OT- Ice not lasting in RTIC 65

EazyE

Hi guys! You guys might remember I asked about the RTIC 65 a few months ago. I ended up getting it for my wife for mothers day for soccer and baseball tournaments. Overall, we are very happy with it. But, it doesn't seem to be holding ice in it as long as advertised. For example, last weekend we iced it down with 20 lbs of ice. Several 32 oz gatorades and bottled water in the cooler with it. We had it in the van in the hot sun (90's). By Saturday, evening, there was very little ice, and mostly water. Almost all water by Sunday morning. The water was still very cold, as was the beverages, but we had to add some more ice Sunday morning.

Is this normal from what you other have experienced? I have read anywhere from 5-7 days easily on one load of ice. Ours doesn't seem to be anywhere close to that. I emailed RTIC, and they said I could have a bad seal, or the molding might not be right, causing it to melt too fast. They said that it should last longer than that. So, they are willing to send me a replacement if I send our cooler back. But, if this is pretty normal, I don't want to waste their time or money sending it back, if the new one will do the same thing. What do you all think? Should I role with it, or take them up on getting a new one, and see if it lasts longer. I can't see any defects that would be causing it to melt too fast.

Thanks for listening!

DoubleEgger

prechill  

EazyE

DoubleEgger said:

prechill  

I haven't pre-chilled. The water and gatorades are at room temperature before putting on ice. Do people really put all of their beverages in the fridge, and then ice them? That seems like a lot of work.

Hotch

Pre chill both the cooler and the items to be in the cooler.

lousubcap

You should be most thankful that you are alive after pulling that gift off for Mother's Day.  And yes, I did the road trips for soccer etc but you have survival skills beyond anything I would have contemplated.
Beyond that, I am not in the RTIC or Yeti peeing contest camp so I will just watch.  

Photo Egg

If you don't pre chill a high end molded cooler it takes alot of energy just to cool the cooler. And most people store their cooler in a place that's not A/C so it starts out warm.
20 pound of ice in a non chilled cooler added to non chilled drinks equals a lot of melted ice.
Yes, it's more work to get the benefit from the cooler.
I normally put the drinks in the cooler the night before with some freezer packs to chill it down. It does take some planning but it's great on long trips.

Eggcelsior

EazyE said:

DoubleEgger said:

prechill  

I haven't pre-chilled. The water and gatorades are at room temperature before putting on ice. Do people really put all of their beverages in the fridge, and then ice them? That seems like a lot of work.

If you don't prechill, the drinks will have to cool down to  near freezing before the ice melting slows, and liquids take a very large amount of energy to cool due to the thermal mass of the water in the drinks. The good news is, that the water will stay cold until phase-change fully occurs.

Raymont

So to get comfortable with dilemma (return or not return) it would appear you need to give your RTIC another shot, this time pre-chill cooler & drinks. If still getting significant melt within 24 hours.. send it back. If not, you've at least learned how to maximize what you have. 

EazyE

Thanks guys. I serious lee didn't know about the pre-chilling of the drinks. That is a great idea with the ice packs. I have about five of the Arctic Ice chillin brew ice packs. I will give that a try. We do keep the cooler in the basement when not in use. We keep the house at 73 degrees with the AC. How else would I prechill the cooler? I will give that a try though with cooling the beverages first. Thanks guys!

Killit_and_Grillit

I have a bunch of frozen 2 liters I put in mine the day prior and pour a 20lb bag of ice on top. 

It it will only hold ice for about 2 days if you are using it as a drink cooler. If you are opening it all day long the ice will melt faster. But I took mine on a summer camping trip in CO (80/90s) for four days and used it as the food cooler. By day four it still had little bits of ice. 

I have a few fishing buddies in Florida and Texas that actually drop them off at places with walk in coolers and leave them in overnight before going. 

EazyE

That is a good idea as well. Thank you! You guys are full of great ideas!

DoubleEgger

I like using old vegetable oil bottles, Tide bottles, etc. The handles are great. I use them in my fish coolers on the boat to prechill and use as bulk ice. Can't beat the price! 

johnnyp

Fwiw-I typically use a sacrificial bag of ice to cool the cooler and drinks.  Then drain the water and re-ice.

also keep in mind that if you're constantly going in and out of the cooler thoughout the day(s), the ice won't last nearly as long 

buzd504

Easiest way to prechill is to ice everything down the night before.  The next day, drain all the water out and just top off with ice.

tarheelmatt

I use an old milk jug to fill with water and freeze to place in the cooler the night before. 

Also cooling the drinks beforehand helps too, like others said. 

Rotomolded coolers have a lot mass and will absorb anything you put in it quickly. Couple that with the room temp drinks, you'll have only water quicker. 

Focker

Freezing water bottles or Gatorades are great for camping.  Frozen lemonade, tea, in 1 gal milk jugs too as posted.  By the time we get to them, they've melted.  No wasted space.  The Arctic Ice Chillin Brews I use have payed for themselves this year.  Simply grab from freezer and go.  No stops to pick up ice, and no water logged items.  Crispy cold for a weekend.  I use 2 XLs for each 35qt Pelican.

dldawes1

I appreciate this post and the info it has drawn out from the forum.

I never heard of prechilling either the drinks or the cooler. 

I don't have a high-end cooler....but you can bet that I will be prechilling drinks and coolers before my next cook event !!!!!

Thanks again....forum family !!!

YEMTrey

@EazyE I discovered the same thing.  Took my RTIC 65 along with us to Nashville for a soccer tournament.  Loaded it up with water, gatorade and soda's and added ice and into the trunk it went (super stoked it fit in the trunk of my Accord).  After sitting in my trunk through a summer day there was still ice, but not filled to the top at the end of day one.  Figured, I have a Igloo cooler that has held ice on fishing trips for a couple of days, i just wasted some money.  Then once that first day was done and the cooler and it's items were cold, it held ice the remainder of the weekend and then some.

Knowing this, I recently took it to the lake and brought it home and didn't unpack it for a couple of days.  It sat in the living room of our house and still had ice in it on Wednesday.  The 65 is a tank.  It's heavier than all hell when full though.