I used to work with the industrial packaging version of the expanding foam. One of the ways we prevented foam from sticking was to use vegetable spray. Can't guarantee that would work for this purpose with this foam, but it might save a lot of heartache trying to scrape away the residue inside the cooler lid. Great video.
Yes, vegetable spray would work. I use baby oil and castor oil on my arms before I do any painting or great stuff so I could see vegetable oil spray would be quite easy to use.
@@Billybob-go8hn LOL, yup. Unfortunately, it doesn't work as well trying to pick it off clothing. Got some stuck on coveralls 15 yrs ago, and it still won't come off.
Great vid! Drill the holes on the side of the cooler lid and fill from there. Less holes. Fill those columns like beer glasses! Plus no insulation exposed to your food/drinks/ice
We were going to make a video of this at the boatyard, because we're sick of those overpriced coolers too. I'm glad you did. Now we can resume screwing off instead.
I have that same cooler, but a different colour. I have had it about the same length of time, and I think this is a super idea!I also use a space blanket to wrap it in. That alone, and keeping it in the shade (and not letting anyone else open it) keeps it properly cold for easily 5 days, so with the spray- in insulation, it should last us for most of our 2-week wilderness canoe trips. Thanks!!
that is what i do also.. but even doing that, and having dry ice inside.. I still could not get Blue Bell from texas to the west coast .. to my baby who LOVEs it. :( melted into liquid. :(
Get some moving blankets. Throw over the top of the cooler under a nice shaded area. This helps keep the heat out, kids and other critters. My bear proofing is not camping in bear areas.
Great stuff is a urethane foam with an R value / inch of 3.7-4.5 range. Better than nothing, but closed cell urethane can get you into the mid 6's / inch of thickness. Yeti's total envelope is ~ R6 I think (not per inch. Total insulative value). - Heat transfer through the walls i.. decent... but the material is so thick that a fair bit of heat wicks around the foam and through the plastic. There is also very little to no irradiative barrier in the yeti or coleman coolers. If you want to see a awesome (non consumer) cooler, look up Vacuum insulation panel shippers. They are used in pharma and bio. The yeti has an R of ~6 A decent themal shipper made from VIP's will be 1" thick walls, and have an R value of 40.
Before you do any work like painting or Great stuff, put baby oil on your arms and hands. Then when you are done, use baby oil to loosen it, then wash with soap and water.
While your lid mod may help, people need to remember that there is a time and place for a lightweight Coleman cooler and different times and places for more expensive roto-molded coolers. For example, if i am just going to one youth baseball game by myself (and one son), I don't need a 25-40lb bear proof cooler. OTOH, if I am going to be car camping for 3 days away from civilization, an extra 12-24 hours of ice retention may be a huge deal.
I have done the flash light test on every single cheap Colman or igloo and other super cheap plastic coolers from Walmart then fill it with expanding foam until no light is seen coming through cooler I also had better latches to my coolers depends on type and size of hard plastic ones the bigger ones I use a sliding bolt lock like type bathro stalls have and I also use latches that crimp done really tight so the rubber gasket or seal I put around the recessed edge that the lid sits on inside the cooler that seal I put on gets a good tight compression on it and I have held ice in a cheap 5 dollar giant 110 cans cooler for 5 days with only a 1/4 of the ice melted in 100 degree plus humid southern summer stayed out side 24 hours a day for four days by day 5 there was only half of the ice left and day 7 only a quarter of ice left day 10 ice cold water left that is still 40degrees F
You have to be careful with that foam. It can easily change the shape of the cooling boxx or its lid if there is no place to expand. Probably best to drill more and wider holes.
Thanks for making this video I have a 100 qt. cooler I’ve used for 20 years and the lid wrapped so I thought of doing the foam but was afraid it would expand so much that it would deform the lid. Headed to the store to fill my lid with foam this should also make it stronger should someone sit on it.
I couldn't understand why my daughter kept putting the cooler back in the car between meals when we were camping. At first I wasn't sure what she was talking about when she mentioned "the Yeti" instead of "the cooler". Watched this video and looked up the price of Yeti's. I am shocked.
I tried this before I even saw this and it totally expanded to the point of deforming my coolers lid...maybe it will work for you, like for him...but .
Next time use Vaseline all over the face of lid for a mold release. Used to use that for masking layer when painting. Then overflow will only be attached at the holes.
What about just popping the cap on the lid and using a longer tube attached to the foam? Just feed it to one corner and move it almost to the hole. That suff expands so much I doubt you need to worry very much about gaps
just finished watching another youtube vid RIGHT BEFORE this one... guy bought two same cheap coolers and treated just one with foam in the lid. He did a 10lb ice in both, put them in his dark tinted windowed jeep for a day, checked next day, THE FOAM ONE HAD NO ice left the other was colder and had some ice left. He took off the mod (he also added a rubber seal inside the lip to seal it even try upping the cooling seal,) tried it again and same result. ONLY FOAM LID ADDITION showed worse results, like not even close, it was obviously a downgrade in performance. General comments were that the air pockets in the lid are more important than foam filling, that somehow the foam transfers heat in faster than air pockets (think double pane windows that have the air gap in between, not foam ((Duh lol)) what WOULD be good I imagine, is being able to foam closer to the ice contact source down along the sides and bottom, but he said there didnt seem to be any way to get foam in, there seemed to be foam in OEM. I was about to leave the house to pick up some and do mine, since my coleman is horrifically bad even compared to a couple bux cheap fragile all foam coolers... (the best one I got is an organ cooler ie. was used by medical industry and 'retired'. There were no organs in it, the only reason I offered to take it) That lil thing can only do 3 cans of beer if laid flat, and the other 3 on top those plus the ice needed, but it stays iced for days before needing top up ice. Something better about those all foam medical organ carriers... I think I will go for foil wrap insulator (hot water pipe style or the bubblefoil barrier, forgot the name/application) kind and just sacrifice a bit of the interior capacity of the thing instead. Anything is better than having new ice melted before I even get the 5 hr drive to the mtns done... Seems the value of air spacing for a barrier is under appreciated nowadays.
