Ice box / Esky information and questions

Hi all
I'm after a ice box/ esky at the moment. I've checked out evakool islander, Techni ice classic and the chillco ones 60 to 80 litres. They seem to be very similar but I would like to hear from anyone that has used or owned any of these or recommend another brand.
Thanks

Mate just buy an Engel, you will love it and never look back, bit pricey but you get what you pay for

Spot on Ryan!

Ryan1981 said:

Mate just buy an Engel, you will love it and never look back, bit pricey but you get what you pay for

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Hi Ryan
I have looked at fridge freezes but than I also need a second battery and than an isolator and etc the cost does blow out and I don't usually stay more than a couple of nights when camping also I'm thinking of changing my 4wd so for the time being I'm just interested in the ice box thanks

And the blokes I go camping with all own Waeco fridges so I would have to go that way too or drink on my own

Ryan1981 said:

Mate just buy an Engel, you will love it and never look back, bit pricey but you get what you pay for

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I wasn't aware Engel made ice boxes.

Redfin said:

Ryan1981 said:

Mate just buy an Engel, you will love it and never look back, bit pricey but you get what you pay for

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I wasn't aware Engel made ice boxes.

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I just checked they do make ice boxes I thought he was referring to their fridges :8

noncents said:

Ryan1981 said:

Mate just buy an Engel, you will love it and never look back, bit pricey but you get what you pay for

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Hi Ryan
I have looked at fridge freezes but than I also need a second battery and than an isolator and etc the cost does blow out and I don't usually stay more than a couple of nights when camping also I'm thinking of changing my 4wd so for the time being I'm just interested in the ice box thanks

And the blokes I go camping with all own Waeco fridges so I would have to go that way too or drink on my own

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you dont really need a dual battery for them unless you have the fridge running the whole time, my mate only runs his over a few days, and as long as you start up and run the car for a while each day you should be fine.
As a back he always carry's a jump pack, just in case.

I do run a battery/solar panel for mine, but each to there own.

Redfin said:

Ryan1981 said:

Mate just buy an Engel, you will love it and never look back, bit pricey but you get what you pay for

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I wasn't aware Engel made ice boxes.

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Well Redfin, consider yourself informed.

noncents said:

And the blokes I go camping with all own Waeco fridges so I would have to go that way too or drink on my own

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If this was my choice I'd be drinking alone! I'd never settle for second best
I love my Engel fridge/freezer combi, once cold they use little power if you keep them full.
I'd never go back to having my stuff floating around in an icebox, but if you're only going to be out for no more than 2 or 3 days at a time I can understand.

P.S. http://www.engelaustralia.com.au/products_category.asp?pid=15 Maybe worth a look too. I've never use one so I cant comment.

Ryan1981 said:

Well Redfin, consider yourself informed.

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In a big way, just had a gander, they are reasonably priced as well.

I was in the same boat, not sure about what was happening with my current 4WD.
so i got a large Waeco icebox. its great i get about a week out of a few bags of ice in it.
was around $300 or so for the 87L one though so not cheap

Jayden

TIP! buy 1 size bigger than you'll think you'll need because iceboxes are most efficient when they contain around a 1/3 of their capacity as ice and that means less beer will fit in 8.(

I make icebricks out of fruit juice bottles and I've well over 10L permanently in my freezers ready to go. i place the icebricks around the sides or at the ends of the icebox depending which size box i'm using (i have four Evakool, Techni Ice and Waeco - 1x40L and 1x60L and 2 lunchbox size) then pack the goodies in the middle and cover the whole lot with a soggy bath towel and close the lid. Keep the towel wet and the box out of the sun and you'll have cold beers etc for over a week with the bigger box. Pre chilling the box first with a bag of commercial ice can give you a day or two more. Evakool, Techni Ice and Waeco and probably the Engel too contain commercial freezer / refrigerator insulation - do not waste your time with Esky / Coleman / Chilly Bin types..



casper

If you want to keep your ESKY cooler check this guy out on youtube, http://youtu.be/SKO-oopGvfQ

Fortune Seeker said:

noncents said:

And the blokes I go camping with all own Waeco fridges so I would have to go that way too or drink on my own

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If this was my choice I'd be drinking alone! I'd never settle for second best .

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:lol: :lol: :lol:

When the time comes for a fridge/freezer I'll make sure I check which is the best even if I have to drink on my own

casper said:

TIP! buy 1 size bigger than you'll think you'll need because iceboxes are most efficient when they contain around a 1/3 of their capacity as ice and that means less beer will fit in 8.(

I make icebricks out of fruit juice bottles and I've well over 10L permanently in my freezers ready to go. i place the icebricks around the sides or at the ends of the icebox depending which size box i'm using (i have four Evakool, Techni Ice and Waeco - 1x40L and 1x60L and 2 lunchbox size) then pack the goodies in the middle and cover the whole lot with a soggy bath towel and close the lid. Keep the towel wet and the box out of the sun and you'll have cold beers etc for over a week with the bigger box. Pre chilling the box first with a bag of commercial ice can give you a day or two more. Evakool, Techni Ice and Waeco and probably the Engel too contain commercial freezer / refrigerator insulation - do not waste your time with Esky / Coleman / Chilly Bin types..

