Cooler Hack - DIY PVC Cooler Tubes

[@PenguinOutdoors]

Update: They seem to work better without salt in the water. This may be different if you do the "science" on it and get the salt ratio correct. When I used salt i just poured some in. And I used ice cream salt because I had some sitting around. What are your thoughts?

[@candybegley8656]

I believe the idea is that the saltwater is actually colder even though it's not frozen solid

[@PenguinOutdoors]

I believe that to be correct also. Performance wise, I'm not really seeing a difference as far as actually using them. The straight water tubes seem to last longer but that may be all in my head.

[@candybegley8656]

@@PenguinOutdoors probably because we are taught that frozen is colder but that's not always the case because it would be like saying the unfrozen water in Antarctica is warmer than ice in a typical freezer. at least that's how i justify it in my head

[@candybegley8656]

I think I'm going to go with 3 types 1 plain water 1 salt water and 1 with Kooler Gel.. that should do it :)

[@flyguy2021]

They get as cold as your freezer. Whether salt or fresh they’ll be about zero degrees.

[@ROT2024]

Another better option is to just by bottled water then freeze a few for cooling and not only do they work for cooling but you can drink water. Just refill with tap water and repeat. Cost after initial purchase if free

[@PenguinOutdoors]

I don't know if its a better option but certainly an option. I think I referenced bottled water in the video. While I do that from time to time it takes up more room in the cooler and they don't tend to remain frozen as long as the tubes. Sometimes I'll toss 1-2 bottles of frozen water in among the tubes if I think I'm going to need it. Thanks for the feedback!

[@projectknifehand]

So is refreezing pvc tubes you already paid for.

[@zeebest1004]

@@PenguinOutdoors You don’t want water to just stay frozen! Ice cools by melting itself, absorbing heat from items within the cooler that you want to stay cool. Why would you want to cool PVC tubes!??

[@WTLowery82]

My local Lowes had zero registers open (Except Pro Svcs and it was 7 deep) two saturdays in a row. Done with them and their self check. Between my local Ace and Tractor Supply I don't need them.

[@PenguinOutdoors]

I wish you were wrong! They tend to have stuff in my area that the farm and home stores do not but I always check FH or TSC first.

[@zeebest1004]

Ice cools better when at the top of the cooler - heat rises! Placing frozen ice containers on top is most efficient. Small plastic bottles of frozen ice can be placed atop and within the food for better cooling. You can even use and replace them!

[@PenguinOutdoors]

Thanks for the tips!

[@zeebest1004]

There are also flat rectangular plastic bottles for mineral oil and similar products. Not a good idea for drinking water but filled with ice is a very efficient shape for cooling within a cooler! Most ice packs come in this same flat rectangular shape - best for efficient heat transfer!

[@PenguinOutdoors]

Great point! Thanks for watching!

[@Smartielew]

Really awesome video! Thanks for your input on how to make these :D

[@PenguinOutdoors]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@michelrail]

The salt in the water will lower the freezing point of the mixture. If it doesn't freeze completely, it means you have so much salt that it lowered too much the freezing point. Another thing that you might want to consider is that your freezer might not be low enough. For example, if your freezer is set for 0 F and with the amount of salt you put, the freezing temperature of the water is 2 F. It will take forever to freeze or you might end up with slush.

[@PenguinOutdoors]

Good to know! I actually stopped using salt on the ones I made after this and it just seems to work better IMO.

[@JuanRodriguez-es5rv]

Nice Carhartt jackets.

[@PenguinOutdoors]

They sure come in handy during late hunting season! Thanks for watching!

[@justinreed1388]

Yo! Those end caps are not $3 each! Well, $2.97. Holy cow

[@PenguinOutdoors]

This video is almost 5 years old but I will say the current price at my local Lowe’s is $2.60 each for those end caps.

[@ronyerke9250]

Salt water doesn't get colder than saltless water. ICE from salt water is. It takes lower temperatures to freeze saltwater. Slushy saltwater and saltless ice can be the same temperature. That's why salt is used on roadways in winter.

[@PenguinOutdoors]

Good to know!

[@Caannnnoonn]

Instead of water, I use vegetable glycerin. It has a lower freezing point and holds its temperature for longer.

[@PenguinOutdoors]

Cool tip!

[@MickeyMinchew]

I think you're right about the salt, as with most mis-information there is a small kernel of truth but overall is misguided. i.e. - when we add salt to the ice cream maker ice it makes the ice 'colder' but it is temporary, in other words it accelerates the release of heat (melting) but in the end the ice is gone away sooner - hey, but the ice cream is ready! and nobody notices. With enough salt in the water to prevent solid ice from forming in the tube you would essentially allow for slightly MORE volume of superchilled water thus it would last a little bit longer just as a frozen gallon jug would out last a water bottle.

