Now make a silicone seal for it. Clean the cooler side very well to remove any oil. Apply Vaseline to the lid seal surface. Now run a beed of silicone around the edge of the seal surface on the cooler. Close the lid. Let it set for 24hr. The silicone won't stick to the Vaseline. When you open it. You know have an air tight cooler.
To anyone planning on trying this, a good idea is to get the low pressure foam for windows and doors, (usually with a purple lid) it is designed to not expand as hard, so it does not bend door and window frames, do using it for this makes less of a chance of it bulging/warping the cooler.
Great job, I only offer two things: 1. Spray the top with non-stick cooking spray before you inject expanding foam, it will release the overspray without any residue. 2. Use silicone to plug holes, it's non-toxic. What I did was use a nail to create a divot at each hole after it cured. It gave the silicone an interior anchor point. I'll probably show this in a vid when I do my next mod but just thought this info was too helpful to delay. Great Job!!
I would suggest instead of using nonstick cooking spray actually use silicone spray that way it does not degrade / go rancid overtime like food-based products would… just my two cents.
Question: What if you put the holes on top (outside) of the lid, that way you don't risk the foam contact with whatever contents you might put in the cooler? In order words, the excess foams goes outside instead of inside.
Awesome to finally see a video on this! I've been wanting to do this to my $20 Coleman. It was very helpful to see how the foam reacted and vented through the other holes. Thank you sir!
(at somewhere around 6:00) If you take them all off when they are still wet in the middle and more comes out - that's good. Take them all off and let the stuff expand out of the holes some more so it's less dense in the lid. The denser the foam the less insulation it provides. With almost 500 comments I'm sure someone has already said this. I might even squeeze the lid a little to get some more out.
Great video. Using your idea I drilled three holes on the side of the lid instead (along the hinge area). I cleaned up the foam marks with mineral oil and used silicone to patch the holes since it will not react with the food or temperatures.
I did this same thing with my Igloo cooler except that I drilled all of my holes on the outside instead of inside the lid. That way if anything off-gassed it wouldn't affect the contents.
You probably wouldn't really need to cover the holes as you're dealing with a closed cell polymer foam as it's basically air tight , but if you wanted to I'd suggest a two part epoxy putty (plumbers putty, kneadatite, greenstuff etc.)
Lessons Learned from my own "expanding foam in hollow cooler lid" project: a. Choose wisely between Gaps & Cracks, and Big Gap Filler versions of Great Stuff or Loktite (Loktite is denser, with a higher R-rating). I used Loktite Gaps & Cracks, and b. Choose wisely how many venting holes you drill. In my experience, putting two holes on each side made filling easier, but a lot seemed to just seep out as well. c. Especially in dry environments, and because of the enclosed space being filled up, using a spray bottle to mist the inside of the cavity first might help in ensuring uniform curing. Some comments on other sites suggest that the interior/center may end up staying more liquid/uncured, while the region closer to the holes cure normally (exposure to air and humidity). The expanding foam reportedly reacts best/at all with humidity/water, and does not fare well in very dry environments. d. Let the lid cure for about a week, then do a squeeze test to see if there are any hollow/unfilled areas. The difference between the filled and hollow areas will be very obvious. I found that near some of the holes, the foam had just oozed out, and left a hollow behind, almost as if the stuff was pushed out by gasses, and settling into the hollows before solidifying. The foam left behind a shallow plug, and the squeeze test showed that a hollow/unfilled area was left behind. This was likely caused by lack of humidity, as I did not mist the inside first, only once I filled in the hollows. Misting the uncured and hollow areas seemed to have worked in curing the foam faster, which slowed its escape from the holes. e. Use Reflectix taped to the inside of the lid, and inside the cooler box, and use Polar Bear PVC ice tubes instead of ice (esp with the Reflectix inside the box). f. Add a thin strip of weather stripping to the lid groove to block out any air escaping. g. If the lid keep popping open due to the weather stripping, add a couple bungee cords to lock down the lid.
Just wanted to thank you for sharing this project. You saved me from buying an expensive cooler. I'm definitely going to do two of my coolers like you did top and bottom. Again thank you. Rick in Stockton CA.
