Simple Block Ice
Submitted: Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 13:15
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Ron173
G'Day all,
Been tinkering again, this time with regard to block ice.
Previously my useage of 'block ice' had been several 1ltr containers frozen.
what I'm about to say here is prob nothin new but maybe some others were not so aware of it, as I had been.
anyway I got a 37ltr tropical, great as it fits in vehicles boats etc.
Clearing out the other day i found a basin, sort of size you would wash up in or a foot bath. Gave me the idea of making a huge block of ice.
Quick check and basin is a nice neat fit inside esky. Filled up n put in freezer, took about 3 days to go seriously white, anyway took it out, weighed it, 7kg!, popped in my esky, and put thermometer in. Esky inside house, average 23deg.
its been in there 3 days now, and despite me opening it to simulate useage, its hardly melted at all. Reckon it will see 7+ days which is more than I need usually.
Good back up to the fridge freezer, and great to take where you dont wanna take your exy fridge, eg beach etc
so looks a top way to make a big block which you could put your food/drinks ontop, and its holding an air temp of about 1-2 deg steady inside it.
So find a basin that fits inside your esky from a $2
shop or crazy's etc, and off you go.
May be inspiring to some,
Ron
Reply By: GeorgieGirl - Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 13:37
Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 13:37
Hi Ron
Great idea!
You got me thinking about it. I love
camping but hate replacing the melted water/ice in the bottom of the esky especially then there is food in it. So I have just thought of a 2lt or 4lt ice cream container with the lid on it frozen that way the melted
water stays in the container and you can empty it or replace it easily and there is no soggy/drowned food.
So you have inspired me.
GeorgieGirl
AnswerID:
253155
Follow Up By: Ron173 - Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 13:58
Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 13:58
Just dont fill them full, as it will expand a fair bit.
I wanted to let it melt, as you put food on the block and beer/soft drinks in the
water that comes off it as its super cold.
That leads to another discussion done often on here, to drain or not to drain! LOL but wont go there as its like the waeco engel argument.
FollowupID:
514240
Follow Up By: flappa - Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 14:11
Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 14:11
I like the idea of it , but I also like to be able to use the
water from the ice as it melts , rather then tossing it away.
FollowupID:
514244
Follow Up By: Member - Phil G (SA) - Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 14:33
Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 14:33
We used to use the 2 or 3 litre PET juice bottles. That way you could use the
water.
FollowupID:
514254
Follow Up By: GeorgieGirl - Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 14:40
Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 14:40
Phil
Good idea. With going north and enjoying the warmth in a few weeks escaping this very cold snap we are currently have here in
Melbourne, using juice bottles you will have a nice cold drink.
FollowupID:
514257
Follow Up By: flappa - Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 14:57
Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 14:57
we use 2l milk bottles. Have a good square shape for packing
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 15:58
Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 15:58
Phil G - you beat me too it.
We use 3 ltr juice bottles with handles - easy for lifting. Always keep a few in the deep freeze at home filled with rain
water ready for
camping trips. Just leave a bit of a gap when filling, and squeeze the bottle a bit before screwing on the lid - that way there is room for expansion when it freezes without loosing shape or overflowing.
FollowupID:
514279
Reply By: Robin Miller - Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 14:25
Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 14:25
Looks like your having fun again Ron.
However you like to package it, you only have a certain weight of ice
and it can only hold a weight related amount of cold - which varies little
once below freezing.
When it comes time to thaw out a big single lump will take longer to
thaw (AND HENCE DELIVER LESS COOLING POWER) than a number of small
bits of same weight, because of less surface area.
From this you can deduce that
A/ It would last longer again if it was frozen into a ball.
B/ If you drain it it will take longer again to thaw because
the
water won't conduct heat (cold) into surfaces it touches.
The key point being that the longer it takes to thaw inside
any given container - then the less ability to keep the enclosed
food cold , one has to decide whats optimum for one's esky as its
no good to have 1/2 an ice block left and food gone off at top of
esky.
Robin Miller
AnswerID:
253165
Follow Up By: Ron173 - Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 14:40
Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 14:40
Hi Robin,
Gaaawd.... now youve got me thinkin on an ice ball theory LOL!!
Water in balloon, then peel balloon off later LOL!
You gotta have fun experimenting with things cold in this hot country, as one thing I cant stand is hot beer, and one thing I ALWAYS have now is icy cold beer.
I remember in my virginal
camping days... with a tent .... with a small lead acid battery... and a thermocooler that just fitted a six pack in..... putting warm beer in at lunchtime, and wondering why, in mid thirties, it wasnt cold by 5pm!!!!
far cry from my compressor fridges and solar panel nowadays!
Ron
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Robin Miller - Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 16:34
Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 16:34
Ron
You should patent your idea - using the balloon solves the problem of the ice expanding in the container.
You could get rich - and get an electric esky that doesn't need ice maybe !