I did test it here: ruclips.net/video/EQhpwtqERgE/видео.html , which is linked at the end of the video, in the description and the pinned comment….. but hey, let’s scroll past all that and resurrect two year old comments instead…
@@nami2918 Don't bother. The test wasn't scientific at all. Listen to B Sc's comment. In the linked video he took 3 different coolers. Not 2 identical coolers then modded one to test against a control.
Yes - what this guy said... not sure if anybody said it, but a little bit of denatured alcohol or paint thinner (depending on foam type) should clean up any remainder pretty quickly
the spray foam comes in 2 different expansion types, one is the regular type. it expands to 5 times, the one you need is the type you use around windows and doors.it is a minimal expansion form. this prevents cracking from too much expansion.
Also when you buy a cooler thats "supose" to be fully insulated, put it in a very dark room with a flashlight closed up in it and you will see parts of it shining thru indicating where the foam has voids. Then do this trick to fill the voids.
As a ticketed insulator please wait 48hrs before putting that lid back on and filling your cooler with food so the chemicals in the foam gas off. Very important!
@@williamnelson2942 I'll do that! It won't be Corona either, us Hillbillies like the cheap beer. Ha! Rolling Rock, Nat Light, PBR..... Save the over priced stuff for you yuppies.
I find that if I just use double-sided tape and stick aluminum foil to the inside of my cooler, it extends the life of my ice for an additional day or two.
I reuse some heavy duty Mylar packaging material that came in a box of cold goods. Just cut it to the size of the cooler and lay it across the interior top. Really holds in the cold. But I’m doing this expanding foam hack.
@An idiot... Correct. The air gap acts as a better insulated medium than the spray foam. If you want to make a mod that works, get the pink insulation boards, cut it to fit the bottom, sides and make a “lid” that all fit inside the body of the cooler. Simple, removable and it actually works because there are still air gaps in the existing structure of the cooler.
I just insulated two cooler lids. Thanks for the tip! I wanted a way to seal the holes used for the injection. Decided to use appropriately sized pop rivets. Also, drilled through the sides and top so I wouldn’t interact with the food surfaces. Seems to have worked well. :)
Coat the lid in painters tape before drilling the holes and filling with foam makes for a super easy clean up and nicer looking final results. Nice vid!
Did that with my lunch pail years ago. The lid wouldn't stay on and the foam tightened it up. Had a Yeti tumbler that didn't live up to the price. Smart idea! Thanks
Precool your icebox before going camping. Freeze up some water bottles two days before and use one half of the bottles to drop the temp in your cooler. So when you are ready to go you can take out the precooler bottles and put fresh fully frozen ones in and then drinks and food. Will prevent the ice you take with you having to do so much work to cool down the room temp cooler.
I would just dab in some E-6000 or Gorilla Glue equivalent. It's non hardening and you can roll your fingers to remove the residue. You can rub off the excess "overspray" on the lid as easily. Let it partially cure and it comes off nice 'n rubber like.
@@DoItYourselfDad to prevent the air from moving. It's not the filler material that insolates it's the trapped bubbles inside the foam. in fact the insolator material conducts heat so the denser the insolator (the more used) the less effective so long that enough is used to prevent air movement
@@DGDRamped ummm?.. The air inside the top of a cooler will match the temperature of the surrounding ambient temp, imagine the sun beating down on the top of a cooler lid, it will be scorching on top and inside the lid. The lids of cheap coolers is the biggest issue. Insulation provides a barrier between 2 areas. Hence why they insulate houses in cold climates.
I have their 70qt MaxCold roller cubes. love those things. They're insulated top to bottom. solid hinges, solid heavy plastic construction (can stand on them with no flex), and they keep things frozen rock hard for at least 2 days. I have not had to test them any longer since that's my max travel/flight time home.
I think the Yeti' and such are meant for Long trips, RVers, and tiny homers, living in vans etc instead of buying a fridge freezer. They are delighted with them.
Great vid! Another mod I would suggest would be to affix UV reflective window film (or similar such as aluminum foil) to cover the lid. Your cooler may be in the shade when you place it, but that status can change, often beneath notice.
That was a good idea to make the cooler last longer but it is just the lid. How much difference will that actually make. If you did a side by side comparison it would make this video a lot more informative.
A lot. Great stuff has an r value of about 6 per inch. Granted it's really adding against the protection of soon beating down on the lid and warming up the air inside
Gotta admit, love how you don’t buy into the whole “Be a trendy hipster” attitude. So many people think that they must compete and buy overpriced garbage, when they can make something so inexpensive just as effective and useful. Good job!
The bears see the symbol and know they are not allowed. Just like when wildlife crosses the road they look for the Wildlife crossing signs. (remember the person who called to complain that they move the wildlife crossing further from town?)
Fill from outside. Also blue tape the hell out of it, and then drill the holes and fill. Once the foam dries, just peel off the tape. No chisel or wire brush needed.
My father-in-law bought the Walmart yeti imitation cooler an it kept ice for a week on a camping trip this June. Apparently it really works well. Better than my regular coolers that lose the use in a day or two.
Nice, I have the same cooler and have it for around 15+ years also. Strange thing is that I was just cleaning out some Cabinets and I found two cans of that foam thing and a few hours later, this shows up on my RUclips recommendations :o/ Thanks again for a great Idea. Yeti is Seriously Over Priced.
Yetis and similar type expensive coolers have far superior performance, but most people really don't need that, plus they hold less due to their thickness and they're heavier, so they're not worth the cost for overnight or short weekend type trips. But for long trips or hot conditions, yeti blows these things out of the water
Friend of mine lives in his van. He encased a regular cooler in 2" blue insulation board, with a removable lid. Works really well. He also has two deep cycle batteries that recharge when he drives and run lights and TV in the evening.
@@armandomendoza3167Hi. I don't but a long time. That blue 2" foam board has an R value of 10. If you had the space you could double the foam to 4", R value 20.
@@armandomendoza3167 At places like Home Depot and Menard's and similar stores there is only one brand of blue board insulation. There is also pink but it has a lower R value.
