Storage of Insulin ideas...

[creeky]

Background...

During the flood we were trapped at home for two days. No big deal. One of the days we were without power. Normally not a big deal. Thing is we order insulin by mail and try to keep plenty on stock and it has to be refrigerated. Needless to say my wife went into instant worry mode! (Too many things running in her head: how long with no power, etc.)

The water dropped low enough that her brother was able to cross our creek and bring us an extra small generator. (enough to run a fridge) he has able to leave before the rains came again and then we were stuck again. But man... that noisy old generator was music to her ears! It made all the difference. So now... we have a generator and keep and extra amount of gas handy.

So now we have been talking and trying to plan that part a little better. At my wife's suggestion (and I agree), she doesn't want to solely depend on a generator should we lose power for an extended period. (She brings up Centerville during the flood and that teh generator could break and we not be able to fix it.)

So my question is this... in the summer time should we lose power for an extended amount of time how can I keep Insulin at the right temperature should we run out of gas for the generator?

(FYI: Insulin needs to be keep at about 36º-46º F before opened, once opened you got about a month and can keep it at 59º-86º F)

Here are the options I can think of...

1. Use 1 quart frozen water bottles from the deep freeze in a smaller cooler for just the insulin. Rotating out.

2. I have a spring fed creek that stays about 45 degrees and flows year round. I could make a small spring house out of cinder blocks to keep it in there. But would have to make sure I could get to it if there was a flood. And that another flood wouldn't wash anything in it away.

3. 12 volt mini cooler. The type people use in cars. I could hook it up to a Deep Cell battery or to the vehicle.

I'm leaning at doing all three. For some redundancy.

Can anyone think of anything else? Any other suggestions?

[Guest GT_Rat]

The creek sounds like a great idea unless it freezes over. Of course if it's that cold you can just store it outside. Get some of the blue ice pack things they make for coolers instead of the water bottles. I think those stay cold longer. In a pinch you could also crank up the AC in the car to max and put the insulin in the AC vents. Not sure how cold that gets though.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Those all sound like good ideas.

Wonder if a jumbo thermos would retain cold better than a box cooler? The old thermos bottles from years ago were real heat-tight, but dunno if that is still so.

Just thinking, for a really long outage, if you had a big box of cold paks and a thermos big enough to hold a cold pak and all the insulin, it might be sustainable for quite awhile?

Dunnno how big a volume of insulin you would be needing to store.

I've toted glaucoma eye drops that need to stay cold, on vacation, in a small thermos with a baggie holding a few ice cubes. Also when an old dawg had cancer, the cancer med was heat-sensitive and I'd carry that med in the small thermos as well (for keeping the med in the hotel overnight then driving from Knoxville back to Chattanooga next day).

[creeky]

Wonder if a jumbo thermos would retain cold better than a box cooler? The old thermos bottles from years ago were real heat-tight, but dunno if that is still so.

Just thinking, for a really long outage, if you had a big box of cold paks and a thermos big enough to hold a cold pak and all the insulin, it might be sustainable for quite awhile?

That's a good idea! Hadn't thought about that. Several vials could fit in an old thermos pretty easy. Also a case of those "Break In two" cold packs might work VERY well. That way I could keep an emergency box of them and " break" as needed.

Basically his supply of insulin and even his test strips could fit in a small igloo cooler with plenty of room to spare for cooler packs.

Awesome Idea!

[creeky]

Just found a post on Lifehacker on how to make yoru own Freezer packs! Pretty cool! <-- Get it... "Cool"... uh... it's a cold joke.

Link

[Guest HvyMtl]

I have a coleman cooler that acts as a mini refrige. Plugs into a car 12v (aka cigarette lighter.) They do advise you do not run it more than 8 hours off a car that is not running.

It was like $60-70, works well, and is the size of a standard cooler. Gets stuff cold, too. Here is the replacement model for the one I have:

Coleman - 16 Quart PowerChill Thermoelectric Cooler -

They are limited, as they can cool about 40 degrees lower than ambient temperature, so adding the icepacks would be a good idea

But, if you need transportation and cooling:

Cruzin Cooler Official Site

Edited August 20, 2010 by HvyMtl

[dariks]

Generators and vehicles are a great short term solution, but for any extended power outage you will want something that doesn't depend on a hard to get fuel source. (gas, diesel, etc.)