So, foaming the lid of coolers is becoming widely known trick, just be aware that it's called expanding for a reason and use about a third as much. It will st on the interior faster, as well. To keep it from sticking from the cooler, smear a film of Vaseline on the inside of the lid. No sticky mess to scrape off. Finally, don't waste your Sugru! Get a tube of whit silicone and just top off the holes and let it set. You're not smearing your food on the inside of the cooler lid then eating raw. If you did, the amount of contact would still be absolutely harmless from those little blobs of silicone. Good vid.
Thank you for doing this video! Your update video was awesome. Really appreciate you taking the time and resources to help other people like myself do the same to my cooler. I know all the dog's and don't know. Thanks again my man.
I would like to see a comparison video with the same coolers. One modified and one not to see how significant of a difference this makes. Thinking of doing it. Makes sense to me.
There are a few videos 1 i watched the modded cooler didn't last as long as the factory one. Another video i watched the modded cooler did better. Its a crap shoot. I got a new cooler but i still have my old coleman and im gonna do this metal hinges and latches
I modified my igloo just about how you did. The only difference was that I used a foam that didn't expand nearly as much as Great Stuff (forget the brand...blue can). Plus I foamed one side and let it expand and dry before I foamed the other side. I don't know if it would've mattered but I was afraid of over expansion---but if you have enough holes I suppose it'd find its way out like in your video. I didn't want to spring for a $400 Yetti. Modifications! STICK IT TO THE MAN!!
Air is the best insulator because it takes longer to transfer heat between sealed envelopes of air as each envelope must heat up to affect the envelope next to it. Those ribs probably transfer more heat than the pockets of air that were filled with foam. Btw, it's the air bubbles in the foam that gives it its insulating properties.
@@geosynchronous4386 ah yes. Because air is fluid. I meant space. I guess they fill double pane windows with nitrogen because the glass would get deformed if they pulled a vacuum 🤔
While insulating the lid will certainly help. But only a small amount. The main part that needs more insulation is the bottom and lower sides. The reason the lids aren't insulated is that cold goes down.
I wonder why they don't sell them like this by default........ You'd think it wouldn't cost much on an industrial level to fill the lid with foam as well. and the lid is where most of the heat enters.
Pretty sure the reason why is because if you look at the cheaper coolers they don't use expanding foam as insulation, They use sheets of the white foam. Sheets can be inserted between the outside and inside shells of the bottom part before they are fused together. But the top is usually one piece. Possibly blow molded. So there is no point in the manufacturing where they could insert insulation easily. They would have to make the top in multiple pieces which would add to the cost considerably.
You're brave using the gaps and cracks, thats a higher expansion foam than say the doors and window stuff. I would have been concerned about it warping the shape of the lid. Glad it worked for you and you made follow up clips of the process of the foam curing. The foam is really easy to cut with a knife so you don't have to worry about tearing it up.
Rubber plugs work good, also tape the spots you want to drill and you wont have to scrape once you break off the bubbles. Just peel the tape off put in ruber plugs
I got an old POS cooler that still holding strong and was wondering about if I could do this with my lid. But I also wanted do something different like spraying the whole thing with rubber paint, for slip resistance and possibly a tiny bit more insulation.
How do get water out of the lid ? I've let my lid sit in the sun and still can't get the water out ? I've shuck the lid and just a little bit of water comes out .
Thanks for sharing. Dreamers become achievers so keep it up. Yes try for some before and after tests but seat of the pants is a good indicator as well. Less ice in same time equals success. To each their own. I bought a spare cooler at a yard sale for $3 and I'm going to try this mod. I'm in San Fernando Valley known to get hot in the summer so this will certainly help.
I am so doing this. But using the blue can (lower expansion) stuff. Thanks. I once cut a piece of rigid foam insulation to fit inside of a cooler to fill dead air space. Worked pretty well, but I like this idea.
I found that styrofoam beads were easier to use than expanding foam. The vent can be a larger hole covered with mesh, and the beads can be blown in with a shopvac. Once filled, the supply and vent can be covered with duct tape.
What about the sides of the cooler? Generally cool air sinks so except for leaving one out in the sun I'd think the bottom and sides should be the more viral areas for insulation. Are they already insulated in a cheap cooler?
I heard of a guy doing this at work. But he blocked the holes off so it wouldn't spew out. Only left 1 hole open on the top & the lid was hard as a rock.
I'd use the two deeper channels to hold capped pvc sticks filled with the contents from gel ice packs. Just hold them in place with some velcro. Then you can freeze the pvc tubes,and just stick them in place.