@@brucewilson1958 I still thank you for your valuable time. I'm gathering ideas for a friend that lives in a reservation. Only thing she has is an ice chest. Was thinking of an enclosed box to help keep cool her ice chest. Only major city is 30 minute drive. Thank you for your time and help. Be blessed.
If this was filled from only one hole, or also covering up the hole/s as you spray, the foam will have no where to go as it expands, thus warping the lid, making it useless......
Yo Daguy Yeti’s and Engle’s work great...as long as you’re not opening and closing them all day. If so then they’re just as inefficient as a cheap cooler. Now if you’re packing things in and don’t open the lids they’re good for close to 48hrs or more...
Not all containers are created evenly. I would suggest you get the brightest flashlight you can find and place it inside the ice chest at night. Now look at the outside for light bleed through from areas in the chest that may not be properly insulated. If the store will let you this is a good way to pick out a good cooler off the shelf. If you want a quick easy cooler that'll keep ice cold for days then find a styrofoam cooler that will just fit inside your ice chest and place the ice in it. My last suggestion for long lasting ice is buy or make solid blocks of ice. Out in the bay in summer heat I can melt forty pounds of ice in a day or put ten pounds of block ice in it's place and still have ice left at the end of the day.
That's like the bazillion-dollar campers that are only used a few weeks out of the whole year. Those things are amazing on many levels, but...….. a good many also only drive a few miles to a campground. Watch the license plates; usually local. I'm sorta jealous, but with my 18' 1978 StarCraft I spend most of the time outside on trails or fishing or doing what camping is all about. No tv, no "fireplace", no bathroom, nothing but a cozy place for my dog and me to sleep when the day is done. Simple, sweet, and sufficient.
@@johnp556 More so practical (versus cheap) and not easily sold on a product that is overrated and consequently overpriced. Simple pleasures are best enjoyed and it is wisdom that brings wealth and understanding which brings happiness. Celebrate life.
Loved you ghetto Yeti. I would like to know how long it takes for a chunk of ice to melt before and after (same weight for each of course). Now I need to test, create one and test again. :) Thanks for the quick leason.
We lived in a drafty mobile home for a few years and did a lot of spray foaming while we were there. I can’t remember if it was peroxide or rubbing alcohol (I believe it was peroxide) but if you get spray foam on your skin rub some peroxide and fast orange (for the pumice) on the area and it cleans up so much easier. Thanks for the cooler tips, gonna go play in the spray foam for a while before we head to the river. Now I’m wondering about making flotation devices with spray foam, hmmm.
Great idea on insulating the lid. I was hoping for a test and comparison with one of the big boys though! If you tested it, can you share how much better your coleman performed than before the extra insulation? Thanks! Keep the DIY stuff comin'! Thumbs up! NVRMND!! Just saw Part 2!!!! Thanks!
I found if you put the blue masking tape where you're going to drill the holes, cleanup is a lot easier. After the foam dries simply pull off the dried foam by pulling off the tape. Make sure you tape well beyond where you plan to drill. Try it
Brother man just by the Coleman extreme cooler. I live in South florida. Drive a black pickup truck. It'll keep ice for 5 days, in the direct Florida sunlight. Cost like $56 cannot build something better for cheaper that will look any better and have a drain LOL
I literally have the follow up video, with results, temperature, how long I’ve lasts linked in the the end screen, video description, AND pinned comment you had to look at when you scrolled down to comment….
Great Vid but next time get a cloth with oil and wipe the inside cof your lid so that the foam doesnt stick when it blows out the holes. Also redrill the holes when done about a 1/4" deep and wobble the bit to widen it inside a bit then use clear silacone to plug the holes. when it dries you can cut off excessw with a razor
Make sure you drill enough holes to vent the foam as it explands. I didn't drill enough, and my lid expanded in the middle, bowed and ruined the cooler completely.
The holes wouldn't have prevented that. The red can expands at will even destructively that's why your instructed to only fill 50 percent of the void and not fill voids you can't see. The blue can is a few bucks more but far more forgiving. The cell structure for the blue can is different though so it's much more likely to sponge up water. Closed cell vs open cell
This is cool. I’m totally going to try this on my 16qt cooler. Another note, for 3d printing people should check their local library. I know our local libraries have several for free public use. You just need to take a their safety class.
Very cool. I was concerned that the foam would expand beyond it's parameters and bloat the lid, but I can see that it didn't do that here for you. I imagine that it might if the walls of the cooler were really flimsy, or perhaps not. thanks again for demonstrating this. I always wanted to do this exact thing. .... Also, I am going to tackle this project but I will add a piece of double sided radiant barrier foam insulation to mine. Reflectix makes one, but the one I will use is a roofing underlayment replacement called "Low E."
I have a Yeti Tundra 45, $350 anywhere you go. My Coleman Extreme will keep ice just as long as the Yeti. Yeti is good if you need something to stand on. Instead of a status symbol it should be a symbol of stupid because you have been warned.
We built a cooler for my friends boat with two swivel seats on it for 200 bucks and if you didn't play in it it would keep 60lbs of ice for 7 days in 80+ deg weather, so I am totally agreeing with everyone yeti is over priced
Darrell Blake I agree, yetis are overpriced for yuppies who want to flash status. That said, I own a tundra 65 and I love it. I bought it because Regular Coleman or igloo coolers used to last me two years or so. This Yeti cooler is built very strong. I use it as a stool, a seat, and dirt bike stand for changing tires. For that I don’t think I’m better than anyone without a yeti. My Coleman and igloo coolers just weren’t built as well and didn’t fit my needs like the yeti does.
...if you drill the foam holes from the other side...the outside of the top...you wouldnt need to worry about mold inside thd cooler later...love your idea here...i thought yeti was solar powered... ill try to hook up a solar gen to it ... i think id try to use your idea with a freon coil from a freezer inside to make a freezer instead of a cooler...