[@PenguinOutdoors]

Great information and feedback, thank you!

[@RickyMahabir]

What's your take on using PET bottles instead of the PVC tubes?

[@PenguinOutdoors]

Give it a try! Thanks for watching

[@maynorcermeno3768]

What about sch..40 the gray pipe

[@PenguinOutdoors]

It should be fine. Any plastic pipe that can seal water tight will work. The most important thing is to make sure you do not overfill the pipe, leave from for expansion. Thanks for watching!!

[@michelrail]

Water expands by about 9% when frozen. So if you fill your pipe to 80% you'll have plenty of margin.

[@PenguinOutdoors]

Thank you for that! I haven't had one burst yet, shockingly.

[@wes326]

You also use a mix of pink RV antifreeze (non toxic) and water in soda bottles as ice extender, keeping the ice frozen. Otherwise I would just use frozen water bottles.

[@PenguinOutdoors]

These take up less space and stay frozen longer than bottles of frozen water. I usually have 1-2 bottles of frozen water for drinking purposes, though. That is a cool tip on the RV antifreeze I would not have thought of. Thanks for watching!

[@wes326]

@@PenguinOutdoors Thanks for the reply. I adjusted the RV antifreeze water mixture to freeze/unfreeze at about 10F. It's important that it freezes solid. Ice has about sixty times the cooling power of water of the same temperature.

[@zeebest1004]

@@PenguinOutdoors PVC means a more plastic than water compared to water bottles which come in so many shapes and sizes they can take up minimal space just like PVC tubes do - with more cooling fluid closer to the surface because of the thinner container…

[@brendalg4]

​@@zeebest1004I was wondering if that would matter. Did you do any tests? Maybe the cold service doesn't actually have to come into contact with the item.

[@JuanRodriguez-es5rv]

Good idea

[@PenguinOutdoors]

They work amazing. I actually just gave a few away at the lake last weekend to some fellow fisherman who were running out of ice. Thanks for watching, don't forget to subscribe!

[@mortymort5836]

can cooked frozen food stay for 20hrs in the cooler box with ice

[@PenguinOutdoors]

You will want to refer to safe food handling guidelines and practices. Thanks for watching!

[@annamariekraft2420]

You are awesome! I was going back-and-forth with buying a small portable fridge and hook it up to solar or a yeti. Now I’m going to buy a yeti and make these ice cubes with salt. I will definitely save money with the yeti option. What kind of salt do you recommend? Thank you for this video!

[@PenguinOutdoors]

I would suggest checking into the igloo BMX coolers like the one in this video. They are right up there with YETI for a fraction of the cost. As for the salt I have always been told that larger crystal salt is recommended. I do not suggest ice cream salt as I used. Thanks for watching!

[@benjaminvanlandingham5568]

1 salt tube and 2 or more just water with them to cool faster

[@PenguinOutdoors]

After feedback from the fans who are smarter than I, I ultimately decided to just use straight water on them. Thanks for watching!

[@gm7304]

Thanks Dude very good ...

[@PenguinOutdoors]

Thanks for watching!

[@allentig]

I wonder why everyone goes straight to PVC for this project? What about metal, like a rust resistant metal pipe, metal transfers temperature much faster than PVC. Maybe even PEX, or a million other ideas. Not saying this is wrong, just wondering

[@PenguinOutdoors]

Because it's cheap, it's light weight, many people already have it laying around, and plastic is not going to scratch or damage the plastic or fabric interior of coolers when it gets bounced around like metal may.

[@tam6051]

For better results, copper tubes are the solution, and still the best choice for air conditioner and freezer manufacturers

[@allentig]

@@PenguinOutdoors but plastic is an insulator. Takes longer to freeze and doesn't relay the cold well. Granted, metal ones might send an alert about pipe bombs, but metal ones would work much better. Aluminum or copper wouldn't tear up your cooler

[@zeebest1004]

Freezing water expands, cooling metals contract = CRACKED METAL! Ice can even crack plastic…

[@zeebest1004]

@@tam6051 Copper is expensive AF!! It”s used in cooling system tubing because Freon doesn’t expand when getting colder like freezing water does! Also this coolant is recirculating as it carries away fridge heat so you only need a minimal amount. Imagine the cost of many copper containers of frozen water to fill a cooler!!