Just wondering if you had considered drilling from the top before you started? that would have left absolutely no worries in possible "contamination" but....it's not like every cooler currently selling is stating that they use food grade plastics and insulation anyway. You can also place a plastic sheet on top so that whenever you open the lid the cold air doesn't escape that quickly. And personally besides the cooler itself i wash everything that i put inside, so that i could drink the water as the ice melts(i also filter my own ice ever since i saw how nasty a bag of ice from the store can be)
Nope, didn't cross my mind. I'm not to worried about it, the Surgu was the non toxic kind and I am not to worried about the foam leaching into the cooler. You're dead on with the about the ice bags, those things are nasty.
Dap makes a low expansion foam that might work better for you. I would have made bigger holes like say 3/8 inch. But it is a good idea no doubt I myself use moving blankets on mine that I get from Harbor Freight. Just lay under and over the coolers with them.
Some places have a press they put the parts in 1 inlet hole for foam that would be about 1/4 inch by the hinge area..then 2 small holes the size of pencil lead in the corners 2 in each corner..just on the outside of seal rim..after 1hr in press clean excess..plug back hole by the hinge with other crap cooler plug...its on the bottom..older one lol..for the 2 small holes in front dont plug those you will want those left open they wont be seen..there on the bottomside outside the seem..no contact with food on any holes n can breath..duplicate the press so lid dont distort..place a bag of sand on the cooler lid as foam expands..if you get the lid cold and keep it cold thru the process it wont warp..c clamps n 2x6 could also make a clamp but cooler you keep it the better..enjoy but you owe me a beer lol
That's great. Looks like you could have gotten by with fewer holes, but you know you've got full coverage. To save time and have a nicer look, maybe find some rubber plug caps before starting a similar project and then drill your holes to match the size of the caps.
I thought that was too many holes, but it is the right way to do it. I tried one hole on each end of the lid, nope. My foam did not flow throughout the lid nor did it expand and harden properly. I found this out by drilling a couple inspection holes the next day. Drill enough holes!
How did you take off the igloo lid? Was it damaged? It looks like the part that connects the lid to the cooler is very short? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!
Cost is part of it, but with a lid cavity as thin as it is in this case, filling it with foam - even high quality R7 per inch foam - doesn't help much compared to just having an air gap. The R-value of the stuff he used is only about R 3.5 per inch thickness.
The large Igloo cooler has an insulated lid, in fact you can tell whether they are insulated or not by looking for a plastic plug under the lid. No plug, not insulated.
I would recommend using the great stuff window and door formulation. It is an open cell foam formulation that doesn't put as much pressure on the side walls. Also, the urethane foam cures with water so if you put a few ounces in the lid and shake it around good before you spray in the foam it will make denser bubbles and cure faster.
I'm not sure that would work as well. Closed cell foam has a higher R value than open cell. The purpose of the cooler is to keep heat out. The lower R value in some situations may increase the heat conductivity in comparison to just air. I'm not sure of the r value of each specific product but IN SOME SITUATIONS open cell foam is superior to closed cell foam because it moves heat better. I don't know what the R values are of these different products but it could make a big difference and it could also have a negative impact. Do your homework if you choose to not use closed cell foam.
I for one like all of the holes you drilled. In my opinion you gave the excess foam a place to expand to and not deform the lid too much. I will be doing this to a couple of old coolers I have at the house. When I go glamping I like to "Drink Ice" that has nothing else in the chest. I don't think I will need to keep buying ice when I am out there "roughin' it"
I am building a wooden cooler chest using a cheap cooler that was in the shop. I will do this drilling from the top. Afterwards I will finish the wooden lid and it will cover the holes. Thanks for the video.
Acetone is the solvent for whatever Great Stuff is made of. It still takes a lot of scrubbing if you let it set up, but if you catch it within a few hours you can usually wipe clean. I LOVE spray foam! The uses are endless.
Yep. I just did this lastnight to my work cooler. Started off with 8 holes, filled up the lid, and grabbed a bright flashlight to see any bare spots through the plastic. Drilled 2 more holes and to hit the empty spaces. Then used screw caps to cover all the holes. Also, wiping down the lid beforehand with silicone spray lubricant helped make cleanup faster and super easy.
It worked well. This year's camping trip I only had to add ice to the cooler every other day vs every day using the same cooler in the same relative heat. The rest of the cooler, from what I learned, is insulated, just not the lid.