Can not stress how difficult spray foam is to clean up, especially after it cures. Water helps it expand too. Finally, the loctite version is better than greatstuff
I just did this to my cooler last week before a camping trip. Helped a lot to keep the ice from melting. Also Acetone worked well to get it off quickly. Great Video
Brushing on Olive oil or putting any variety of vegetable oil in an all purpose sprayer as to coat the surface of the plastic to prevent adhesion of foam is optimal. Also an non aerosol approach. Mine is a beer cooler so I just use WD-40
I used to work with the industrial packaging version of the expanding foam. One of the ways we prevented foam from sticking was to use vegetable spray. Can't guarantee that would work for this purpose with this foam, but it might save a lot of heartache trying to scrape away the residue inside the cooler lid. Great video.
Great tip.
Yes, vegetable spray would work. I use baby oil and castor oil on my arms before I do any painting or great stuff so I could see vegetable oil spray would be quite easy to use.
@@WVgrl59 be a man pick it from your skin like the rest of us
Same idea came to mind. Maybe coating the spray with flour would prevent it from sticking at all.
@@Billybob-go8hn LOL, yup. Unfortunately, it doesn't work as well trying to pick it off clothing. Got some stuck on coveralls 15 yrs ago, and it still won't come off.
Great vid!
Drill the holes on the side of the cooler lid and fill from there. Less holes. Fill those columns like beer glasses! Plus no insulation exposed to your food/drinks/ice
this is what I did and worked great
Put some masking tape over /around the holes for easier cleanup
How many holes should you drill? And where on the sides?
Brilliant 👏🏼
We were going to make a video of this at the boatyard, because we're sick of those overpriced coolers too. I'm glad you did. Now we can resume screwing off instead.
I have that same cooler, but a different colour. I have had it about the same length of time, and I think this is a super idea!I also use a space blanket to wrap it in. That alone, and keeping it in the shade (and not letting anyone else open it) keeps it properly cold for easily 5 days, so with the spray- in insulation, it should last us for most of our 2-week wilderness canoe trips. Thanks!!
that is what i do also.. but even doing that, and having dry ice inside.. I still could not get Blue Bell from texas to the west coast .. to my baby who LOVEs it. :( melted into liquid. :(
Put an iced milk jug in cooler overnight then a fresh one next morning; it jump-starts the cold.
Get some moving blankets. Throw over the top of the cooler under a nice shaded area. This helps keep the heat out, kids and other critters. My bear proofing is not camping in bear areas.
That's my way to bear proof.
Great stuff is a urethane foam with an R value / inch of 3.7-4.5 range.
Better than nothing, but closed cell urethane can get you into the mid 6's / inch of thickness.
Yeti's total envelope is ~ R6 I think (not per inch. Total insulative value). - Heat transfer through the walls i.. decent... but the material is so thick that a fair bit of heat wicks around the foam and through the plastic.
There is also very little to no irradiative barrier in the yeti or coleman coolers.
If you want to see a awesome (non consumer) cooler, look up Vacuum insulation panel shippers. They are used in pharma and bio.
The yeti has an R of ~6
A decent themal shipper made from VIP's will be 1" thick walls, and have an R value of 40.
Spray foam is definitely a fantastic product! I recently used some on a video where I filled pneumatic garden tires with it to make them run flats!
did that last year to one of my coolers helped a lot
" Bear proof cooler " means the bear will eat you instead of your lunch 😁
Before you do any work like painting or Great stuff, put baby oil on your arms and hands.
Then when you are done, use baby oil to loosen it, then wash with soap and water.
Yes love it!!! Sarcasm was a cool touch also!!😀
Thanks for the video, question , why not to drill the holes from outside ? Then recover it whit plastic pièces
No reason other than aesthetics, you could drill from the outside.
This reminds me of people who buy a honda civic, put a spoiler on it and say it's as good as a Porsche. Funny video though. :)
would like to see a test done on this idea for bear proofing. put some goodies inside and set it out in the woods. see if the bears stay away :)
No Bear Zone....LOVE it
You should have weighed it, before and after! That is a damn good idea!
By the way. Don't get this gunk on tour skin. Unless you want some Instant Callous. Then it works great for a week!
Me and Lulu camped on the roof of the truck, and now it doesn’t look right.
Gotta quit feeding lulu moon pies
too much pie for lulu, tell that fatty to cut back.
While your lid mod may help, people need to remember that there is a time and place for a lightweight Coleman cooler and different times and places for more expensive roto-molded coolers. For example, if i am just going to one youth baseball game by myself (and one son), I don't need a 25-40lb bear proof cooler. OTOH, if I am going to be car camping for 3 days away from civilization, an extra 12-24 hours of ice retention may be a huge deal.
Should have put a lil flex tape on each hole. Let that foam fully expand inside vs some escaping and having to cut n sand down nearly as much
The holes are to prevent over expansion. If you plug them the lid will warp.
6:44 Solid plan. Flawless.
I have done the flash light test on every single cheap Colman or igloo and other super cheap plastic coolers from Walmart then fill it with expanding foam until no light is seen coming through cooler I also had better latches to my coolers depends on type and size of hard plastic ones the bigger ones I use a sliding bolt lock like type bathro stalls have and I also use latches that crimp done really tight so the rubber gasket or seal I put around the recessed edge that the lid sits on inside the cooler that seal I put on gets a good tight compression on it and I have held ice in a cheap 5 dollar giant 110 cans cooler for 5 days with only a 1/4 of the ice melted in 100 degree plus humid southern summer stayed out side 24 hours a day for four days by day 5 there was only half of the ice left and day 7 only a quarter of ice left day 10 ice cold water left that is still 40degrees F
You have to be careful with that foam. It can easily change the shape of the cooling boxx or its lid if there is no place to expand. Probably best to drill more and wider holes.
That's why I drill all the holes, people have complained about over-expansion, and all of them have only gone through one or two holes.
Perhaps some masking tape applied prior to the the foam filler.
Hint - Do NOT put the screws back in with an electric tool. You WILL wallow out the factory holes
Why would you not drill from the top? Then hot glue sand and add stickers. That’s what I did.
Thanks for making this video I have a 100 qt. cooler I’ve used for 20 years and the lid wrapped so I thought of doing the foam but was afraid it would expand so much that it would deform the lid. Headed to the store to fill my lid with foam this should also make it stronger should someone sit on it.
Just make sure you drill multiple holes, the foam need room to expand out of so it doesn’t puff the lid up.
