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  • Insulated Cooler Lid

    Has anyone here ever successfully insulated the lid on their cooler? It is a great source of frustration for me that there isn't anything but air in the lid. It just seems lazy. I am wondering if it is possible to diy this.
    “I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.”
    – E. B. White

  • #2
    Re: Insulated Cooler Lid

    I lined our cooler with Reflectix. Instead of lining the lid I made a the back taller to make an inside lid. The ice lasts a lot longer with this. We also keep a couple of small quilted pads over the cooler. I saw a video once where a guy drilled holes in his cooler and filled it with spray foam. I'm afraid to try this. It might really warp my cooler and it would be useless.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Insulated Cooler Lid

      I am kind of wondering if I can cut the top off the lid (which is too thin) and spray foam in, let it dry, shape it and then mold a new top and weld it on to the old bottom.
      “I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.”
      – E. B. White

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Insulated Cooler Lid

        Originally posted by James. View Post
        I am kind of wondering if I can cut the top off the lid (which is too thin) and spray foam in, let it dry, shape it and then mold a new top and weld it on to the old bottom.
        instead of completely cutting off the top
        just cut holes into it to let you insert the nozzle of the spray foam
        then only have to cover the holes not rig entire new cover
        if you use hole bit 1-2" can even reuse piece you remove and use plastic bond around edges

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Insulated Cooler Lid

          Originally posted by terasec View Post
          instead of completely cutting off the top
          just cut holes into it to let you insert the nozzle of the spray foam
          then only have to cover the holes not rig entire new cover
          if you use hole bit 1-2" can even reuse piece you remove and use plastic bond around edges
          That was my original idea but the lid really is to thin.
          “I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.”
          – E. B. White

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Insulated Cooler Lid

            I don't know if it would work, but here's what popped into my head. I do know that controlling the expansion from spray in foam can get tricky. I messed with some projects years ago and found that whatever mold you use has to be super sturdy, otherwise the foam distorts everything. So... in the case of the lid on a cooler, I was thinking you could, as mentioned, cut a small hole for the inevitable excess to ooze out with the addition of filling the cooler with water to keep the lid from bulging out. It would still be tricky to get the right amount of foam in the lid, but the water, being incompressible should minimize if not eliminate the bulging.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Insulated Cooler Lid

              I needed to insulate the a blow molded cooler top once; It had a small hole (maybe 1/4") already so I got some Styrofoam (beanbag chair) beads and spent a week during television commercials poking beads into the hole... it worked; kind of, but the rest of the cooler was double wall only (no insulation) so it didn't really help all that much...

              My advice after spending near 40 years messing around; save up and get a good, high quality, cooler.... ice keeping for a week, is worth it (and the good ones are Bear resistant too!).

              Enjoy!
              Last edited by Happy Joe; 07-05-2017, 11:19 AM.
              2006 Jeep Rubicon, TJ; 4.11 gears, 31" tires, 4:1 transfer case, lockers in both axles
              For DD & "civilized" camping; 2003 Ford explorer sport, 4wd; ARB & torsen diffs, 4.10 gears, 32" MTs.
              Ground tents work best for me, so far.
              Experience along with properly set up 4WD will get you to & through places (on existing, approved 4WD trails) that 4WD, alone, can't get to.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Insulated Cooler Lid

                Originally posted by MacGyver View Post
                I don't know if it would work, but here's what popped into my head. I do know that controlling the expansion from spray in foam can get tricky. I messed with some projects years ago and found that whatever mold you use has to be super sturdy, otherwise the foam distorts everything. So... in the case of the lid on a cooler, I was thinking you could, as mentioned, cut a small hole for the inevitable excess to ooze out with the addition of filling the cooler with water to keep the lid from bulging out. It would still be tricky to get the right amount of foam in the lid, but the water, being incompressible should minimize if not eliminate the bulging.
                I was actually planning on cutting the top half of the existing lid off and then spraying the foam on the bottom half. Then letting it dry and cutting/shaping the foam into a decent shape and then using a heat gun to shape a sheet of abs plastic on top of the foam. That way I wouldn't have to worry about the foam not expanding or expanding to much.
                “I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.”
                – E. B. White

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Insulated Cooler Lid

                  Originally posted by Happy Joe View Post
                  I needed to insulate the a blow molded cooler top once; It had a small hole (maybe 1/4") already so I got some Styrofoam (beanbag chair) beads and spent a week during television commercials poking beads into the hole... it worked; kind of, but the rest of the cooler was double wall only (no insulation) so it didn't really help all that much...

                  My advice after spending near 40 years messing around; save up and get a good, high quality, cooler.... ice keeping for a week, is worth it (and the good ones are Bear resistant too!).

                  Enjoy!
                  Where is the fun in that? :lol:

                  I was actually thinking that I can make an even awesomer cooler with a couple plastic totes and spray foam.
                  “I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.”
                  – E. B. White

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Insulated Cooler Lid

                    I have a cheep igloo I keep in the back of my truck. I was lucky if I could get ice to last all day when it was hot outside. I just opened the lid and drilled a hole in the bottom of it. I then sprayed expanding foam in it until it was full.
                    It helped but it still sucks compared to my Yeti. It will keep ice throughout the day and I don't have to worry about anyone steeling the ugly POS.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Insulated Cooler Lid

                      Originally posted by James. View Post
                      Where is the fun in that? :lol:

                      I was actually thinking that I can make an even awesomer cooler with a couple plastic totes and spray foam.
                      Sticky!... Much!