I did this foam project. after about a month I ended up damaging the cooler and cut it open to see how the foam looked. it was still gooey with very large air gaps. wondering if i just had a bad can.....of if the great stuff needs air to cure????
Plenty of opinions so far. I am not a specialist, and have found many coolers to be a pocket of air inside a hollow plastic container. Air is an insulator, though minimally efficiency. The yellow ( RED CAN ) foam expands more and fills the interior cavity as well as stiffens the shell better than the semi-expanding - more flexible foam (BLUE CAN ). Filling the top and bottom should have the best result. Only drill holes on the inside, so rain will not penetrate and standing water will not seep inside. I would spray a lubricant like WD-40 on the shell before injecting foam into the holes. I also would drill very small holes in the corners of each "pocket " for trapped air to escape. Let the cooler sit for at least 24 hours before removing any excess squeeze-out. The foam takes much longer to cure when not exposed to air. That is why it does not cure inside the can once it is first utilized. Attempting to wipe off wet / uncured foam will be MESSY. DON'T DO IT. Leave it till fully cured and it will pop off the sprayed surface easily. Plugging the holes with caulk or silicon is only decorative. Just don't drill any holes below a potential WATER LINE inside the tub portion. Wish all of you success and cold results ! J K
Now make a silicone seal for it. Clean the cooler side very well to remove any oil. Apply Vaseline to the lid seal surface. Now run a beed of silicone around the edge of the seal surface on the cooler. Close the lid. Let it set for 24hr. The silicone won't stick to the Vaseline. When you open it. You know have an air tight cooler.
To anyone planning on trying this, a good idea is to get the low pressure foam for windows and doors, (usually with a purple lid) it is designed to not expand as hard, so it does not bend door and window frames, do using it for this makes less of a chance of it bulging/warping the cooler.
Great job, I only offer two things: 1. Spray the top with non-stick cooking spray before you inject expanding foam, it will release the overspray without any residue. 2. Use silicone to plug holes, it's non-toxic. What I did was use a nail to create a divot at each hole after it cured. It gave the silicone an interior anchor point. I'll probably show this in a vid when I do my next mod but just thought this info was too helpful to delay. Great Job!!
I want to see your method video
I would suggest instead of using nonstick cooking spray actually use silicone spray that way it does not degrade / go rancid overtime like food-based products would… just my two cents.
Question: What if you put the holes on top (outside) of the lid, that way you don't risk the foam contact with whatever contents you might put in the cooler? In order words, the excess foams goes outside instead of inside.
That's a good question too bad nobody answered it
I assume that doing it inside is partly aesthetic, and to still keep the "table top" or cup holder features unblemished
Awesome to finally see a video on this! I've been wanting to do this to my $20 Coleman. It was very helpful to see how the foam reacted and vented through the other holes. Thank you sir!
(at somewhere around 6:00) If you take them all off when they are still wet in the middle and more comes out - that's good. Take them all off and let the stuff expand out of the holes some more so it's less dense in the lid. The denser the foam the less insulation it provides. With almost 500 comments I'm sure someone has already said this. I might even squeeze the lid a little to get some more out.
Very true. Surprised this doesn't have a thousand likes.
The less insulation? Idk how that makes sense
i bet the yeti bottle opener on there alone makes it hold ice longer
Great video. Using your idea I drilled three holes on the side of the lid instead (along the hinge area). I cleaned up the foam marks with mineral oil and used silicone to patch the holes since it will not react with the food or temperatures.
I did this same thing with my Igloo cooler except that I drilled all of my holes on the outside instead of inside the lid. That way if anything off-gassed it wouldn't affect the contents.
yricyric perfect! I was thinking the exact same thing...
yricyric totally what I was thinking... what did you seal the wholes with?
I just covered the holes with aluminum refrigeration tape (the type of tape used for A/C duct installation).
You probably wouldn't really need to cover the holes as you're dealing with a closed cell polymer foam as it's basically air tight , but if you wanted to I'd suggest a two part epoxy putty (plumbers putty, kneadatite, greenstuff etc.)
I'm def going to give this a try.
Try laying a blanket over your cooler , when camping. This helps, add 2 frozen containers of frozen salt water, will keep regular ice to last longer.
Put blue tape on 1st, drill through holes, less cleanup.
Two questions,will the carcinogens in the foam cause cancer and will be beer be colder?
