Using frozen jugs in a cooler

Joined
Nov 7, 2012
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7,410
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S. UTAH
Do you put them on their side or upside down and take the caps off? I would think that letting the water out would be better for keeping the ice longer. Doesn't air insulate better than water? That's assuming you don't open the cooler and disturb the air.
 
Joined
Aug 10, 2015
Messages
2,249
I've been doing it lately and feel like having a dry cooler is a big benefit of keeping them capped. I actually hadn't even considered draining them, unless I was thirsty.
 

Moose2367

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 2, 2014
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131
Location
Queensland, Australia
No, air heats up faster than anything else. Keep the lids on, only fill them 3/4 though, as water expands when frozen. Use them for drinking water if needed.
Like fridges, they work better and more efficient when full, as there is less air to cool, more cold surface area of items inside which keep the temp down. The fridge will cycle less, being more efficient.
 

5MilesBack

"DADDY"
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Feb 27, 2012
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15,528
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Colorado Springs
I don't like water in my coolers. Every now and then I'll overfill one, or one just expands further than the others and leaks. Hate that. Keeping them intact is good for me, because I generally hunt most the season. So I can come home and put them back in the freezer and refreeze them and use them again.
 

Trial153

WKR
Joined
Oct 28, 2014
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8,187
Location
NY
Works great, cap them. I have also used plastic storage containers. Long rectangular ones with lids. Got them sized to fit in the exact bottom of my coolers. They are about 8 inches high. It's nice to have flat even area to lay meat on.
 

Savage99

WKR
Joined
Jan 26, 2017
Messages
429
Location
CO
No, air heats up faster than anything else. Keep the lids on, only fill them 3/4 though, as water expands when frozen. Use them for drinking water if needed.
Like fridges, they work better and more efficient when full, as there is less air to cool, more cold surface area of items inside which keep the temp down. The fridge will cycle less, being more efficient.

Dang it, just plugged in my craigslist freezer last night and dropped in some jugs... I'll survey when I get home. Didn't even think about it. Derp. Ignorance is not bliss.


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LostArra

WKR
Joined
May 9, 2013
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3,435
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Oklahoma
Works great, cap them. I have also used plastic storage containers. Long rectangular ones with lids. Got them sized to fit in the exact bottom of my coolers. They are about 8 inches high. It's nice to have flat even area to lay meat on.

Good idea on the rectangular ice.

When not needing the frozen water for drinking I have been freezing salt water in the jugs. I clearly mark those jugs as salt water. With some side by side comparing, it seems that the frozen salt water remains frozen longer than frozen tap water. I know it's colder. When lunch meat and cheese come in contact with the salt water jugs the meat and cheese will freeze.

Any advantage of frozen salt water has been an annual fireside debate at our deer camp among non-scientists.
 

igBand

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 17, 2013
Messages
121
Location
MT
Consider using some of those cooler/ice additives. I read about some stuff on Mountainbuzz, and tried it out on a 7-day Main Salmon trip in late July. Temps every day in the high 90s and blazing sun - it was downright furnace-like. We had a 110 qt. Yeti with several square-sided 1-gallon juice jugs with water plus the cooler gel in them. Two on each side and two in the middle. Those things were still 30% frozen, and very cold by day 7.

We used this stuff: Amazon.com : KoolerGel The Ice Extender By TBK Industries LLC : Cooler Accessories : Sports & Outdoors

Food stayed cold the whole trip with no water in the cooler.

A few more tips we employed:
-Put wet towel on the cooler if it is in the direct sun
-Use cardboard or newspaper in the cooler in any dead space
 
Joined
Oct 26, 2015
Messages
1,845
Consider using some of those cooler/ice additives. I read about some stuff on Mountainbuzz, and tried it out on a 7-day Main Salmon trip in late July. Temps every day in the high 90s and blazing sun - it was downright furnace-like. We had a 110 qt. Yeti with several square-sided 1-gallon juice jugs with water plus the cooler gel in them. Two on each side and two in the middle. Those things were still 30% frozen, and very cold by day 7.

We used this stuff: Amazon.com : KoolerGel The Ice Extender By TBK Industries LLC : Cooler Accessories : Sports & Outdoors

Food stayed cold the whole trip with no water in the cooler.

A few more tips we employed:
-Put wet towel on the cooler if it is in the direct sun
-Use cardboard or newspaper in the cooler in any dead space

Love this stuff. It is the same stuff that is in those Polr cube things. It really works.


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