being discussed in high school physics. Salt v Fresh water just have different freezing temps. 0 deg vs -2 or -3 degrees. So salt water will turn to a liquid sooner but depending on what is used to freeze it, it may get to lower temperatures. Adding salt to ice inside the esky will cause some of the ice to melt but the chemical reaction for this to happen draws some of the heat out of the other ice making the esky colder which may preserve it longer.

If your goal is to have the water maintain its solid form then all else being equal, salted water will turn to a liquid faster but the process is likely to make the esky colder.... at least initially. That could all turn to waste the second the esky lid is opened. If you're using the esky to drop a fish into every Half an hour the extra hassle of messing around with salt water doesn't make it worth it IMO. If you plan on adding salt water to it anyway to keep the fish in a salty brine, then I think the best thing to do is freeze fresh water in bottles and add the salt water from the sea separately.

In this instance it's about prolonging keeping the temperature down in a 120lt esky - I want the esky cold & dry .

so currently 20kgs of frozen bulk water packs has given me 5 days & counting ....... that's good . I reckon I'll get to 6 plus . Currently it's still 50-60% frozen

Next I'll freeze up 10kgs of salt water in a jerry can & do the same test .
It will be interesting to see the difference over the course of 5-6 days.

When it comes to keeping fish - once we go to Hammo - I'll buy a few bags of party ice for the seat box & then put what I need into the mackerel box as I go ....... I generally spray in 10-20lts of sea water for a bit of a slurry .

Chris