Funniest thing about this video is that the "pre video" BS is a........Yeti advertisement!!!
Your the second person that’s mentioned that.... Yeti is going to be bummed when they figure out where their advertising $ is going!
I couldn't understand why my daughter kept putting the cooler back in the car between meals when we were camping. At first I wasn't sure what she was talking about when she mentioned "the Yeti" instead of "the cooler". Watched this video and looked up the price of Yeti's. I am shocked.
I tried this before I
even saw this and it
totally expanded to the point of deforming
my coolers lid...maybe
it will work for you, like
for him...but .
How about putting a hinge with a lock in the front to keep the bears out?
We actually did that in a follow up video, check it out: ruclips.net/video/EQhpwtqERgE/видео.html
Next time use Vaseline all over the face of lid for a mold release. Used to use that for masking layer when painting. Then overflow will only be attached at the holes.
How much of a performance boost did it get???
What about just popping the cap on the lid and using a longer tube attached to the foam? Just feed it to one corner and move it almost to the hole. That suff expands so much I doubt you need to worry very much about gaps
Awesome thank you!!!
You didnt show the follow up??? Why didnt you use and show seal food grade??
I did.... linked in the pinned comment, description, end screens and cards....
🔵 Why not put foam in the body of the cooler as well?
I was thinking about doing this. After the foam cured, was there any problem with over expansion? Maybe door and window foam?
Spray the bottom of the lid with PAM before foaming. Comes clean off
I am 5 minutes in to the video and had the same thought about Pam and the lid!
Me too
Mee Three.
Me 4
huh .. better than my plastic idea!
I'd love to see a follow up video where you test it's insulation properties before and after
just finished watching another youtube vid RIGHT BEFORE this one... guy bought two same cheap coolers and treated just one with foam in the lid.
He did a 10lb ice in both, put them in his dark tinted windowed jeep for a day, checked next day, THE FOAM ONE HAD NO ice left the other was colder and had some ice left. He took off the mod (he also added a rubber seal inside the lip to seal it even try upping the cooling seal,) tried it again and same result.
ONLY FOAM LID ADDITION showed worse results, like not even close, it was obviously a downgrade in performance. General comments were that the air pockets in the lid are more important than foam filling, that somehow the foam transfers heat in faster than air pockets (think double pane windows that have the air gap in between, not foam ((Duh lol))
what WOULD be good I imagine, is being able to foam closer to the ice contact source down along the sides and bottom, but he said there didnt seem to be any way to get foam in, there seemed to be foam in OEM.
I was about to leave the house to pick up some and do mine, since my coleman is horrifically bad even compared to a couple bux cheap fragile all foam coolers... (the best one I got is an organ cooler ie. was used by medical industry and 'retired'. There were no organs in it, the only reason I offered to take it) That lil thing can only do 3 cans of beer if laid flat, and the other 3 on top those plus the ice needed, but it stays iced for days before needing top up ice. Something better about those all foam medical organ carriers...
I think I will go for foil wrap insulator (hot water pipe style or the bubblefoil barrier, forgot the name/application) kind and just sacrifice a bit of the interior capacity of the thing instead. Anything is better than having new ice melted before I even get the 5 hr drive to the mtns done...
Seems the value of air spacing for a barrier is under appreciated nowadays.
@@bsc4344 LOL. Yeah when he did not test at the end and the video was over, I knew...
I did test it here: ruclips.net/video/EQhpwtqERgE/видео.html , which is linked at the end of the video, in the description and the pinned comment….. but hey, let’s scroll past all that and resurrect two year old comments instead…
@@DoItYourselfDad Thanks I watched. It was good. You care! Now thinking about doing it!
@@nami2918 Don't bother. The test wasn't scientific at all. Listen to B Sc's comment. In the linked video he took 3 different coolers. Not 2 identical coolers then modded one to test against a control.
I just spread honey over everyone else's coolers and they leave mine alone.
Well played.
You're an evil genius...
@@largol33t1 I only put honey on the Yeti coolers, so is that really evil ;-)
👏👏👏
LOL 🤣
I used vaseline around holes after I drilled them before foam to keep foam from sticking.
That’s what she said!
@@winzerwithaz lmbo
@@winzerwithaz lmao 😂😂😂
I use Vaseline around the holes too 😉
This man DIY's
PAM cooking spray on the interior of the lid makes pealing the extra foam off SO much easier.
I was just about to say... good one Thomas.
Yes - what this guy said... not sure if anybody said it, but a little bit of denatured alcohol or paint thinner (depending on foam type) should clean up any remainder pretty quickly
I wiped mine with a little wax 🙂plane automobile wax😕worked Awesome..
@@paulbetka2966 you have a plane automobile??? Welcome to the chat, Mr. Bond🤣
THIS!!!!!!!!
the spray foam comes in 2 different expansion types, one is the regular type. it expands to 5 times, the one you need is the type you use around windows and doors.it is a minimal expansion form. this prevents cracking from too much expansion.
What is that one called?
I think it actually says “windows and doors” on it
What size drill do you use to drill holes in top
As small as possible while still being able to insert the provided straw. There isn’t one set size
Also when you buy a cooler thats "supose" to be fully insulated, put it in a very dark room with a flashlight closed up in it and you will see parts of it shining thru indicating where the foam has voids. Then do this trick to fill the voids.
💡👀🧠
Wow Nice, flash-light idea is great ! You get The No Bell Surprize for that suggestion !!!
If light can get through that means heat can get in and the cold ice and cold temperature can escape out of every little spot light shines through
*supposed
Shades of Thermal Imaging.
As a ticketed insulator please wait 48hrs before putting that lid back on and filling your cooler with food so the chemicals in the foam gas off. Very important!
When I did this I waited 2 weeks before even thinking about putting any food in there.! I could still smell the stuff after a week.
Ticketed insulator aye. Yeah this guy slings the CC YEAHH!
Ghetto Yeti.... It's a Ghetti!
Ha!
Then take your ghetto cooler to the sarenghetto to show your home boys how to drink a cold one
@@williamnelson2942 I'll do that! It won't be Corona either, us Hillbillies like the cheap beer. Ha! Rolling Rock, Nat Light, PBR.....