Robin Miller
FollowupID:
514292
Follow Up By: Ron173 - Thursday, Jul 19, 2007 at 11:14
Thursday, Jul 19, 2007 at 11:14
SSSHHHHH Dont tell everyone.
I could cut you in on the profits, maybe!
I was rich, then I did get 2 electric eskys and a solar panel, now I'm not rich.
FollowupID:
514416
Reply By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 17:10
Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 17:10
We used to always use frozen 2 litre milk bottles.
Up the cape , that's what you buy when you buy ice.
Reasonably square, stack OK in the esky, and easy to find if you need to replace one.
And they have a pop out section if you overfill them with
water before freezing.
AnswerID:
253199
Reply By: Shaker - Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 17:26
Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 17:26
We freeze a Kitty litter tray (bought new for the purpose!) that is a perfect fit in our EvaKool fibreglass ice box. Put it on the bottom, then put in whatever & put ice cubes on last, works
well.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Duncan W (WA) - Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 19:54
Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 19:54
Ron an alternative to that maybe one of those plastic containers with the lids. That way when the ice thaws the
water won't slosh around everywhere.
AnswerID:
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Reply By: OnYaBike (Cairns, QLD) - Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 23:23
Wednesday, Jul 18, 2007 at 23:23
Years ago we tried everything for making ice for fishing, we needed several fairly large blocks. Often bought ice is not cooled right down to lowest temperature before it is sold and melts quickly.
We tried plastic basins, galvanized buckets, everything (I think milk came in glass or cardboard containers back then). The biggest problem was the plastic splitting after a few uses or the buckets pushing out the bottoms as the ice grabbed the sides.
Eventually one of the guys, a teacher, got onto the new plastic trays that went under school desks. Perfect. Rarely split, rectangular, stackable, and perfectly sized for the freezer. They were also sold at the local butchers' supplies
shop. The ones used now are a different plastic so I don't know if they work as
well or if they stack.
I still use them but generally make one block and break it up as my fishing needs nowadays are more modest.
I have used ice cream containers but they are difficult to organise in the freezer. Milk containers are good, and if you leave the lid on you don't get
water everywhere, you can drain the
water once a day. Into a bucket with some tinnies is good to pre cool them before they go into your esky or
camp fridge.
AnswerID:
253276
Reply By: Sand Man (SA) - Thursday, Jul 19, 2007 at 01:19
Thursday, Jul 19, 2007 at 01:19
Ron,
Good post mate.
Like you, I have experimented with several methods.
Tried the 2 litre containers in both plastic (bottles) and cardboard (cartons) and found them wanting.
I ended up buying a couple of plastic containers, the size of which approximates the inside dimensions of the ice box. (Evakool)
The blocks of ice end up covering the bottom of the icebox to a depth of approximately 75mm (depending on how much
water I add to the containers before freezing) and I have still had ice remaining some 7 days later.
Generally, I place the block ice in first, then stack the bottles and cans (Coke of course) on top and complete the fill with a bag or two of crushed ice.
The solid block of ice tends to extend the life of the crushed ice a fair bit.
The only downside is on extended trips. You just cannot buy block ice of any kind out in the sticks. I even found the block ice I buy in town is "soft" in comparison with the "aged" ice I make myself.
AnswerID:
253283
Reply By: Michael ( Moss Vale NSW) - Thursday, Jul 19, 2007 at 10:24
Thursday, Jul 19, 2007 at 10:24
I have a 90 litre car fridge so ice is not really a problem but i bought a 55 litre Tropical ice box (the ugly
orange unit) just to leave in the back of the Patrol when not away for running aroung on the weekends as the Liemack fridge is a two person lift and about 60 kgs. I bought some Techni-ice from Ebay, 10 sheets, (they recommend 7 sheets for 55litre capacity ice box) ,it works fantastic on 4 sheets but it is really slimy when it thaws out and not as appealing as ice. It lasts about 4 days, keeping beer at a cold and very drinkable temp.. So i just leave the Tecni-Ice sheet in the house freezer during the week and use for the weekend and take them back out on Monday or tues when i get a moment and when i put them back in at the end of the week, the Tropical Ice box is still cool inside so gives a good start for the Tecni ice sheets for the next weekend, works a treat. I can recommend the Tropical brand ice box, it has a huge integral hinge and nothing fragile to break, it should really last a lifetime, made in thick polyethylene. My only complaint is they should make it in a light colour so it reflects the heat instead of absorbing it. Then it would be even better... Michael
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Nick R (VIC) - Thursday, Jul 19, 2007 at 17:24
Thursday, Jul 19, 2007 at 17:24
Did a trip a few years ago with 2x2litre and 1x10 litre block, put the beer in cold and the meat in frozen. I had to leave the meat out for ages to defrost and the beer out for 45 minutes so I didn't get an ice cream headache. after 5 days I took most of the ice home. I did only open the esky once a day.
A mate did a trip down the colorado river through the
grand canyon and still had ice on day 30...
NickR
AnswerID:
253365