Posted: 7/3/2012 7:59:09 AM EDT
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Just an observation. I have my garage fridge that has a hard time keeping up when it is over 100 degrees. We tend to go into it many times a day. I did go and put some dry ice in it. It has helped immensely. Just a thought for the SF. You may want to know where you can get dry ice in advance of a power outage. I can get it at a local compounding pharmacy or go down to the manufacturer. It keeps the fridge nice and cold. It would also make it less time to run the generator and gas usage. Just thought in light of the east cost situation, I would share. We must keep the bacon and beer cold.
Links to retailers http://www.airgas.com/customer_service/site_locator.aspx http://www.dryicelocator.com/zcs/index.php |
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I bought some once when we had a deer lease work trip. I split 22lbs between 3 large coolers. On the first day, everything was frozen solid. My Dad brought some ice cream, you couldn't stick a spoon in it.
3 days later, it was gone and then the regular ice started to melt. |
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paul1911: During a power outage, you should plan ahead and try to minimize opening and closing the 'fridge, any 'fridge; to conserve cold.
The problem is that you don't know the availability of fuel for the genny etc, and may have to fight off the zombies for more fuel for the genny if you run out. Dry ice would help in the short-term if it is available. |
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Tip:
Put a few smaller chunks of dry ice in the bottom of your cooler. Cover it with a layer of ice. Then, put your food on top. Cover that with more dry ice. Your ice will last for days this way and your food will stay cool. The ice at the bottom of the cooler will freeze into a solid chunk. |
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Someone told me that dry ice on the bottom of a cooler would crack it and it needed to be wrapped in something. Any truth to this? Depends on the material. I don't know about coolers, but the resin that laboratory sink basins are made out of will definitely crack if left in direct contact with dry ice. Placing dry ice in a sink full of water can lead to the same result–– the dry ice will freeze to the bottom of the basin and ultimately crack it. If you're worried about your cooler cracking, put your dry ice in a small foam cooler and place that in the bottom of the cooler. When transporting or storing a cooler full of dry ice in a car, truck cab, indoors, etc., always maintain adequate ventilation to prevent CO2 from displacing oxygen in the enclosed space. |
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Put a good layer of newspaper down 1st then the dry ice. This. Another tip is to completely wrap the dry ice in several layers of newspaper to help prevent it from freezing anything it comes in contact with. Add or remove layers to adjust the temperature of food stored next to it. |
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Now that you mention it....you could just keep the stuff on hand to make your own. The liquid CO2 will store forever and all you need is a tank with a diptube and a burlap sack. Further info on this? I'm intrigued... We used to make our own at work for shrinking parts that had an interference fit using a burlap sack. It's very wasteful, but we were tapping a huge tank that was on a pad outside the shop. We just tied the bag over the end of the fill line, opened the valve and let it rip until the sack was full. It also makes a huge amount of static electricity when you're doing it. 
Cabelas or one of the other catalogs used to sell a little widget that you could hook up to a CO2 extinguisher to make dry ice. Not very efficient either IIRC. You can search the airgas web site. Many of their retail outlets carry it. ( dry Ice, that is). http://www.airgas.com/browse/category_list.aspx?catID=62&WT.svl=62 |
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I'm curious what folks are paying for dry ice in your area. It's been a few years since I bought any, but I recall $1-2/lb depending on the quantity you bought.
Dry ice has many uses. A couple of things to consider: It is -109F, it sublimates to C02....in water it forms carbonic acid, so if the water isn't well buffered (alkalinity) then you could see significant pH shifts. I've cleaned my well out with it........watch out with compression it is literally dynamite. |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
Now that you mention it....you could just keep the stuff on hand to make your own. The liquid CO2 will store forever and all you need is a tank with a diptube and a burlap sack. Further info on this? I'm intrigued... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFVerpNmEzA&feature=fvwrel |
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Quoted:
I'm curious what folks are paying for dry ice in your area. It's been a few years since I bought any, but I recall $1-2/lb depending on the quantity you bought. Dry ice has many uses. A couple of things to consider: It is -109F, it sublimates to C02....in water it forms carbonic acid, so if the water isn't well buffered (alkalinity) then you could see significant pH shifts. I've cleaned my well out with it........watch out with compression it is literally dynamite. I bought 20 lbs for $30 at Walmart a couple of months ago to cool-down a dying -80C freezer. That was in the form of plates probably 10"x10"x2". |
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Given all the issues we have in alaska with plastics, I can image the dry ice could make the plastic very brittle- then weight or a shock could crack it. I allways put dry ice on top pf the food, either in a tray or wrapped. The cold CO2 will sink. Just remember the melting (sublimating) dry ice produces CO2 which displaces oxygen.
BTW, making your own is more expensive then buying, but may be more convienent. The dry ice is formed by other CO2 evaporating, so you get like 1 lb of dry ice for 6-7 lbs of CO2. If you can pre chill the tank and/or machine (box. bag, whatever it helps. Dry ice plants either have heat recovery mechanicisms or use mechanical refrigeration. |