Techni Ice

Gday Howard

I am a little disappointed in our Techni-ice. To get any value out of it in a freezer you would need to line the bottom, and all sides with it, which would significantly reduce space inside, especially if only a 40 (which we have). IF you can spare the space, this could only act as further insulation to the goods inside and be a benefit.

It is supposed to freeze lower than most freezables, but to get real value out of that your freezer needs to be capable of freezing colder than normal. In our icebox, they are OK at keeping water and beer cool, and we used them for about 10 days successfully in keeping fruit and veg cool enough for it not to go off, but I have had a thermometer in it and it won't hold a decent temperature for any more than 3 days in average conditions (dangerous for meat etc) and it is one of their iceboxes.

If you were in SA you would be welcome to borrow our techni-ice sheets, but it seems your not. Someone in WA might have some you could borrow, they are refreezable but they tend to stick together and tear small holes, allowing the gel to ooze out when it melts (they also freeze to frozen items inside the fridge) All in all worth a try for the freezer thing, but I think you'd be better off managing the frozen stuff better and even adding extra insulation around the existing fridge.

Also, if you haven't already, check out threads on cryovaccing - vacuum sealing red meat so that it stays fresh for weeks in a fridge only. You could then avoid the whole freezer thing altogether.

D-Jack

Unless you put the TechniIce into your Fridge already frozen then it can't reduce your electricity consumption - it's simple physics.

We use them and reckon they are pretty good. We freeze them at home, then refreeze on the road in the small freezer unit which is part of a 70 ltr fridge / freezer.

We previously used them to feed a 55 Ltr esky that we used for drinks. Used 6 sheets and 2 x 2 Ltr milk bottles frozen. 1 bottle and 4 sheets in the esky, the rest in the freezer. Each day, we swapped over a milk bottle and 2 sheets. Worked fine, but we now carry 2 fridges which is more convenient and permits the freezer to be used for other stuff.

We also toss a couple of sheets in an esky when we go fishing. Keeps the drinks and lunch cool, and cools the fish we catch, so it keeps.

I also sometimes take a couple of sheets out of the freezer and put them in the fridge overnight to reduce power consumption. I have not measured the difference it makes, but believe it helps.

We have friends with a caravan with 3 way fridge. They do not run it on batteries when driving. When stopped and fridge is running off gas or 240V, they freeze 4 (I think) sheets. Before heading off for a days driving, they move the sheets to the fridge. They say the fridge keeps cold for the days drive doing this.

None of this is quite what you propose, but I suspect they would help in your case.

One thing I would do is set the fridge on freeze on max for at least a week before you leave. This should get it right down to -18 or thereabouts I'd suggest. When you leave, turn it up to the level you know runs at about -2 to -4.. It should take several days to rise to the higher temp, saving power on the way.

all it does is lengthen the off cycle and running cycle times so why bother..they only act as a storage..meaning, when they warm up as the contents of the fridge or freezer does you must make the stuff colder ...thereby using the extra capacity available in the compressor...which does not get its power from thin air...it comes from the battery

I personally dont like the stuff, its really slimy when it thaws out!!! Michael

Hi All,
Thank you all for the reply's to my question about Techni Ice, very much appreciated and food for thought.

Howard.

Buy one of those cheap white plastic chopping boards, cut it to fit into your fridge. Put all of your frozen food underneath it and you drinks etc on top. You food will stay frozen but your drinks wont freeze. It also keeps the cold air in the fridge as most times you open the fridge to get drinks etc. We normally get the frozen food for the day out in the morning and it defrosts while we travel. We then are only opening the fridge for drinks or butter etc and the chopping board reduces exposure to warm air.