                      Originally posted by Diveralan View Post
                      I have a cheep igloo I keep in the back of my truck. I was lucky if I could get ice to last all day when it was hot outside. I just opened the lid and drilled a hole in the bottom of it. I then sprayed expanding foam in it until it was full.
                      It helped but it still sucks compared to my Yeti. It will keep ice throughout the day and I don't have to worry about anyone steeling the ugly POS.
                      A length of chain and a couple of (hardened) padlocks (and a handy tree, in camp) secures my Pelican pretty well... just to keep the honest folks honest...

                      Enjoy!
                      Last edited by Happy Joe; 07-06-2017, 07:14 AM.
                      2006 Jeep Rubicon, TJ; 4.11 gears, 31" tires, 4:1 transfer case, lockers in both axles
                      For DD & "civilized" camping; 2003 Ford explorer sport, 4wd; ARB & torsen diffs, 4.10 gears, 32" MTs.
                      Ground tents work best for me, so far.
                      Experience along with properly set up 4WD will get you to & through places (on existing, approved 4WD trails) that 4WD, alone, can't get to.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Insulated Cooler Lid

                        I recently experimented with a small lunch box type cooler. I drilled a hole in opposite corners of the lid and then sprayed foam in one hole until it started coming out the other hole. I made a horrible mess! The foam expanded, and expanded, and expanded, until I had a huge blob of sticky goo coming out of both holes. The lid did not deform but after the foam dried I held the lid up to a strong light and found the foam did not fill the entire lid, in fact, I think more vented out than stayed in. I think now I would drill more holes and squirt in a small amount of foam, let it expand, then squirt more foam into open holes. I would do it gradually until I had the entire lid full.

                        As Happy Joe said, it is STICKY!! This is not a project you want to do inside your house.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Insulated Cooler Lid

                          "Reflectix"--I had also covered the outside as well as the inside of my cooler with "Reflectix", and have used it for the last 3 years. Pictures below. I made a complete cover to go over the cooler. Leaving 3/4 inch short from touching the ground. (Also used the foil tape) Cut slots in the ends, to reach in for the handles. For the inside of the cooler. I used "Reflectix" also. 3 separate pieces. First made a double bottom. Then made the the sides in one round strip. Creased it where the corners were and slid it down to meet the bottom. Made a floating top piece double thick, like the bottom. It doesn't take up hardly any room. For ice I reused 64oz fruit juice bottles that fit nice in the corners and 17oz slim bottles with salt water in them. See picture. Salt in the water is the key for longer lasting ice. The bottles need several days to freeze hard. Leaving 2-21/2 inch. space at the top for expansion. The slim bottle go on top of food and between food, if there is a gap. I can get three to four good days of good ice sometime a little more. Depending how offers I get into the cooler.
                          Hope this might help someone.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Insulated Cooler Lid

                            Originally posted by Yrral48 View Post
                            "Reflectix"--I had also covered the outside as well as the inside of my cooler with "Reflectix", and have used it for the last 3 years. Pictures below. I made a complete cover to go over the cooler. Leaving 3/4 inch short from touching the ground. (Also used the foil tape) Cut slots in the ends, to reach in for the handles. For the inside of the cooler. I used "Reflectix" also. 3 separate pieces. First made a double bottom. Then made the the sides in one round strip. Creased it where the corners were and slid it down to meet the bottom. Made a floating top piece double thick, like the bottom. It doesn't take up hardly any room. For ice I reused 64oz fruit juice bottles that fit nice in the corners and 17oz slim bottles with salt water in them. See picture. Salt in the water is the key for longer lasting ice. The bottles need several days to freeze hard. Leaving 2-21/2 inch. space at the top for expansion. The slim bottle go on top of food and between food, if there is a gap. I can get three to four good days of good ice sometime a little more. Depending how offers I get into the cooler.
                            Hope this might help someone.
                            [ATTACH=CONFIG]6122[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]6123[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]6124[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]6125[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]6127[/ATTACH]
                            Pics didn't come through....but I lined the inside of the cooler and use gatorade bottles filled with salt water too. Then I dump ice cubes in to fill in the voids. A row of bottles on the bottom ALWAYS keep the food from sitting in water but the last time I went camping I used about a half bag of ice and when I came back 3 days later had about a half bag of ice left.

                            The salt water melts faster but freezes colder so it retains the cold longer than water. And since it is in bottles doesn't make a mess in your cooler. The problem I have had is that my food actually freezes. I put a carton of Egg Beaters in the cooler right before I left on Friday. When I went to use them on Saturday morning I found it was frozen. So you have to be aware that thawing may be needed.
                            “I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority.”
                            – E. B. White

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Insulated Cooler Lid

                              James, Thanks for your reply. I just sent a questionnaire to the Webmaster on why the pictures didn't Post with what I wrote on our subject of "Insulating Coolers". Waiting to hear back. To your question, about other food freezing from the saltwater bottles. Food products that I eather prefreeze or don't mind if they freeze, like meat for example. I place the square fruit juice bottles that fit in corners better at one end and pack the meat around it. I will use them in a few days, because of my meal planing. But other foods that I don't want frozen. I have put one or two pices of the Reflectix, between the bottle and the food. And it helped. With the bottle in the corner. The Reflectix should be covering one side and one end. But make them a litte longer so they can flair out a little. The prices should come up a little higher then the top of the bottle. If need be. You could even put a piece of the Reflectix on the top to isolate it even further. You will have to experiment, to see what will work for your food and cooler. I am posting the pictures again. They might work this time. Have a good day James!
                              Yrral48
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