blue ice

[wincrasher]

Has anyone used those "blue ice" packs in their cooler? Do they work better than just freezing plastic water bottles?

Bag ice doesn't seem to last very long in my cooler. Plus soaking everything in water as it melts.

[eaglesdare]

i don't personally think they work any better. about the same. but at least with the frozen water bottles, you get to drink that. or at least use the water that is in the bottles.
i stopped using those blue things a long time ago.

[Redgloves]

IMO should be used short term to keep luch cold, muscle aches, etc.

Blue ice thaws quickly, can leak, once thawed, then have to deal with storing them somewhere. THen have to replce with ice anyway.

I have foam bricks that I use in lunch bag. (Repurposed from work)

Ice or frozen water bottles are a better solution. Ice can be drained, frozen water bottles consumed.

Jean

[bobhenry]

Salt water is colder !

Does anyone know if salt water once frozen will stay frozen longer than plain water ?

[Moho]

Salt water is colder !

Does anyone know if salt water once frozen will stay frozen longer than plain water ?

Takes about -6 degrees to freeze salt water depending on the saturation level. Once it hits a temp above that, it will start to melt faster due to the salt. It will however lower the water temperature. See below....

The reason salt lowers the temperature of water when added to a cooler of ice and water, is the water uses the heat stored within it to break the bonds holding the salt molecules together. This results in the water temp dropping because the heat is spent on breaking down the salt. As the water loses heat, it cools. This results in approximately 32 degree water as that is the point the reaction stops.

[pete42]

We used rock salt on top of the ice that was placed around the ice cream churn made the ice melt and as stated above made the water colder.

never could figure out how 3/4 of a gallon of ingredients could make a gallon of ice cream

talk about your 5 pounds in a 4 pound sack...

[len19070]

A very good question. I've used both and both work for a weekend.

BUT!...

Here's an experiment for all the Bean Counters out there.

I freeze water in gallon jugs and they last "X" amount of time.

I freeze several Blue Ice containers "of about the same quantity" and they last "Y" amount of time.... less than the gallons of water.

Is it because the Blue Ice is in smaller containers and has more surface area and the water is in a larger container?

All things equal, Which one is better in the same size container?

Happy Trails

Len

[planovet]

never could figure out how 3/4 of a gallon of ingredients could make a gallon of ice cream

It's called air

[Ratkity]

never could figure out how 3/4 of a gallon of ingredients could make a gallon of ice cream

It's called air

Water is one of the few molecules that expand when frozen as opposed to most others that shrink.

Hugs,
Ratkity

[Moho]

A very good question. I've used both and both work for a weekend.

BUT!...

Here's an experiment for all the Bean Counters out there. I freeze water in gallon jugs and they last "X" amount of time. I freeze several Blue Ice containers "of about the same quantity" and they last "Y" amount of time.... less than the gallons of water. Is it because the Blue Ice is in smaller containers and has more surface area and the water is in a larger container? All things equal, Which one is better in the same size container?

The Blue Ice of the same size will remain frozen for longer due to it having propylene glycol, however.... Traditional ice will keep the contents of a cooler longer for the following reason....

The ice melts and turns to water. Water has better heat transfer properties comparied to solid things like Blue Ice. So in the end it's the cold water more than the ice that keeps things cold in your cooler. The ice is just an accelerator for the reaction.

If you were to take the water out of the equation, the Blue Ice is far superior to standard ice. It will keep the air cold for longer, but thats not how we use our coolers.

All things said, put water in 2 identical coolers at identical temperatures. Put the Blue Ice in one and frozen water in the same containers used for the blue ice and the Blue Ice will be frozen longer.

The upside to the Blue Ice is that it is not a cesspool of contaminents that water is (ie: Raw meat leaking into the water). I still prefer Regular Ice myself and minimize the leaking of fluids into the ice. I also do not use the ice from my food cooler for drinks, etc.

[nevadatear]

So the blue ice you buy at the local big box does NOT work very well in my experience, HOWEVER, if you have access to a pharmacy or local hospital lab, they have great fake ice. They get their medicines, and/or ship blood and lab tests out in ice chests with these fake ices and they work great. They have to last a several days in shipping. My local folks get several packages a day and they just throw them away. They give them to me for free when I ask. I use them in the top of the ice chest, along with my frozen milk jugs, and they usually not completely thawed and still cold after a three day weekend.

Whatever they use it lasts much longer than "blue ice"

[planovet]

never could figure out how 3/4 of a gallon of ingredients could make a gallon of ice cream

It's called air

Water is one of the few molecules that expand when frozen as opposed to most others that shrink.

Hugs,
Ratkity

True, but ice cream has a lot of air mixed in also.

[eamarquardt]

It takes 144BTU/pound to melt ice. It takes 77BTU/pound to melt glycol. So, ice can absorb twice as much heat as frozen glycol. I imagine a water/glycol solution would be somewhere between the two. The advantage of salt water solutions and glycols is that they freeze below the temperature of ice made of pure water so they can keep things colder. Glycol solutions can be made that freeze below the temperature of water saturated with salt.

So, eutectic solutions (glycol water mixes and salt water) can keep things colder but they will melt faster as they can't absorb as much heat and as they are colder. These solutions will also loose heat faster to the external ambient temperature than "ice" made from pure water because of the greater temperature difference.

Hope that clears it up.

Cheers,

Gus

[crttaz]

Don't throw away your Gatoraid/Powerade Bottles.

Two choices.

Easy.....refill them with water, leaving 1" air gap at the top, put them in a deep freezer. When thawing, you can either drink or use to wash your hands or do the dishes, etc.


Bit more involve......open new bottles, pour 1/2 into a clean but used bottle, then freeze. Not good for washing your hands though.

[crttaz]

These solutions will also loose heat faster to the external ambient temperature than "ice" made from pure water because of the greater temperature difference.

You have that backwards, they will absorb heat faster.

If they lost heat, they'd be forever cold.