Storing water in vehicles.

[2008f450]

Try different items than water. I usually have Propel in my car, it freezes, but not completely all the time. Just a thought. Gatorade is about the same. So there are probably some others I haven't tried that won't freeze completely. Items with some sugar or sucrolose (sp). Tried just wrapping it up in several layers of blanket? I'll have to do some experimenting.

Really dont want my 1 year old drinking gatorade or that type of drink. I am going to try wrapping them in the extra wool blankets we keep in the cars and see if that works.

[earplug]

Its better to have hard water then none.
If you have to move using the automobile the heater will melt the water.
And if you park the car in the sun the interior temperature will be higher then the outside temperature. Its a mobile green house.
I use my wagon as a mini epoxy curing, spray paint drying paint booth.
For a mini person needing water, just sit on a frozen water bottle. It will melt.

[kidicarus13]

I use a thermos.

[Not_A_Llama]

Really dont want my 1 year old drinking gatorade or that type of drink.

Try Pedialyte, if it makes you feel better. It's all pretty much the same thing - sugars and electrolytes.

Space Blankets and regular blankets are things you'd need anyway (arguably more than you'd need the water); might as well compact your kit.

[jscwerve]

Really dont want my 1 year old drinking gatorade or that type of drink. I am going to try wrapping them in the extra wool blankets we keep in the cars and see if that works.

*disclaimer: I do not have children, so I may simply be ignorant to this*


In a type of emergency scenario, what would it matter if your 1 year old had to drink a little Gatorade? I can't think of anywhere in town that you would be more than a few blocks away from a gas station or house. Even stuck on the side of the road in a snowstorm waiting for a tow wouldn't be more than an hour or two. In a true "emergency situation" I.E. surviving for a day or three lost somewhere, wouldn't something like gatorade or the like be more beneficial to have?

[StagLefty]

Part of my winter truck pack is a compact Coleman 440 stove for heating up the truck,heating food,or thawing out water or melting snow. I'm probably talking extreme situation but better to have it than not. JMHO

[Beprepared]

*Gatorade is a good idea for a less freezing liquid. Although I would be very careful using (or too much) it in a survival situation, especially with little ones. More than half gallon a day can give you some serious kidney problems and pain.

[KevDen2005]

Just to point out, wrapping it in blankets probably wont help since it doesn't produce any heat, blankets retain heat. For example when you have a ton of blankets on your bed but you get in and it is still "freezing" cold while your furnace is on...then you are in the blankets a while and you need to kick them off because you are too hot.

I like the stove idea. I also like wide mouth nalgene bottles-not filled up completely...they will rarely freeze solid (depending on where you are).

[TEAMRICO]

I'm running into the same issue with storing water, don't want to lug it in and out all the time.
Anything in my truck freezes, wife's car is safe in the garage at night and she still has me warm it up for her in the morn so it is nice and toasty!
Me and the boy have our teeth chattering all the way to his day care!
My truck is a rolling Panic Room anyway so I never get caught in a tight spot.
My favorite game is "What If?"
I will think of a scenario then add to the tool box in back.
Right now if a fishing derby broke out, Im in!~

Liquids are kicking my ass this time of year.
Thought about a small heater with an extension cord. Just enough to keep light heat. Anyone try this?

[ldmaster]

I don't have a puppy in this race, because I just put gallon water jugs and LET them freeze. But A Goldenrod dehumidifier pulls something like 12 watts and heats to 150 degrees. It's not a source for fire, but I'd imagine you'll want to protect it somehow. Folks put a core heater in their cars for icy mornings, why not put a goldenrod in your truck amongst your BOB bags? Cover them with a couple of blankets and the water should stay liquid.

As far as insulating things. The issue is ALWAYS heat, either it's in a heatsink (like water) or it's ambient. You are trying to keep your heatsink (water) from releasing the heat to the ambient. Without active involvement you have a win/lose situation. You WANT ambient to bathe your heatsink when you're warm (like when the car is running) but you want to insulate it when ambient falls below freezing, either way takes active intervention (like uncovering it when the car is running). I'd put a goldenrod in a plywood enclosure and pop it in my trunk, plug it in at night. Wouldn't kill your electric bill and wouldn't catch things on fire.

But remember, the more liquid water you have, the more cold it takes to convert it to frozen. So a gallon water jug takes more to freeze than a quart one, and gallon water jugs are very flexible - if they freeze they just expand to fit the water.