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Adventure.AS · 06-18-2016, 05:55 AM

I stop when my fuel tank reaches 1/4 for fuel / bio-breaks (in my Jeep I find that my fuel and bladder need tending about the same time.) Also, when ever I cross a state/province line I like hunt for a Geocache to add to my state tally.

OTRA15 · 06-18-2016, 06:30 AM

PB you might want to check your owner's manual, and/or fridge operating manual, and know ahead of time how to adjust the thermostat for the fridge. Each model AS fridge is different. Our FC20 has only a little plastic slide on a cooling fin at the top of the fridge inside.

If you have this also, I can point you to threads about adjusting the temp on the road. Better to know now, rather than freeze/spoil food OTRA.

Happy Trails!

Peter

PS -- Re: earlier comment about filling water tanks with known good water at home -- our trailers re designed to have some water loaded. Some say the ride is better with a full water tank. Depends on you loading of other items IMO and availability of good potable water on the road and at your destination. An empty tank does not make sense to these eyes.

Piggy Bank · 06-20-2016, 09:40 PM

Thanks for all of the tips on loading from home and the fridge. We have used the fridge for our weekend trips before. But when leaving on a Friday after work from the storage lot with a warm fridge it is not usually cooled down until after breakfast the next morning.

Really liked the advice to only put COLD items in the fridge.

We will be traveling with 2 yeti coolers. Thanks to a post from about two years ago, and a comment by Protagonist. We will have one for frozen foods with vacuum packed frozen meat and dry ice. This should last us a week.

Tip. Our specialty grocer and meat market that sells and ships streaks nationwide (McGonigles in Kansas City, MO) told us that when using dry ice in the yeti to not latch the rubber T straps. And to open up the lid a couple of times a day to allow dissipated gas to escape. Apparently if the latches are hooked on and all of the dry ice vaporizes it can build up pressure in the latched cooler.

The second cooler will be the fresh food and drink cooler with ice cubes, fruits and veggies, milk, juice, cheese, sliced turkey, etc. and a few sodas and adult beverages.

Other foods are refrigerate after opening. So will be able to add to the fridge or cooler as needed.

And yes pammie sue, I like my water best so am glad I can just fill that freshwater tank at home with city water.

OTRA15 · 06-21-2016, 04:03 AM

Great tip about the Yeti being that airtight for the dry ice gas to build up pressure. Thanks! Your system is what we intend to do for longer road trips.

Happy Trails.

Peter

Lily&Me · 06-21-2016, 04:29 AM

I haven't seen anyone mention a 12colt cooler...we bought one several years ago for traveling with the grands, and it is handy as a supplemental frig in your campground or even in the house when company is coming and the standard frig is overloaded.

It plugs into electricity, also the 12volt on the dash, and can be used upright with the shelves that come with, or as a traditional cooler.

We used it for milk, juice, bottled water, etc., and I have taken it to rallies with a bag of ice in it.

This is a Koolatron, what we have.

Maggie

InterBlog · 06-21-2016, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piggy Bank

... Thanks to a post from about two years ago, and a comment by Protagonist. We will have one for frozen foods with vacuum packed frozen meat and dry ice. This should last us a week.

Tip. Our specialty grocer and meat market that sells and ships streaks nationwide (McGonigles in Kansas City, MO) told us that when using dry ice in the Yeti to not latch the rubber T straps. And to open up the lid a couple of times a day to allow dissipated gas to escape. Apparently if the latches are hooked on and all of the dry ice vaporizes it can build up pressure in the latched cooler. ....

Hi, Julie. That "post from about two years ago" would be this thread that I hatched back in late 2014.

Since the time of that original thread, my husband and I have been round and round and ROUND on the idea of how best to carry our Yeti - I am omitting a massive long story here. We are working in earnest on what we believe is a solution, and we do not have that ready to present yet - but I will cross-post here when we do the Big Reveal, which I anticipate will be in the next couple of weeks.

I will say, though, that I deeply appreciate you passing on the info from the meat shipper. If they routinely ship product on dry ice, then they ought to know the realities of it. I have been loathe to even consider storing the Yeti inside our Interstate because of worries about the dry ice off-gassing and displacing oxygen, which is a safety hazard. If your guy is saying that Yetis can build up serious CO2 pressure to the point where they have to have their venting managed by a procedure, then that only reinforces my original concerns.

More to follow, and thanks again for passing this info along. I'm soooo glad that I noticed it in my feed.

