Remote Cooler Temp Monitoring

[MinnesotaHunter]

Last fall I killed my elk the second week of November; which might as well been during archery season given how hot it was. I killed it on a Tuesday, didn't get back to MN until Sunday, and we cut it up on Wednesday night. The temp the night I killed it got down around 30, so I left the quarters out, and the next morning split it between two coolers (an Orion 85 and a Coleman extreme 70).

The rest of the week I was screwing around draining water, adding ice, etc. I dry iced both coolers on Thursday, after this the meat in the Orion stayed frozen solid/frosty until the next Wednesday, but I continued to have to screw around with the Coleman to keep things dry and cold.

Since then I have been thinking about a better way to ensure my kill stays cold during extended hunts in a cooler. A good cooler and dry ice seems to work pretty well, but I feel like I will always have the inkling to keep opening it up and checking on it; which is kind of counter productive. Maybe I just need to build some confidence now that I am using better coolers (another Orion might be on the way this summer), but I have also been thinking about a way to monitor the temp in the coolers either wirelessly or Bluetooth (see below), so they could just stay shut. Anyone thought about his or tried it?

https://www.amazon.com/AcuRite-00986A2-Refrigerator-Wireless-Thermometer/dp/B004QJVU78/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1488219186&sr=1-1&keywords=wireless+freezer+thermometer

 

[WapitiBob]

A drill, silicone, and a thermometer would do it.

 

[Gr8bawana]

Since cold air settles you're not really letting much of it out when you take a quick look in your cooler. Doesn't seem like it's that big a deal.
I have kept meat cold for a week during our August antelope hunts here in NV when the temps were 80-90 degrees in a plain old 125 qt igloo cooler. Block ice is the way to go and it's way cheaper than a $500+ cooler.

 

[WapitiBob]

You could also go the 5cf Home Depot freezer with a thermostat route. I think they're about $179

 

[mhkowalski]

I have these exact thermometers. They have alarms. Use them in my two freezers where I store my game meat year round. Cheap insurance as long as you are able to hear the alarm. Range is at least 15 ft with the freezers in separate rooms. Should work well for the application you are considering, but I also believe a quick daily check will have no effect on the temps.

 

[warmer]

http://www.kysek.com/hubfs/website/code-blue.png?t=1487713086000

Here is an option.

 

[MinnesotaHunter]

http://www.kysek.com/hubfs/website/code-blue.png?t=1487713086000

Here is an option.

That bugger ain't cheap!

I was mostly curious if anyone had tried something like this, or if a product like that existed. I realize it is kind of a joke of a problem, but the offseason can be boring.....

That being said, for $20, I might give the cheap option a try. Maybe in may I will drag my Orion and the cheap Coleman on the trailer 1200 miles on the way out to hunt bear, with ice in each, and do an 80mph rolling ice melt test.....

 

[JustSmitty]

http://unhinged.maluna.com/maluna-unhinged/

Just saw this ad. Looks like you need one of their drain plugs

 

[Brendan]

https://www.amazon.com/AcuRite-00986A2-Refrigerator-Wireless-Thermometer/dp/B004QJVU78/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1488219186&sr=1-1&keywords=wireless+freezer+thermometer

I purchased this exact setup in the beginning of October. Installed one in my meat freezer (-10) one in my fridge (35) using Lithium batteries for both. Still going strong on the same set of batteries. Remember - you're not measuring internal meat temp - but that should be fine once everything stabilizes.

Alarm works too. We did a costco run, loaded up a portion of the freezer with a bunch non-frozen pork, chicken, etc. Temperature made it up to 15 degrees - which was over my alarm setpoint and everything started beeping at me.

 

[Steiny]

I have a big 120 quart cooler, fill bottom with a layer of block ice, then lay a piece of peg board (plywood type stuff with holes) atop the ice, then meat in game bags atop that.
Keeps meat from getting wet, water stays in the bottom, drain periodically as needed. Have hauled stuff home from western trips like this many times. Block ice is the key, it lasts a long time.