Dry Ice and Coolers

[huntinsonovagun]

I’ve never been around dry ice, but have seen guys recommend it for hauling game meat long distances. I was doing some reading on it just because I was ignorant as to exactly what “dry ice” is.

So how likely is it that a well-sealed roto-molded cooler is to explode with the gas build-up? I’m one to normally “push the limits” because I feel like everything is “Californianized” (overly-dramatic/over-regulated) but common sense tells me this does have the potential to to build some significant pressure. Maybe there is enough “give” in the rubber latches to gas the cooler itself? How do you guys handle dry ice in your coolers? Leave the plug open? Vent it once or twice a day?

 

[Ben Sellers]

The expansion ratio for dry ice is 8.3 cubic feet of CO2 gas per pound of dry ice. That means 1 pound of dry ice will become approximately 250 quarts when it sublimates. If you pack 5 pounds of dry ice in a 70 quart cooler, you’re packing 17 times the volume of the cooler into it. I would not have it closed tightly with weight on top. I would allow it to vent itself naturally over time.

 

[huntinsonovagun]

The expansion ratio for dry ice is 8.3 cubic feet of CO2 gas per pound of dry ice. That means 1 pound of dry ice will become approximately 250 quarts when it sublimates. If you pack 5 pounds of dry ice in a 70 quart cooler, you’re packing 17 times the volume of the cooler into it. I would not have it closed tightly with weight on top. I would allow it to vent itself naturally over time.

Sounds like solid advice!

 

[Trial153]

I always crack my cooler lid a bit when I use it, I have also used it in soft coolers...works well

 

[Deleted member 38069]

Good question, I was thinking the same thing.

I wonder if one could crack the drain plug to allow ventilation?

 

[Jc2020]

I used it a lot and I’ve never had any problems having it in a roto-molded cooler I have had it freeze stuff solid though

 

[huntnpack]

I used it a lot and I’ve never had any problems having it in a roto-molded cooler I have had it freeze stuff solid though

You leave it completely sealed?

 

[Jc2020]

Yeah I had it sealed I put 15 lbs in a 70 qt cooler in the basket on top And had the food on the bottom and sealed it and Left it shut for 3 days in the bed of my truck and opened it and had no pressure build up that I could tell The dry ice was gone and the food had gotten warm though Next time I did it o opened it once a day in the evenings to check on it and add more as I needed but I don’t know maybe under the right conditions you could have a problem you could probably do like boomer said and crack the drain plug If your worried about it

 

[huntnpack]

Yeah I had it sealed I put 15 lbs in a 70 qt cooler in the basket on top And had the food on the bottom and sealed it and Left it shut for 3 days in the bed of my truck and opened it and had no pressure build up that I could tell The dry ice was gone and the food had gotten warm though Next time I did it o opened it once a day in the evenings to check on it and add more as I needed but I don’t know maybe under the right conditions you could have a problem you could probably do like boomer said and crack the drain plug If your worried about it

The two times I've tried it I've cracked the drain plug.

I used it a lot and I’ve never had any problems having it in a roto-molded cooler I have had it freeze stuff solid though

You did this once or have you done this several times? I haven't used my rotomolded coolers in extremely hot weather for long periods, but they've always held regular ice for more than 3 days. I've only used dry ice when I wanted something frozen a coupled days later (ice cream, etc.).

 

[Jc2020]

The two times I've tried it I've cracked the drain plug.



You did this once or have you done this several times? I haven't used my rotomolded coolers in extremely hot weather for long periods, but they've always held regular ice for more than 3 days. I've only used dry ice when I wanted something frozen a coupled days later (ice cream, etc.).
[/QUOTE.

I’ve done it multiple times and yeah I’d had them keep ice longer than 3 days too but when this happened it was in the high 90’s maybe you should contact the manufacturer and see what they tell you and just follow there recommendations are you just not wanting to leave the drain plug cracked?

 

[huntnpack]

...are you just not wanting to leave the drain plug cracked?

If I can get away with it, yeah.

 

[shannerdrake]

Check your cooler manufacturer for dry ice directions. Most of the coolers with rubber latches are self venting. Dry ice cools by gas that falls down. An open drain will let a lot of your cold gas escape.

 

[huntinsonovagun]

Check your cooler manufacturer for dry ice directions. Most of the coolers with rubber latches are self venting. Dry ice cools by gas that falls down. An open drain will let a lot of your cold gas escape.

I think this is probably true. I brought back my WY antelope on dry ice in a rotomolded cooler. The first night I left the plug “cracked.” After that I just vented it a couple of times a day. It honestly didn’t seem to build up that much pressure. Next time I may just manually vent it once a day or maybe even couple of days.

 

[glass eye]

I've used dry ice for decades and have never opened the drain valve and have never had any problems. Fill the cooler with cubed ice and then put #5 or less of dry ice on top. Keeps the cubed ice from melting and will freeze contents.

 

[DouglasR]

I had several pounds of dry ice on top of frozen water bottles in my rtic 65 for over a week fully sealed with no issue.

 

[SG25]

I bought two Kong 110's for my elk hunt i just got done with in Oregon. My brother bought a couple pounds of dry ice to throw in the one with cold items. We could hear the gas venting from the cooler and didn't have any issues.

 

[TexAg09]

Good question, I was thinking the same thing.

I wonder if one could crack the drain plug to allow ventilation?

That's what I do. We may or may not have used dry ice and 2 liter coke bottles to blow mail boxes inside out as kids out in the country. I can neither confirm nor deny, but I can confirm that stuff can be pretty powerful when not ventilated properly hahaha.

 

[2rocky]

If you need a video for an example of two ways to use DI, Eastmans explained it as well as anyone I've seen

 

[thusby]

Dry ice is great in a friction closing igloo cooler. I would not want to use it in anything else.

 

[Lyfter1013]

For what it is worth we get two 500lbs tubs of ice delivered to my work a week. They are in large rolling coolers that are built similar to a heavy duty ice chest, they have a latch and come banded closed to preserve the dry ice and have never had an issue. I guarantee being banded shut is a tighter seal than any ice chest. I think people over think it. Now if you have dry ice coming into direct contact with water in the bottom of your cooler just maybe you Could Have an issue.