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/562/1424305550_icebricks.jpeg

casper

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Good idea
I have used similar bottles and use them when they melt for drinking and washing when water isn't available

casper said:

TIP! buy 1 size bigger than you'll think you'll need because iceboxes are most efficient when they contain around a 1/3 of their capacity as ice and that means less beer will fit in 8.(

I make icebricks out of fruit juice bottles and I've well over 10L permanently in my freezers ready to go. i place the icebricks around the sides or at the ends of the icebox depending which size box i'm using (i have four Evakool, Techni Ice and Waeco - 1x40L and 1x60L and 2 lunchbox size) then pack the goodies in the middle and cover the whole lot with a soggy bath towel and close the lid. Keep the towel wet and the box out of the sun and you'll have cold beers etc for over a week with the bigger box. Pre chilling the box first with a bag of commercial ice can give you a day or two more. Evakool, Techni Ice and Waeco and probably the Engel too contain commercial freezer / refrigerator insulation - do not waste your time with Esky / Coleman / Chilly Bin types..

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/562/1424305550_icebricks.jpeg

casper

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If you fill them up with salt water they will freeze at a lower temp, ie will stay frozen longer

noncents said:

Hi all
I'm after a ice box/ esky at the moment. I've checked out evakool islander, Techni ice classic and the chillco ones 60 to 80 litres. They seem to be very similar but I would like to hear from anyone that has used or owned any of these or recommend another brand.
Thanks

Click to expand...

I use a couple of techni ice boxes, they work pretty good! Caspers idea is spot on, I do the same. Once the ice melts you have drinking water and or wash up water. Generally the longest I go away for is five days so block ice seems to see me thru to day four most stays.
I too would love an engel , however it is down the list a bit.....

Im also in the market for a decent ice box for a trip away later in the year , im planning to use it in conjunction with a fridge / freezer unit ( waeco or engel ) ,
and plan to load the freezer unit with my meat and have 2 sets of ice packs ( a set in the freezer and a set in the icebox ) , each day swapping over the ice packs from the freezer to the icebox which will contain all my drinks etc.

At the moment im planning to be out in the middle of nowhere for around 2 weeks and a bit , so hopefully this configuration will see me through.

Have looked at the evakool ones , but will do some looking at the other types now too.

I got a dual battery setup , and solar panel etc , so will fun the freezer an hour or 2 each day , and only open it once a day to swap ice packs and get my meat out for the day , and the ice box will cater for the rest.

Ryan1981 said:

casper said:

TIP! buy 1 size bigger than you'll think you'll need because iceboxes are most efficient when they contain around a 1/3 of their capacity as ice and that means less beer will fit in 8.(

I make icebricks out of fruit juice bottles and I've well over 10L permanently in my freezers ready to go. i place the icebricks around the sides or at the ends of the icebox depending which size box i'm using (i have four Evakool, Techni Ice and Waeco - 1x40L and 1x60L and 2 lunchbox size) then pack the goodies in the middle and cover the whole lot with a soggy bath towel and close the lid. Keep the towel wet and the box out of the sun and you'll have cold beers etc for over a week with the bigger box. Pre chilling the box first with a bag of commercial ice can give you a day or two more. Evakool, Techni Ice and Waeco and probably the Engel too contain commercial freezer / refrigerator insulation - do not waste your time with Esky / Coleman / Chilly Bin types..

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/img/member-images/562/1424305550_icebricks.jpeg

casper

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If you fill them up with salt water they will freeze at a lower temp, ie will stay frozen longer

Click to expand...

Yes and No... I looked into this when i bought my first icebox and it's confusing to say the least.
Here it is as i understand it ...... adding salt to water creates brine, brine freezes at a lower temperture ie a 10-percent salt solution freezes at 20 F (-6 C), and a 20-percent solution freezes at 2 F (-16 C). Put a bottle of brine and a bottle of plain water in the -40C Deep Freeze and the plain water will freeze at 0 C and the brine will not freeze until -6 C or -16 C depending on the salt percentage. Both bottles will eventually achieve -40 C. Now remove them from the Deep Freeze and allow them to thaw and the brine will return to a liquid state before the plain water (that's why they use salt on roads to melt ice) but at that point they'll both be around the same temperture just in different physical states.

Is it worth making brine? I rationalised it this way "whether it's "freezing cold" brine, or frozen water in my icebox it's still cold"... although i gotta say it is enticing to think that using brine and water bricks together may well preserve the water bricks for longer - they just might

casper

Hi Casper, great idea with the bottles.
What size box do you guys think would be big enough for 4 day trip for 2 people? My wife likes to cook so brings more stuff with us than if I just go with my son. Which brand would you prefer/recommend?