Save the over priced stuff for you yuppies.
HAHAHAHAHA! NICE
@@williamnelson2942
Open a cold one with the boys
I find that if I just use double-sided tape and stick aluminum foil to the inside of my cooler, it extends the life of my ice for an additional day or two.
Try Reflectix. Works good
I reuse some heavy duty Mylar packaging material that came in a box of cold goods. Just cut it to the size of the cooler and lay it across the interior top. Really holds in the cold. But I’m doing this expanding foam hack.
@An idiot... Correct. The air gap acts as a better insulated medium than the spray foam. If you want to make a mod that works, get the pink insulation boards, cut it to fit the bottom, sides and make a “lid” that all fit inside the body of the cooler. Simple, removable and it actually works because there are still air gaps in the existing structure of the cooler.
I just insulated two cooler lids. Thanks for the tip! I wanted a way to seal the holes used for the injection. Decided to use appropriately sized pop rivets. Also, drilled through the sides and top so I wouldn’t interact with the food surfaces. Seems to have worked well. :)
Nice upgrades! Thanks for the tip!
E6000 Glue. Turns to hard plastic in 24 hrs.
You shouldn't have done that. As you'll note, there is no test in this video. The hack he did just made it worse.
Rivets are still porous so you need some epoxy or hot glue over the rivets. DooOOO
Coat the lid in painters tape before drilling the holes and filling with foam makes for a super easy clean up and nicer looking final results. Nice vid!
Love these ideas guys 👍😁
Did that with my lunch pail years ago. The lid wouldn't stay on and the foam tightened it up. Had a Yeti tumbler that didn't live up to the price. Smart idea! Thanks
Precool your icebox before going camping. Freeze up some water bottles two days before and use one half of the bottles to drop the temp in your cooler. So when you are ready to go you can take out the precooler bottles and put fresh fully frozen ones in and then drinks and food.
Will prevent the ice you take with you having to do so much work to cool down the room temp cooler.
You are a moron too. Please explain the theory of “ICE HAVE TO WORK OVERTIME” .
Please do the world a favor an go away..
Have a STROKE SOON…
The No Bears sign should work. Deer read the Deer Crossing signs and know it’s cool to cross there.
You can buy rust proofing plugs that you use on cars to fill in the holes . The plugs come in 3/8 or 1/2" get them at any auto supply
That's what I thought, small stainless screws should last for years.
I would just dab in some E-6000 or Gorilla Glue equivalent. It's non hardening and you can roll your fingers to remove the residue. You can rub off the excess "overspray" on the lid as easily. Let it partially cure and it comes off nice 'n rubber like.
It would have been nice if you would have done a before and after test on how long ice lasts.
Absolutely. Waste of time without test.
I was thought that air was the best insolator
If air was the best insulator then why do we have insulation to fill air gaps in the rest of the cooler, refrigerators, houses etc?
@@DoItYourselfDad to prevent the air from moving. It's not the filler material that insolates it's the trapped bubbles inside the foam. in fact the insolator material conducts heat so the denser the insolator (the more used) the less effective so long that enough is used to prevent air movement
@@DGDRamped ummm?.. The air inside the top of a cooler will match the temperature of the surrounding ambient temp, imagine the sun beating down on the top of a cooler lid, it will be scorching on top and inside the lid. The lids of cheap coolers is the biggest issue. Insulation provides a barrier between 2 areas. Hence why they insulate houses in cold climates.
Igloo marine coolers are insulated top to bottom. I found this out when I tried to insulate the top. :).
Good vid
G G::: The one we had in Florida would hold ice for three days, i don't know how well they are made these days?
I have the smallest one and it's not insulated anywhere!
Haha lol I did the same lol
I have their 70qt MaxCold roller cubes. love those things. They're insulated top to bottom. solid hinges, solid heavy plastic construction (can stand on them with no flex), and they keep things frozen rock hard for at least 2 days. I have not had to test them any longer since that's my max travel/flight time home.
@@bigstick5278 o
Great idea, I’m going have to do that to all my camping / hunting coolers. Thanks for the info: Just so NO to yeti !!!!!
I think the Yeti' and such are meant for Long trips, RVers, and tiny homers, living in vans etc instead of buying a fridge freezer. They are delighted with them.
Great vid! Another mod I would suggest would be to affix UV reflective window film (or similar such as aluminum foil) to cover the lid. Your cooler may be in the shade when you place it, but that status can change, often beneath notice.
That was a good idea to make the cooler last longer but it is just the lid. How much difference will that actually make. If you did a side by side comparison it would make this video a lot more informative.
A lot. Great stuff has an r value of about 6 per inch. Granted it's really adding against the protection of soon beating down on the lid and warming up the air inside
good question - can I do this to the sides of my old cooler?
Good job ..put pam on the lid before it will not stick !😁
Gotta admit, love how you don’t buy into the whole “Be a trendy hipster” attitude. So many people think that they must compete and buy overpriced garbage, when they can make something so inexpensive just as effective and useful. Good job!
What happens to your lid after a day in the sun? The foam in mine kept expanding and the lid became 8" thick!
Haha
I did it to mine with low expansion version and it ruptured later on.
Yes mine did the same thing I put way too much foam in it and I only used one hole
quitely watched until the no bear sticker, then immediately hit the thumbs up.
Love it!
I thought you were going to simply install a padlock lol
The bears see the symbol and know they are not allowed. Just like when wildlife crosses the road they look for the Wildlife crossing signs. (remember the person who called to complain that they move the wildlife crossing further from town?)
After doing this foam mod, I opened my cooler, and a Yeti ate me, the No Bear sign was useless against a Yeti attack.
Funny 😁
Fill from outside. Also blue tape the hell out of it, and then drill the holes and fill. Once the foam dries, just peel off the tape. No chisel or wire brush needed.
Wiping mineral oil on the cooler will work cheaper and 90% faster. And is food safe
SouthernKudzu Would work just as well. Other then some of the sketchy claims about aerosol cooking spray. Either way not a deal breaker.
Or rub with olive oil first.
cunning linguist I’d just let my gf sit on it, she has a real hot ass.