Great job! I’m going to try this with one of my cheap Coleman coolers. Like you said. It’s not going to be any worse.
now just butter those muffins and you're in business.
Lessons Learned from my own "expanding foam in hollow cooler lid" project:
a. Choose wisely between Gaps & Cracks, and Big Gap Filler versions of Great Stuff or Loktite (Loktite is denser, with a higher R-rating). I used Loktite Gaps & Cracks, and
b. Choose wisely how many venting holes you drill. In my experience, putting two holes on each side made filling easier, but a lot seemed to just seep out as well.
c. Especially in dry environments, and because of the enclosed space being filled up, using a spray bottle to mist the inside of the cavity first might help in ensuring uniform curing. Some comments on other sites suggest that the interior/center may end up staying more liquid/uncured, while the region closer to the holes cure normally (exposure to air and humidity). The expanding foam reportedly reacts best/at all with humidity/water, and does not fare well in very dry environments.
d. Let the lid cure for about a week, then do a squeeze test to see if there are any hollow/unfilled areas. The difference between the filled and hollow areas will be very obvious. I found that near some of the holes, the foam had just oozed out, and left a hollow behind, almost as if the stuff was pushed out by gasses, and settling into the hollows before solidifying. The foam left behind a shallow plug, and the squeeze test showed that a hollow/unfilled area was left behind. This was likely caused by lack of humidity, as I did not mist the inside first, only once I filled in the hollows. Misting the uncured and hollow areas seemed to have worked in curing the foam faster, which slowed its escape from the holes.
e. Use Reflectix taped to the inside of the lid, and inside the cooler box, and use Polar Bear PVC ice tubes instead of ice (esp with the Reflectix inside the box).
f. Add a thin strip of weather stripping to the lid groove to block out any air escaping.
g. If the lid keep popping open due to the weather stripping, add a couple bungee cords to lock down the lid.
Just wanted to thank you for sharing this project. You saved me from buying an expensive cooler.
I'm definitely going to do two of my coolers like you did top and bottom. Again thank you. Rick in Stockton CA.
False. Air is a better insulator. Coleman & Igloo use special foam. Different than canned
So, foaming the lid of coolers is becoming widely known trick, just be aware that it's called expanding for a reason and use about a third as much. It will st on the interior faster, as well.
To keep it from sticking from the cooler, smear a film of Vaseline on the inside of the lid. No sticky mess to scrape off.
Finally, don't waste your Sugru! Get a tube of whit silicone and just top off the holes and let it set. You're not smearing your food on the inside of the cooler lid then eating raw. If you did, the amount of contact would still be absolutely harmless from those little blobs of silicone. Good vid.
5200 would be great made by 3M to seal them holes.
Thanks for the idea and the update. As far as ur critics, it's a homemade DIY video. Keep up the great work, brother.
The critics get very old, I agree great job!
Thank you for doing this video! Your update video was awesome. Really appreciate you taking the time and resources to help other people like myself do the same to my cooler. I know all the dog's and don't know. Thanks again my man.
And the end result is ? Did it work 1/2 as good as the Yeti ?
And how did it work out for you?
Thanks for the video! I've been testing out my new cooler, and I was just wondering if this would make the ice last longer.
I would like to see a comparison video with the same coolers. One modified and one not to see how significant of a difference this makes. Thinking of doing it. Makes sense to me.
There are a few videos 1 i watched the modded cooler didn't last as long as the factory one. Another video i watched the modded cooler did better. Its a crap shoot. I got a new cooler but i still have my old coleman and im gonna do this metal hinges and latches
you should do a test with a bag of ice in this and an unmodified one to see just how much improvement there is
I modified my igloo just about how you did. The only difference was that I used a foam that didn't expand nearly as much as Great Stuff (forget the brand...blue can). Plus I foamed one side and let it expand and dry before I foamed the other side. I don't know if it would've mattered but I was afraid of over expansion---but if you have enough holes I suppose it'd find its way out like in your video. I didn't want to spring for a $400 Yetti. Modifications! STICK IT TO THE MAN!!
Follow up video, please. I wanna know how this worked
Air is the best insulator because it takes longer to transfer heat between sealed envelopes of air as each envelope must heat up to affect the envelope next to it. Those ribs probably transfer more heat than the pockets of air that were filled with foam. Btw, it's the air bubbles in the foam that gives it its insulating properties.
@@geosynchronous4386 ah yes. Because air is fluid. I meant space.