This solar panel and portable refrigerator setup looks like it will take care of your needs. I think this setup will end up costing $300-$500 though.

Truely Portable Fridge and or Freezer on 12v 24v 115v and Solar Panels - Survivalist Forum

[Shorty]

In a pinch you could try one of two things: 1) styrofoam cooler with a small hole and the nozzle of a co2 extinguisher shoved in there. Since air doesn't retain heat/cool very well, maybe add a little water to the cooler and run the nozzle into the water. 2) Use water and ammonium nitrate (fertilizer) to create an endothermic reaction. From what I've read, the more you can dissolve the cooler the temp you can get (to a point I'm sure). Never tried either of these, but in theory it would work.

[creeky]

Thanks guys! Got some great suggestions.

Think i'm going to do a combination of things.

First, and the cheapest... Make some Freezer bags specifically for a mini-igloo cooler I have while I save up for an electric car cooler like the Coleman "HVYMtl" linked to. I may also add another 5 gallon gas can to the rotation for the generator.

[Guest buttonhook]

I agree with the 12 cooler with a solar panel and the deep cell battery but only as a backup to the gen.

[Mike.357]

how about some dry ice? Or would that be too cold or unworkable?

[Backon4]

If you have a deep freezer, take empty gallon milk jugs and rinse them out and fill them with water and freeze. We were without power for almost a week a few years ago and they kept everything frozen. I have about 15 to 20 in my freezer. I use them in coolers when I go riding as well. One will usually last a day or 2.

[creeky]

If you have a deep freezer, take empty gallon milk jugs and rinse them out and fill them with water and freeze. We were without power for almost a week a few years ago and they kept everything frozen.

I do have a deep freeze. We already keep some 2 liters of water frozen in there to help cool the main fridge. I recently started freezing 32oz. Gatorade bottles of water as well thinking that they would fit in a small cooler better. Looks like we're thinking in the same direction.

I guess you guys can tell reading "One Second After" really kind of creeped me out. Hahaha!!

[Guest strelcevina]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d.html/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/182-8942895-2958351?a=B0028MV8KE]Medicool er Mini Fridge for Insulin: Compare Prices, View Price History and Read Reviews at NexTag

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d.html/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/182-8942895-2958351?a=B0028MV8KE

Edited August 24, 2010 by strelcevina

[creeky]

I wonder how well those little 12 volt solar panels work?

Anyone ever messed with them?

The insulin fridge is pretty neat and small... but it's teh same price as a little

larger travel cooler.

[Guest 70below]

As mentioned, if dry ice will work, you can make your own by spraying a CO2 fire extinguisher into a paper bag and compressing it.

[MacGyver]

You need an ammonia cycle refrigerator. This is an old-school cycle, but still used commonly in RV's. Basically, a tiny burner evaporates ammonia and drives the cooling cycle.

323 Refrigerator

http://www.arizonaenergy.org/AltEnergyClub/SMALL%20AMMONIA%20REFRIGERATOR.htm

The one listed above is a 3-way. 110V, 12V and Propane. I bet you could look around on ebay and find a used on cheap.

[creeky]

You need an ammonia cycle refrigerator. This is an old-school cycle, but still used commonly in RV's. Basically, a tiny burner evaporates ammonia and drives the cooling cycle.

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeey!!! Now there is an idea! I never thought about that.

That could be a real handy thing to have!

[vontar]

You need an ammonia cycle refrigerator. This is an old-school cycle, but still used commonly in RV's. Basically, a tiny burner evaporates ammonia and drives the cooling cycle.

323 Refrigerator

SMALL AMMONIA REFRIGERATOR

The one listed above is a 3-way. 110V, 12V and Propane. I bet you could look around on ebay and find a used on cheap.

I remember when one of those busted in the middle of the night while deer hunting. . That was fun, run several of us outside about 3 am.

[Guest bkelm18]

In my opinion, for long term, you'd need renewable energy. With that in mind, I'd pick up a deep cycle battery or three, and get some 12v solar panels. The sun has to shine at some point. Unless of course the sun is blotted out by a nuclear holocaust, in which case insulin really wont be your concern.

[vontar]

Here is some solar panels

80 watt, $285

Solar / Green technology for Sale

They carry a full 25 year warranty.

MADE IN THE USA

I haven't really shopped around, but I know I would like some solar panels

Step 1, figure out how much solar you need before you jump into solar.