I can tell you dont know shit about physics....you try that out before you give out dumb advice
Can't believe the fools that will pay $hundreds for a Yeti cooler. No way in hell..
Fools or the rich
My father-in-law bought the Walmart yeti imitation cooler an it kept ice for a week on a camping trip this June. Apparently it really works well. Better than my regular coolers that lose the use in a day or two.
Nice, I have the same cooler and have it for around 15+ years also. Strange thing is that I was just cleaning out some Cabinets and I found two cans of that foam thing and a few hours later, this shows up on my RUclips recommendations :o/
Thanks again for a great Idea. Yeti is Seriously Over Priced.
It’s the government
@@lorenzofuentes3021 :o/ maybe they are warning us ?
Enter: music from "The Twilight Zone"
Mmmmmm, Dew Du, dew DU, Dew Du, dew DU, Dew Du, dew DU, Dew Du, dew DU!!! You are entering the Twilight Zone
Yetis and similar type expensive coolers have far superior performance, but most people really don't need that, plus they hold less due to their thickness and they're heavier, so they're not worth the cost for overnight or short weekend type trips. But for long trips or hot conditions, yeti blows these things out of the water
Friend of mine lives in his van. He encased a regular cooler in 2" blue insulation board, with a removable lid. Works really well. He also has two deep cycle batteries that recharge when he drives and run lights and TV in the evening.
Do you know how longer does it stay cooler?
@@armandomendoza3167Hi. I don't but a long time. That blue 2" foam board has an R value of 10. If you had the space you could double the foam to 4", R value 20.
@@brucewilson1958 Do you remember what name brand was the blue foam board?.
@@armandomendoza3167 At places like Home Depot and Menard's and similar stores there is only one brand of blue board insulation. There is also pink but it has a lower R value.
@@brucewilson1958 I still thank you for your valuable time. I'm gathering ideas for a friend that lives in a reservation. Only thing she has is an ice chest. Was thinking of an enclosed box to help keep cool her ice chest. Only major city is 30 minute drive. Thank you for your time and help. Be blessed.
Theres a little removable plastic plug in the back of the lid, just a heads up.
The plug isin the side in the middle as well
Lol
If this was filled from only one hole, or also covering up the hole/s as you spray, the foam will have no where to go as it expands, thus warping the lid, making it useless......
Great video! The only thing that would make it better would be a before and after ice melt test.
That was my thought as well.
Yea i would like to see a test.
No way that would even come close to reaching Yeti performance. Still prob definitely worth doing for overnight trips etc though
Yo Daguy Yeti’s and Engle’s work great...as long as you’re not opening and closing them all day. If so then they’re just as inefficient as a cheap cooler. Now if you’re packing things in and don’t open the lids they’re good for close to 48hrs or more...
@@Hogprint25 my yetis still had ice after eight days in the Nevada desert, even with opening for cooking ( not a beer cooler though)
Skip the pulling and chiseling. Just give the inside surface a wipedown with some WD-40 and it will pop right off.
Spray the lid down with cooking spray first. That way the foam wont stick after it oozes out of the holes and dries on to the lid.
I wonder if that would work with a babies butt? ....lol
mac11380
Boudreaux’s Butt Paste
I've always thought to myself if a grizzly bear get your cooler the last thing you're going to be worried about is, the bear drinking your beer
I've had a number of plastic hinges break on me. Using a small chunk of leather to replace them keeps your lid secure for years and years.
Happened to me too. Replacement hinges were 1.50 each and a buck shipping.
Not all containers are created evenly. I would suggest you get the brightest flashlight you can find and place it inside the ice chest at night. Now look at the outside for light bleed through from areas in the chest that may not be properly insulated. If the store will let you this is a good way to pick out a good cooler off the shelf. If you want a quick easy cooler that'll keep ice cold for days then find a styrofoam cooler that will just fit inside your ice chest and place the ice in it. My last suggestion for long lasting ice is buy or make solid blocks of ice. Out in the bay in summer heat I can melt forty pounds of ice in a day or put ten pounds of block ice in it's place and still have ice left at the end of the day.
Also use door or window foam or rubber strips to get better seal around lid.
Some guy tested this out and this actually makes it worse
We all laugh at the dorks that pull up to the lake with their status symbols...AKA Yeti coolers
Just like the guys with all new ski gear & $1000 snowsuit, after breaking his ass on the bunny hill heads to the bar, LMAO!!!
That's like the bazillion-dollar campers that are only used a few weeks out of the whole year. Those things are amazing on many levels, but...….. a good many also only drive a few miles to a campground. Watch the license plates; usually local. I'm sorta jealous, but with my 18' 1978 StarCraft I spend most of the time outside on trails or fishing or doing what camping is all about. No tv, no "fireplace", no bathroom, nothing but a cozy place for my dog and me to sleep when the day is done. Simple, sweet, and sufficient.
I like pulling up with my high dollar luxury class 'A' and whipping out my Coleman cooler with the UN-insulated lid ; )
@@deanh7190 Heck yeah bro, how do you think you saved enough for that high dollar Class A? Rich people are cheap.
@@johnp556 More so practical (versus cheap) and not easily sold on a product that is overrated and consequently overpriced. Simple pleasures are best enjoyed and it is wisdom that brings wealth and understanding which brings happiness. Celebrate life.
Pro Tip:
If you spread so e petroleum jelly (Vaseline) around the outside of the holes the foam won't stick to it. 👍
Just spray with pam cooking oil prior to drilling the holes
Hey, you should start doing video?!!
Another Pro tip: Drill the holes from the top of the lid, that way moisture from inside the cooler will have no way to get in.
One more comment,. How about working up on a table, my back hurts just watching you unscrew the lid on the ground! LOL! Yes, I'm over 55.
Someday I hope to clear off my work bench enough to see the top of it!
Loved you ghetto Yeti. I would like to know how long it takes for a chunk of ice to melt before and after (same weight for each of course). Now I need to test, create one and test again. :) Thanks for the quick leason.
This video had me laughing out loud by 30 seconds in.