I guess they fill double pane windows with nitrogen because the glass would get deformed if they pulled a vacuum 🤔
Clear or white silicone would work aswell sealing those holes, wonder how much weight was added after spraying foam .
An how well did it keep cool.
Is this worth it?
Yes, you did fine, I do this for a living in factory that specializes in building coolers since 1944
Awesome shout out...and especially so if your pedigree is legit ! nice affirmation. Peace and God Bless.
Does not work ive just tried....you can see it pour out...so you think its working...but on the inside is still hollow....
Tried this, didnt work, to each his own. Ijust went with a Coleman Extreme instead
While insulating the lid will certainly help. But only a small amount. The main part that needs more insulation is the bottom and lower sides. The reason the lids aren't insulated is that cold goes down.
"this stuff's pretty nasty - I should be wearing gloves - but you know... I'm a dude."
Good idea, if you do another you may want to try the minimal expanding type in the blue can it's for around windows and doors it is also more dense.
Yeah I will give that a try next time.
I wonder why they don't sell them like this by default........ You'd think it wouldn't cost much on an industrial level to fill the lid with foam as well. and the lid is where most of the heat enters.
Richard Powell - Profit line always about profit margin and to keep cost down for low resale price I'm sure you know that..
Richard Powell, weight during shipping. Not cost efficient, plus easier if the company has less hazmat to deal with.
Pretty sure the reason why is because if you look at the cheaper coolers they don't use expanding foam as insulation, They use sheets of the white foam. Sheets can be inserted between the outside and inside shells of the bottom part before they are fused together. But the top is usually one piece. Possibly blow molded. So there is no point in the manufacturing where they could insert insulation easily. They would have to make the top in multiple pieces which would add to the cost considerably.
Given the foam only costs like $4 a can, I would be willing to pay a little extra for an insulated lid.
Richard Powell that is the real problem today. Quality does not matter. That’s ok. Keep it cheap and we will make it right.
Should do a test before and after modification
You're brave using the gaps and cracks, thats a higher expansion foam than say the doors and window stuff. I would have been concerned about it warping the shape of the lid. Glad it worked for you and you made follow up clips of the process of the foam curing. The foam is really easy to cut with a knife so you don't have to worry about tearing it up.
The greatest most bestest idea I've ever seen. I'm doing this.
Rubber plugs work good, also tape the spots you want to drill and you wont have to scrape once you break off the bubbles. Just peel the tape off put in ruber plugs
I got an old POS cooler that still holding strong and was wondering about if I could do this with my lid. But I also wanted do something different like spraying the whole thing with rubber paint, for slip resistance and possibly a tiny bit more insulation.
Good idea but why didn’t your drill the holes on the outside of the lid and not compromise it internally?
How about this, cold air doesn't leak out the top. Hot air rises, cold air doesn't rise. Leave the lid alone.
I wanted to see if the lid fit back on the cooler. I have used this stuff before and often it just keeps expanding for some time.
Does that work better than white calk or white Silicone sealer for kitchen and Bath so it would not mold
Have you tried this method with the main body of the cooler?
Hi I just wonder how did it turn out, I love the idea
It actually worked really well. I’d say it’s a 25% improvement.
I wonder if you should spray the inside of the lid with cooking spray to keep the foam from sticking to it???
Um, wow. speechless. Never considered closing the "GAP" in the lid. Only makes sense. Thank you!
How do get water out of the lid ? I've let my lid sit in the sun and still can't get the water out ? I've shuck the lid and just a little bit of water comes out .
Thanks for sharing. Dreamers become achievers so keep it up. Yes try for some before and after tests but seat of the pants is a good indicator as well. Less ice in same time equals success. To each their own. I bought a spare cooler at a yard sale for $3 and I'm going to try this mod. I'm in San Fernando Valley known to get hot in the summer so this will certainly help.
I am so doing this. But using the blue can (lower expansion) stuff. Thanks. I once cut a piece of rigid foam insulation to fit inside of a cooler to fill dead air space. Worked pretty well, but I like this idea.
Right on, let me know how it works out.
(I think) the blue can/low expansion foam is open cell, meaning it will absorb water. Be careful there.
Joel Curtin Good info. Didn’t know that. Thanks.
I found that styrofoam beads were easier to use than expanding foam. The vent can be a larger hole covered with mesh, and the beads can be blown in with a shopvac. Once filled, the supply and vent can be covered with duct tape.
