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Subject Topic: Ice packs in cooler: avove or below food? Post Reply Post New Topic
Miss Finaiglesteen
10/3/2011 at 2:45pm
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Hi guys. Do you put the ice packs on the bottom of the cooler and put your food etc. on top of them?

-or-

Someone suggested to me putting the food in and the ice packs on top.... something about cool air sinking, therefore better efficiency?


PersonDaveWr
10/3/2011 at 2:48pm
 Location: Notts
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That is absolutely true. Usually coolest part of a refrigerator is the bottom.

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Dave


Personbridgeywidge
10/3/2011 at 6:16pm
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Hi, I would second the above: the instructions that came with our Coleman Extreme said put the ice/freezer blocks on top of the food as cold air falls to the bottom. You can always put food in containers to stop it getting soggy as the ice melts. I put bubble wrap on the top of our food and then rested the lettuce etc on top so it didn't freeze but kept cool. Buy ice in blocks if you can or, freeze water in milk containers before you go as a good alternative for a weekend.

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Do campers 'peg it'?


Personbobmel
10/3/2011 at 7:01pm
 Location: Aberdeen
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I put a plastic mesh grid on the bottom of the cooli box, same thing that bars put their glasses on. The cool blocks on top of food. Cold air is heavy and drops to the bottom and with the mesh grid you have a layer of cold air. Also stops things getting soggy. As has been mentioned freeze milk and carton of fruit juice.

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Robert (BoB)


Mick1972
10/3/2011 at 9:35pm
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Just to be different I put mine at the side! seems effective.


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Personduffs54
11/3/2011 at 6:48am
 Location: Cambs
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Quote: Originally posted by Mick1972 on 10/3/2011
Just to be different I put mine at the side! seems effective.


Me too. large one on the bottom that covers the whole floor, then the others on the side with frozen milk, water and food in the middle.

keeps all my stuff lovely and cold for 4 days + I even come back with the one on the bottom still partly frozen sometimes.

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Duffs54      


PersonB Chrystie
12/3/2011 at 8:56pm
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The 'cold air sinks to the bottom' rule only works when there is space for air to circulate. If it is packed solid, then starting with everything frozen as much as possible, placing ice packed all around, and disturbing the contents as little as possible seems to do the trick.


PersonSceptical Camper
12/3/2011 at 9:26pm
 Location: Beautiful Warwickshire
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I haven't got a rigid coolbox, I use a cool bag.

I always put everything that will freeze into the freezer the day before I leave. Everything else goes in the fridge overnight including the cool bag. There is usually room for it in the fridge and it means everything starts the day colder.

I always put frozen milk at the bottom but the freezer blocks as near the top as I can. If there's anything squashy it goes on the very top of course.


Personnigelsmith
13/3/2011 at 10:03pm
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Where do you find the icebox in the fridge ;)


Personleon perry
14/3/2011 at 10:05am
 Location: cleveland
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i put mine at the top - so the cool air drops down over the food.

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im a happy camper!!


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Personleon perry
14/3/2011 at 10:05am
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d

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im a happy camper!!


PersonGareth29
14/3/2011 at 10:25am
 Location: Lincolnshire
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Yes your quite right, cold air does sink. So what happens when it has has sunken to the bottom with cold air still sinking on top? It starts to rise again and 'well up', filling the whole coolbox with the same temperature of air. It would make no measurable difference if you source of cold was coming from the top, side or bottom as it is a sealed chamber. If you've ever had a play around with dry ice in a bucket for example you can clearly see what happens from the gasses that omit and how it 'wells'. The same happens in valleys and hollows in the winter and the temperature difference over a few hundred metres elevation is only sight.

Put your ice wherever is easiest, if you've got the ice/food ratio correct then your food will stay fresh for just as long.



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....gone wild camping....



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