We lived in a drafty mobile home for a few years and did a lot of spray foaming while we were there. I can’t remember if it was peroxide or rubbing alcohol (I believe it was peroxide) but if you get spray foam on your skin rub some peroxide and fast orange (for the pumice) on the area and it cleans up so much easier. Thanks for the cooler tips, gonna go play in the spray foam for a while before we head to the river. Now I’m wondering about making flotation devices with spray foam, hmmm.
Great idea on insulating the lid. I was hoping for a test and comparison with one of the big boys though! If you tested it, can you share how much better your coleman performed than before the extra insulation? Thanks! Keep the DIY stuff comin'! Thumbs up! NVRMND!! Just saw Part 2!!!! Thanks!
Check out the video in the pinned comment, we tested it and added seals and latches as well.
Here a tip if u get the foam on your hands ..wd40 will take it right off trust me it works I had some spill in my van and I tried everything
If you don't use all the contents of the can you can clean out the spray tube and top of the can with acetone and use what's left in the can later.
@@deekay4002 good to know--I’ve always assumed the expanding foam was kind of a one-use item. Thanks
I found if you put the blue masking tape where you're going to drill the holes, cleanup is a lot easier. After the foam dries simply pull off the dried foam by pulling off the tape. Make sure you tape well beyond where you plan to drill. Try it
Brother man just by the Coleman extreme cooler. I live in South florida. Drive a black pickup truck. It'll keep ice for 5 days, in the direct Florida sunlight.
Cost like $56 cannot build something better for cheaper that will look any better and have a drain LOL
I keep watching these videos but nobody actually comes back a week later and says how well it works
Or shows a before/after comparison. Cold air does go down, right?
they do it for the views
@@fredflintstone4715 warm air rises after getting excited by energy friction
I literally have the follow up video, with results, temperature, how long I’ve lasts linked in the the end screen, video description, AND pinned comment you had to look at when you scrolled down to comment….
@@DoItYourselfDad you sure did...and only 1 YEAR after I left my comment.
Great idea on insulating the cooler. I’ll upgrade ours as well. Thanks!!
Great Vid but next time get a cloth with oil and wipe the inside cof your lid so that the foam doesnt stick when it blows out the holes.
Also redrill the holes when done about a 1/4" deep and wobble the bit to widen it inside a bit then use clear silacone to plug the holes. when it dries you can cut off excessw with a razor
Make sure you drill enough holes to vent the foam as it explands. I didn't drill
enough, and my lid expanded in the middle, bowed and ruined the cooler completely.
Sorry, but I laughed out loud at your bowed cooler. Bummer dude.
They make window and door jam spary foam, it expands less and wont deform the window or door.... or lid
OMG
The holes wouldn't have prevented that. The red can expands at will even destructively that's why your instructed to only fill 50 percent of the void and not fill voids you can't see. The blue can is a few bucks more but far more forgiving. The cell structure for the blue can is different though so it's much more likely to sponge up water. Closed cell vs open cell
killfistr I used the low expansion on mine. It was fine at first but later it still ruptured the lid.
*PRO-TIP:* -apply a few strips of 'blue painters-tape' on that lid before drilling it!👊🏻
i would add a spray wax prior. the reason they did a cut during the removal of the foam is it likely was a bear of a task.
This is cool. I’m totally going to try this on my 16qt cooler. Another note, for 3d printing people should check their local library. I know our local libraries have several for free public use. You just need to take a their safety class.
Very cool. I was concerned that the foam would expand beyond it's parameters and bloat the lid, but I can see that it didn't do that here for you. I imagine that it might if the walls of the cooler were really flimsy, or perhaps not. thanks again for demonstrating this. I always wanted to do this exact thing. .... Also, I am going to tackle this project but I will add a piece of double sided radiant barrier foam insulation to mine. Reflectix makes one, but the one I will use is a roofing underlayment replacement called "Low E."
I have a Yeti Tundra 45, $350 anywhere you go. My Coleman Extreme will keep ice just as long as the Yeti. Yeti is good if you need something to stand on. Instead of a status symbol it should be a symbol of stupid because you have been warned.
We built a cooler for my friends boat with two swivel seats on it for 200 bucks and if you didn't play in it it would keep 60lbs of ice for 7 days in 80+ deg weather, so I am totally agreeing with everyone yeti is over priced
Darrell Blake I agree, yetis are overpriced for yuppies who want to flash status. That said, I own a tundra 65 and I love it. I bought it because Regular Coleman or igloo coolers used to last me two years or so. This Yeti cooler is built very strong. I use it as a stool, a seat, and dirt bike stand for changing tires. For that I don’t think I’m better than anyone without a yeti. My Coleman and igloo coolers just weren’t built as well and didn’t fit my needs like the yeti does.
@@flashpointbravo As I said, if you need a cooler to stand on.
Darrell Blake:::: Ozark Trail Walmart coolers are the same. I lucked out they had a return item medium size, i got it for $19.00..
@@bigstick5278 Ozark Trail makes some good affordable stuff.
...if you drill the foam holes from the other side...the outside of the top...you wouldnt need to worry about mold inside thd cooler later...love your idea here...i thought yeti was solar powered... ill try to hook up a solar gen to it ... i think id try to use your idea with a freon coil from a freezer inside to make a freezer instead of a cooler...
Ok where's your you tube
Can not stress how difficult spray foam is to clean up, especially after it cures. Water helps it expand too. Finally, the loctite version is better than greatstuff
I just did this to my cooler last week before a camping trip. Helped a lot to keep the ice from melting. Also Acetone worked well to get it off quickly. Great Video
Before injecting the foam, coat the inside of the lid with silicone or vegetable oil. It makes getting the excess foam off much easier
677 people suggest using Pam cooking spray first on the top so spray foam doesn't stick to it. 0 people read comments before posting.
Brushing on Olive oil or putting any variety of vegetable oil in an all purpose sprayer as to coat the surface of the plastic to prevent adhesion of foam is optimal.
Also an non aerosol approach.
Mine is a beer cooler so I just use WD-40
I've heard you can first spray Pam.
But I had to read the suggestion first so that I could then post it to sound smart.
Yeah, I'm going to read a thousand comments to a mediocre video.
Says the guy who just left not one, but two comments....