Ice Chest Shootout

[Shadow Catcher]

The thing I found most interesting was the, if it is not in the melt water it is in danger...

[bdosborn]

In addition to compressor fridges, Engel makes a line of performance coolers:

Engel Deep Blue Coolers



Bruce

[bdosborn]

The thing I found most interesting was the, if it is not in the melt water it is in danger...

x2

Bruce

[Bogo]

you guys are going to laugh. I do wallmart and a cheapo coleman.

I know I am no contest. but I normaly do a half of a frozen milk jug and a old sleeping bag over the top of it.

I will take last place in this ice chest shoot out.

Yeah, because I throw a few layers of the foil bubble insulation over my old Coleman... That bubble foil works nicely at keeping the midday heat away.

A few years back I picked up one of the Coleman Extreme 5 day coolers. Works nicely. 20 lbs of ice a day was much more than we needed and we were cooling down around 12 to 18 soda equivalents a day in it. My old Coleman has just sat there since I bought the Extreme. If I was buying today I might get one of the Yeti coolers because with the locks on they are bear resistant. On the other hand it would be over 6 times the price I paid for the Coleman Extreme. I got my Extreme at an end of the year sale for around 1/3rd normal price.

[campmaster-k]

Ok so here is a real world update on my new Yeti. On Nov 22 I filled the Yeti with drinks and ice. I topped it off with a small bag of ice two days later. Last night - 7 days later there was a mostly ice in a water bath in the ice chest. I am guessing about 60 70 percent of the ice was still intact. I dumped in one more big bag of Ice last night and this morning the whole top of the ice was frozen solid in one big chunk. I have yet to drain any water out of the chest.

It is unbelievable. However the Yeti 75 loaded is heavy. I recommend setting it at its location, load it and dont move it. It takes two people and even then its too heavy.

[Shadow Catcher]

One of the points I have made in the past that how long your ice lasts is somewhat dependent on the temperature of the ice. On a number of instances I measured the bag ice I purchased and the coolers/freezers they were in, and usually they were about 30F , just barely frozen. Ice coming from our freezer at home is ~0F the change is heat removed from the ice from 31F to 0F, this is the same amount of heat as the difference between 30F and 60F.

[JeremiahO]

I've had my YETI for 3 months, best product I've bought in years. Love it.

[Bogo]

the change is heat removed from the ice from 31F to 0F, this is the same amount of heat as the difference between 30F and 60F.

No it isn't. The phase change from Ice to water takes allot of energy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enthalpy_of_fusion

Or to restate it in everyday terms, one part ice at 32 °F will cool almost exactly 4 parts water at 68 °F to 32 °F.

Translated to F from C for those in the USA.

[campmaster-k]

The thermodynamics are interesting and I do appreciate the info but I get ice all over the place and I cant control the temperature. What I was trying to say about the Yeti is that it is a magnificent tool, its works like no other ice chest I have ever had.

And It looks really cool on the front of my tear.

[bdosborn]

What, no pictures?


Bruce

[eamarquardt]

the change is heat removed from the ice from 31F to 0F, this is the same amount of heat as the difference between 30F and 60F.

No it isn't. The phase change from Ice to water takes allot of energy. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enthalpy_of_fusion

Or to restate it in everyday terms, one part ice at 32 °F will cool almost exactly 4 parts water at 68 °F to 32 °F.

Translated to F from C for those in the USA.

It takes 1/2 calorie to raise the temperature of one gram of ice 1 degree F. So to raise the temperature of ice from 0 to 32 F, it would take 16 calories. It will then take 80 calories to turn that one gram of ice at 32 F to one gram of water at 32 F. It will then take 1 calorie per degree F to raise the temperature of the water.

0-32 F warming ice = 16 calories
32F ice to 32F water = 80 calories (latent heat of fusion at work)
32 F water to 45 F (common refrigerator temperature) 13 calories.

When melting ice from 0 F to 45 F almost 2/3 of the cooling capacity comes from melting the ice. Raising the temperature of the ice and water takes far less energy.

Melting the ice into water is where most of ice's cooling ability comes from.

Cheers,

Gus

[GuitarPhotog]

Thank you Gus


<Chas>

[campmaster-k]

What, no pictures?


Bruce

Bruce I have been having trouble getting to Photobucket. I have a bunch of cool pics but can post em yet.

[Captain Monkeyshines]

Bruce - I like that fridge but I am on a Yeti jones right now. The Yeti has spoken to me and I must have one. It will look so cool on my front tear rack. I just might have to go to the 75. AND I will have lots of ice for a scotch on the rocks.

The Yeti spoke to us a few years ago and we listened. We picked up the tan one and I say it's better at ice holding than our old Coleman was, which is important when you are on a trip with no way to resupply your ice. The cool thing (pun intended) about the Yeti Tundra cooler? You can decorate it with the right steekers and truck emblems (Ebay, if you don't own the right truck - fortunately for us, we do)

[Thawley]

AND I will have lots of ice for a scotch on the rocks.

For this is wisdom...