What about the sides of the cooler? Generally cool air sinks so except for leaving one out in the sun I'd think the bottom and sides should be the more viral areas for insulation. Are they already insulated in a cheap cooler?
I heard of a guy doing this at work. But he blocked the holes off so it wouldn't spew out. Only left 1 hole open on the top & the lid was hard as a rock.
I'd use the two deeper channels to hold capped pvc sticks filled with the contents from gel ice packs.
Just hold them in place with some velcro.
Then you can freeze the pvc tubes,and just stick them in place.
I used white door/windows silicone sealant/caulking to seal the holes. It blended in perfectly.
The holes don't really need to be sealed, other than for cosmetic reasons.
@@johnbrewer7221, it was definitely cosmetic, since the cooler lid is bright white and foam was yellow.
At 8:24, you say you don't keep food, beer, ice in your cooler. Then what the hell DO you use it for??
Just wondering if you had considered drilling from the top before you started? that would have left absolutely no worries in possible "contamination" but....it's not like every cooler currently selling is stating that they use food grade plastics and insulation anyway.
You can also place a plastic sheet on top so that whenever you open the lid the cold air doesn't escape that quickly.
And personally besides the cooler itself i wash everything that i put inside, so that i could drink the water as the ice melts(i also filter my own ice ever since i saw how nasty a bag of ice from the store can be)
Nope, didn't cross my mind. I'm not to worried about it, the Surgu was the non toxic kind and I am not to worried about the foam leaching into the cooler. You're dead on with the about the ice bags, those things are nasty.
Looks like it should work just as well as those over priced Yeti things. Have you tried it out yet? That would make a great follow up video!
Yeah and so far it is exceeding expectations.
Why not fill large grooves as well and cover the foam?
Is there a 'before and after' test?
I enjoyed this video. I will do this to my 5 day colmen any thing helps in Arizona heat.
Is there any chance of the foam deforming the lid so it will not fit back on the cooler correctly ? That is my fear.
Use Loctite Spray Foam . It’s closed cell foam which is denser, will insulate better and expand less.
Thanks for the tip. I will next time.
Loctite foam is very good. I used it to seal my outside garage cracks,gaps and worked great. Easy clean up too
I have the same cooler. How did it work out?
Any problem with distortion?
I got some caps for the holes & some plastic cement or silicone sealant from the hardware store, couldnt find sugru.
Dap makes a low expansion foam that might work better for you. I would have made bigger holes like say 3/8 inch. But it is a good idea no doubt I myself use moving blankets on mine that I get from Harbor Freight. Just lay under and over the coolers with them.
I’ll keep that in mind for my next one.
Some places have a press they put the parts in 1 inlet hole for foam that would be about 1/4 inch by the hinge area..then 2 small holes the size of pencil lead in the corners 2 in each corner..just on the outside of seal rim..after 1hr in press clean excess..plug back hole by the hinge with other crap cooler plug...its on the bottom..older one lol..for the 2 small holes in front dont plug those you will want those left open they wont be seen..there on the bottomside outside the seem..no contact with food on any holes n can breath..duplicate the press so lid dont distort..place a bag of sand on the cooler lid as foam expands..if you get the lid cold and keep it cold thru the process it wont warp..c clamps n 2x6 could also make a clamp but cooler you keep it the better..enjoy but you owe me a beer lol
That's great.
Looks like you could have gotten by with fewer holes, but you know you've got full coverage.
To save time and have a nicer look, maybe find some rubber plug caps before starting a similar project and then drill your holes to match the size of the caps.
How about a follow up..... did it work ???
I thought that was too many holes, but it is the right way to do it. I tried one hole on each end of the lid, nope. My foam did not flow throughout the lid nor did it expand and harden properly. I found this out by drilling a couple inspection holes the next day. Drill enough holes!
This is great!!!! I love the idea and the update.
How did you take off the igloo lid? Was it damaged? It looks like the part that connects the lid to the cooler is very short? Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!
curious why igloo doesnt insulate the lids themselves. is it just because of cost?
Cost is part of it, but with a lid cavity as thin as it is in this case, filling it with foam - even high quality R7 per inch foam - doesn't help much compared to just having an air gap. The R-value of the stuff he used is only about R 3.5 per inch thickness.
How did the cooler work ? What are your thoughts on doing the same thing to the bottom ?