OTRA15 · 06-21-2016, 05:28 AM

Good suggestion Maggie, I have read about that option on other threads and forums. For now the coolers/ice/dry ice solutions seem simpler to us. [KISS]

Not to get off-topic on this thread, but may I put in a plug for the made-in-the-USA line of coolers which are said to be comparable to the Yeti, and even better in some respects?

http://www.pelican.com/coolers/?gcli...FVQ2gQod3iQDvA

https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...l_80l39qm4h3_b

Other threads on coolers etc.:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f382...od-146746.html
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f48/...ge-135130.html

And thanks InterBlog for the link to that old thread.

Peter

Piggy Bank · 06-21-2016, 05:35 AM

InterBlog,

That was a great thread. Probable was the deciding factor in us buying a Bambi vs a larger unit. So again, thank you all for saving us literally thousands of dollars. Buying a couple of coolers vs the price difference between a 22 Sport and a 25 with the bigger fridge/freezer is a very big chunk of change.

To clarify, the info on the cooler/dry ice was made in that these Yeti types of coolers, (vs. a styrofoam cooler in a card board box, which is what they use to ship steaks ) is that the seals on the Yeti type coolers are so airtight that they are completely sealed. His advice was to be aware of that. If a standard type of cooler would be used, this info would not apply.

OTRA15 · 06-21-2016, 05:44 AM

Echoing your thoughts about getting a smaller trailer and good coolers, which also give an insurance policy for fridge problems, plus more flexibility for side road trips in the tow vehicle. Also, having our van set up with coolers, 12-volt cooking devices, a butane burner, tea kettle and coffee-making set up, permits the early riser to have coffee and basic breakfast outside the trailer, while our better half sleeps in.

Domestic tranquility in a cooler . . .

Who'd a thunk it?

Peter

m.hony · 06-21-2016, 10:16 AM

Coolers come in handy when you run out of propane...
Ask me how I know.
I have been keeping a check on the propane tanks and refilling once per year if they need it or not.
The bigger tanks on my Airstream last much longer than the smaller tanks on my previous trailer.

m.hony · 06-21-2016, 10:17 AM

Even the cheap less than $20 coolers hold ice for 5 days or more in 80+ degrees.

Piggy Bank · 06-21-2016, 06:55 PM

Oh come on, you know it is never only 80 degrees (Mississippi indeed!)
Here it has been like those Facebook videos where folks are baking cookies on their dashboard.

Rich Jenkins · 06-21-2016, 07:12 PM

What a great thread...learned a lot.

We just did from Portland OR to Tampa FL in 6 days, because: reasons.

In addition to the tips here:

Eat a good breakfast in the morning. I like to get protein, eggs etc. instead of just carbs.

Generally we stayed connected, just detached the umbilical, as Peter mentioned above.

If possible, we fueled up in the evening, on the way into the campground. Makes a quicker getaway possible.

We made no reservations until mid afternoon. We use www.campgroundreviews.com extensively to evaluate campgrounds.

Piggy Bank · 06-21-2016, 07:35 PM

Good idea on the protein breakfast. I may make a frittata ahead of time to eat quickly in the morning.

InterBlog · 06-22-2016, 06:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Piggy Bank

InterBlog,

....
To clarify, the info on the cooler/dry ice was made in that these Yeti types of coolers, (vs. a styrofoam cooler in a card board box, which is what they use to ship steaks ) is that the seals on the Yeti type coolers are so airtight that they are completely sealed. His advice was to be aware of that. If a standard type of cooler would be used, this info would not apply.

Postscript to this issue.

After reading this thread, I went back and examined my Yeti in more detail. Sure enough, it is designed to be air tight. The seal around the lid is particularly impressive.

Here's what I decided to do about it. West Marine had the best price on replacement Yeti drain plugs - two for ten bucks - so I ordered them. I plan to have (1) an air-tight drain plug for regular water ice or brine ice use, and (2) a pressure-releasing drain plug for dry ice use. All I need to do is drill a small hole in the alternate drain plug to serve as a pressure release mechanism. It should not impact the performance of the cooler but it will provide a route for gas escape without having to leave the rubber latches open and without having to open the lid periodically (which kinda defeats the purpose).

Note that there is an inner rubber seal that may have to be removed from the plug for a drilled hole to work. I'm having the plugs shipped site-to-store so if I run into any issues with this little project, I'll post back.

The danger here is forgetting to swap out the plugs if one is going back to using water ice at a later date. Because if one leaves the holed plug in place, there's going to be leakage, heh heh. I think I will devise a little holding mechanism to make sure both plugs stay physically with the cooler at all times.