Help me find the best ice chest/cooler ever!

[priussoris]

Darrelldd, when we lived in AZ. we needed a cooler that would keep ice and food good for a few days at a time.
What I did was to use an older cooler we already had that was thick shelled and I drilled a few holes on the underside of the cooler all the way around it ( just a couple on each side)
then used that " foam stuff insulation in a can" it worked great , so great that when the wife and I moved our daughter asked to keep the cooler, she still lives in Phoenix.

So I am glad you brought this topic up, as I need to make another ' Super Cooler"

I will have her take a picture and email it to me to post you can't even tell and it does not add to much extra weight at least I do not think so.

good luck in your quest.

[darelldd]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hyo silver @ Sep 3 2007, 09:14 AM) [snapback]506306[/snapback]</div>

I have a small thermo-electric (Peltier) cooler that is quiet and does a reasonable job. As long as things are cold when they go in, and I keep the unit running and out of the sun, it's fine. I try to wedge it in among the sleeping bags when I'm packing the car, for better insulation. [/b]

My Peltier cooler is good for what it is. But you sure don't want to pack stuff tightly around it while it is running. That would block the fan, and wouldn't let out the heat that the system generates.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(naterprius @ Sep 3 2007, 10:07 AM) [snapback]506327[/snapback]</div>

Darell, the foil is good for radiant heat. In space, since there is no air, and lots of sun, the foil works well.

On earth, inside a cooler, where it is dark and full of air, it is kind of useless, since you are trying to stop conductive heat.
[/b]

Dang it. I hate being trapped here on earth. If I were in space, I likely would need insualation to keep everything FROM freezing, so there are several issues. A very good point about conductive being the big enemy here - assuming the thing can always be kept out of the sun. I toss a space blanket on top of the thing whenever I think there will be direct sun hitting it.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(patsparks @ Sep 3 2007, 04:02 PM) [snapback]506460[/snapback]</div>

Did you click on the link to Frigid? http://www.frigidrigid.com/index.html
http://www.frigidrigid.com/results/test_results.htm
They did tests on the coolers including the Igloo. The Igloo has half the wall thickness yet in some tests only took an 20% hit in efficency.[/b]

I did follow the link, but missed the tests. Thanks again for the pointer. They start off with 20% difference, but apparently end up with a 200% difference? A bit confusing how they talk about it... Still, 20% is pretty significant in my book.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hyo silver @ Sep 3 2007, 10:25 PM) [snapback]506641[/snapback]</div>

How about this one? You can leave this or any other electric cooler running in a locked Prius by removing the mechanical key from the fob. Lock the doors with the button on the armrest, and flip the window button up. The car will turn on and off as needed to recharge the battery.
[/b]

Wow. I'd love to try one of those... except that I don't want everything frozen (ever tried to drink crunchy beer? The head sort of suffers). I wonder if it has temp control that can be dialed down. And while I do understand that it can be kept powered via the HSD, the LAST thing I'm looking for is a gasoline-powered cooler! Ug.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(qbee42 @ Sep 4 2007, 06:42 AM) [snapback]506731[/snapback]</div>

I've done extensive research on this topic for sailboat ice boxes. They are built-in, but the same principles apply. It comes down to durability and cost. There are many types of insulation with better R values than blue board, but each comes with some baggage.[/b]

Thanks for your great input. Obviously there's much here that I hadn't considered. I definitely need something that's durable even if I give up a bit of initial effectiveness! Bummer that they haven't figured out the perfect, non-leaking vacuum system yet.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(priussoris @ Sep 4 2007, 06:53 AM) [snapback]506735[/snapback]</div>

What I did was to use an older cooler we already had that was thick shelled and I drilled a few holes on the underside of the cooler all the way around it ( just a couple on each side)[/b]

I tried that very thing with some of my old coolers. And what I found was... there was no more room for my foam since they seemingly squirted in expanding foam to make them in the first place! You're saying that the walls of yours were NOT all the way filled from the factory? Definitely room for improvement there!

[hyo silver]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ 2007 Sep 4 12:22 PM) [snapback]506882[/snapback]</div>

My Peltier cooler is good for what it is. But you sure don't want to pack stuff tightly around it...

Wow. I'd love to try one of those... except that I don't want everything frozen (ever tried to drink crunchy beer? The head sort of suffers). I wonder if it has temp control that can be dialed down. And while I do understand that it can be kept powered via the HSD, the LAST thing I'm looking for is a gasoline-powered cooler! Ug.
[/b]

Yes, the extra packing goes only around the sides, without blocking any airflow. It's also important to be sure the plug's in right, since the Peltiers can work as heaters, too. No need to ask me how I know this.

True, a gasoline-powered cooler is not ideal. I just think it's cool that it can be done. I'm sure the Coleman Stirling has adjustable controls, so there's no need to go camping without head. Or cold beer.

[RobH]

Here's a link to a company that sells aerogel panels. They are R50 per inch, and cost like $345 for a 30" by 35" panel.

http://www.glacierbay.com/insulation_ultra_r.asp

[darelldd]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RobH @ Sep 4 2007, 02:56 PM) [snapback]506943[/snapback]</div>

Here's a link to a company that sells aerogel panels. They are R50 per inch, and cost like $345 for a 30" by 35" panel.

http://www.glacierbay.com/insulation_ultra_r.asp
[/b]

Just a few thousand bucks, and I can do the whole car!

R50 per inch. That is EXACTLY that I'm talking about. Anybody know about durability of this stuff? And why nobody seems to make a cooler with it?

[Godiva]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Sep 6 2007, 04:15 PM) [snapback]508131[/snapback]</div>

Just a few thousand bucks, and I can do the whole car!

R50 per inch. That is EXACTLY that I'm talking about. Anybody know about durability of this stuff? And why nobody seems to make a cooler with it?
[/b]

Uh...because no one wants to buy a $500 cooler?

[darelldd]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Sep 6 2007, 06:47 PM) [snapback]508273[/snapback]</div>

Uh...because no one wants to buy a $500 cooler?
[/b]

Well, THAT ain't true. Here's the money. Where's the cooler?

[Boo]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Sep 6 2007, 09:47 PM) [snapback]508273[/snapback]</div>

Uh...because no one wants to buy a $500 cooler?
[/b]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Sep 6 2007, 10:38 PM) [snapback]508300[/snapback]</div>

Well, THAT ain't true. Here's the money. Where's the cooler?
[/b]

I'm with darelldd on this. I get it, I think.

Reminds me of a true story. Ever since I was a kid, for some inexplicable reason, I have always loved thermoses and coolers. When I was studying for the bar exam, I became friendly with someone who studied in the same room as me. I told her which law firm I was joining, and she said that she had a friend who was also going to the same firm and that she would introduce her to me. A couple of days later I was studying in the room with my thermos of coffee on top of my desk, and she comes in with her friend to introduce us. The first sentence out of her friend's mouth was "Hey, I like your thermos." The second sentence was "I love thermoses ... I also like coolers". Wow. A real kindred spirit! I should have proposed to her on the spot.

[darelldd]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Boo @ Sep 6 2007, 08:39 PM) [snapback]508344[/snapback]</div>

Wow. A real kindred spirit! I should have proposed to her on the spot.
[/b]

Hey, great story...Ahem. I'm married. To a woman.

[patsparks]

it happens.