[@TheMilford99]

I`m no expert, but here in the UK, i`ve found the best cooler seems to be 1 litre cartons of frozen orange or apple juice. So no extra cost really, as the juice gets drunk.

[@PenguinOutdoors]

We use 1 and 2 liter bottles on this side of the pond as well but they take up a lot more space. Thanks for watching!

[@jakeroadtonowhere4070]

Thanks you God bless 👊

[@PenguinOutdoors]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching!

[@pythonidaepraeceptor1023]

I just use empty disposable water bottles... Seems to work great XD

[@PenguinOutdoors]

That's a great idea!

[@RednecksGoneWild]

I just freeze my bottled water & pull 1 out before i know i will drink it so it can thaw..

[@PenguinOutdoors]

Always a solid method to use! I'll do that sometimes too depending on the situation but I really prefer the cooler tubes. Thanks for watching!

[@nycr6biker796]

Keep it simple

[@mrwhiteinca]

yup.

[@gregsilva1472]

Why do you prefer the cooler tubes?

[@jamesmckown2161]

ever heard of a vise?

[@PenguinOutdoors]

Yup, I have three actually! Thanks for watching!

[@bray7197]

i'll stick to dry ice.

[@PenguinOutdoors]

The beauty of life is choice and dry ice certainly works best for some or in certain situations. Thanks for watching!

[@jaysongrimes9032]

Been there done it. Spend the money on yeti ice pack.

[@PenguinOutdoors]

I'm sure it's a great product!

[@CoreyBrass]

Fill the tube 80% full.

[@PenguinOutdoors]

Thanks for watching Corey!

[@Euragone68]

You really need to add some Salt to that water... It will stay colder longer and 80% fill is a close measurement!

[@PenguinOutdoors]

The ones I have made with salt have an anecdotal difference at best. As for filling 80% I have never had one break or push the cap off. Thanks for watching!!

[@evictioncarpentry2628]

They're colder with salt but they will also "melt" quicker

[@PenguinOutdoors]

Correct! I won't pretend to understand the science but that is the conclusion I have reached based on experience and the feedback from the video. Thanks for watching!

[@zeebest1004]

That means “chill faster”. It’s heat loss whether salt or fresh. A container that doesn’t transfer heat is what’s important…

[@monokheros5373]

$1.78 you could of had a 2 liter of coke on sale and that almost 5" recycle repurpose

[@PenguinOutdoors]

Well, I could, but I do not drink soda and a 2L bottle would consume a ton of cooler space.

[@monokheros5373]

@@PenguinOutdoors and that " ton " of space will keep your cooler cold tor 3 days in july in ohio weather ... cheers

[@monokheros5373]

@@PenguinOutdoors and that " ton " of space will keep your cooler cold tor 3 days in july in ohio weather ... cheers

[@projectknifehand]

@@monokheros5373 Yeah a nice cold otherwise empty cooler lol

[@monokheros5373]

@@projectknifehand you havent attempted it im sure... cheers

[@jimbeam9176]

Why not just fill empty plastic pop bottles with water and freeze them?? Way cheaper...

[@PenguinOutdoors]

Mentioned them @ 0:56. Sometimes I do, I like these better. I usually toss in 1-2 small bottles of frozen water for drinking purposes. As for keeping everything cold the cooler tubes last much longer. They also don't wear out like the bottles eventually do which means less garbage. Thanks for watching!

[@alexanderperez2732]

How salt water freeze better? Salt melts ice? Lol

[@PenguinOutdoors]

Salt water freezes at a lower temp than water without salt, thus it's colder initially. What I've learned through this video and the feedback though is that salt water in turn melts faster than straight water does, thus it is better to use water free of salt for this purpose. Thanks for watching!

[@Dear.Genius]

Salt water freezes at 28.4*

[@tam6051]

@@PenguinOutdoors thanks, i just a learned great info. I used to thought like him

[@tam6051]

Just use nitrogen gas

[@PenguinOutdoors]

That would defeat the entire purpose. Thanks for watching!

[@johanesmuylargo]

You would have been better off just using water bottles, bud.

[@PenguinOutdoors]

Having used water bottles for a very long time I completely disagree. Water bottles take up more room and don't stay frozen as long. I usually toss a frozen bottle in for the purpose of drinking but these longer lasting, space saving tubes are superior.

[@gator83261]

An intro.

[@PenguinOutdoors]

Thanks for watching!

[@coolworkgear9231]

All a waste of time. Just freeze brand new water bottles and as they thaw out you can even drink that water otherwise you're wasting the space.

[@PenguinOutdoors]

That is certainly another option, one I believe I even mentioned in the video!