Storing water in vehicles.

[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.

[gnihcraes]

I've been saving the Arizona Ice Tea jugs, those are some thick polypropylene jugs! It will freeze, but won't burst if they are not filled more than 3/4 full. I'll stick one in my car and see how it does over the next few cold days we have.

My normal propel bottles are frozen in the morning, but usually thawed by noon, while parked in normal outside daylight. I would think this would be normal unless there is a total whiteout for days on end. (doubtful)

[Beprepared]

Or maybe a portable baby bottle warmer to thaw those water bottles.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...D5JC2K42T68WS4

[jerrymrc]

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?

Two ways to go. Block heater or interior heater. Block heater helps with starting and you get heat faster from the truck. they range from 400W to 1200W depending on what ya have. takes 20-60 min to install. When my diesel was my daily driver and I only had 8 miles to go to work it was the way to go. I had mine on a timer so it came on at 3AM and warmed for two hours.

You will not like your bill if you leave it on all night. The interior heater just blows warm air and does nothing for the heater but it does make the interior toasty for the short trip. Here again it needs to be on a timer.

Have not tried my block heater in my 06 GP because it has a remote start. but it did have one from the mfg.(rare option) I may start trying it out with the timer just to see how it acts. Some thoughts.

[gnihcraes]

these are the jugs I'm talking about. (don't turn this into a porn thread)

extremely thick plastic, very tough.

[Beprepared]

Or for "money is no option" dreamer,
http://www.espar.com/html/applications/automotive.html
This is an independent air/coolant heater tapped into the fuel system. Uses minuscule amounts of fuel. Last I checked they where like a grand.