The large Igloo cooler has an insulated lid, in fact you can tell whether they are insulated or not by looking for a plastic plug under the lid. No plug, not insulated.
No plug on this one
I would recommend using the great stuff window and door formulation. It is an open cell foam formulation that doesn't put as much pressure on the side walls. Also, the urethane foam cures with water so if you put a few ounces in the lid and shake it around good before you spray in the foam it will make denser bubbles and cure faster.
I'm not sure that would work as well. Closed cell foam has a higher R value than open cell. The purpose of the cooler is to keep heat out. The lower R value in some situations may increase the heat conductivity in comparison to just air. I'm not sure of the r value of each specific product but IN SOME SITUATIONS open cell foam is superior to closed cell foam because it moves heat better. I don't know what the R values are of these different products but it could make a big difference and it could also have a negative impact. Do your homework if you choose to not use closed cell foam.
I for one like all of the holes you drilled. In my opinion you gave the excess foam a place to expand to and not deform the lid too much. I will be doing this to a couple of old coolers I have at the house. When I go glamping I like to "Drink Ice" that has nothing else in the chest. I don't think I will need to keep buying ice when I am out there "roughin' it"
What about the sides & bottom?
Which Locite Foam? Tite Foam Window and Door Insulating Spray Foam, Tite Foam Insulating Foam, or Tite Foam Big Gaps Insulating Foam Sealant
Video Pipeline I was asking the video owner. He ,entwined in his update post to use the locate brand closed cell foam.
white (or any color) silicon (cauk) wold work better to seal holes
I am building a wooden cooler chest using a cheap cooler that was in the shop. I will do this drilling from the top. Afterwards I will finish the wooden lid and it will cover the holes. Thanks for the video.
Why not push retainers for the wholes?
Do you think Flex tape would work for sealing the holes where you filled in the “great stuff gaps and cracks”?
how can you tell how it worked out, you have no control to compare it against...
Yup your right. It was more of a spontaneous project and there was zero science applied.
You compare it to how efficient the cooler was before the fix.
Wear gloves with that Great Stuff. It doesn't just wash off.
Learned that the hard way. That stuff is crazy sticky.
Denatured alcohol.
wd-40
Acetone is the solvent for whatever Great Stuff is made of. It still takes a lot of scrubbing if you let it set up, but if you catch it within a few hours you can usually wipe clean. I LOVE spray foam! The uses are endless.
Haha i learned the hard way the first time i used it building a house and had nothing to clean it off. It was terrible 😂
Did this project take an entire can? Or less
Do you think that many holes were needed? That stuff seems to swell up pretty big..
Yep. I just did this lastnight to my work cooler. Started off with 8 holes, filled up the lid, and grabbed a bright flashlight to see any bare spots through the plastic. Drilled 2 more holes and to hit the empty spaces. Then used screw caps to cover all the holes. Also, wiping down the lid beforehand with silicone spray lubricant helped make cleanup faster and super easy.
I thought it was a great video. Keep up the good work, and have fun camping.
how much extra did you spend on that
I think clear or white silicone could plug holes and can match top better.
The plugs are on the bottom of the lid, IT LOOKS FINE. I feel bad for the negative comments...
So how about a follow up and let us know how it worked.
how did it turn out?
Next time use masking tape first and it will make clean up easier
Now when all your buddies sit on your cooler it won't crush the lid good job:)
My 200 lbs 15 year old sat on it tonight and it was rock solid.
How did it work? Can you do the rest of the cooler?
It worked well. This year's camping trip I only had to add ice to the cooler every other day vs every day using the same cooler in the same relative heat. The rest of the cooler, from what I learned, is insulated, just not the lid.
How did it work? Did you notice an improvement with ice retention?
Why not just use clear aquarium style silicone to plug up the holes??? its non toxic and wont leach out.
Brilliant. Shoot next time I guess
I did this foam project. after about a month I ended up damaging the cooler and cut it open to see how the foam looked. it was still gooey with very large air gaps. wondering if i just had a bad can.....of if the great stuff needs air to cure????
Water/moisture cures it. If it remains in a sealed environment it won't cure.
Plenty of opinions so far. I am not a specialist, and have found many coolers to be a pocket of air inside a hollow plastic container. Air is an insulator, though minimally efficiency. The yellow ( RED CAN ) foam expands more and fills the interior cavity as well as stiffens the shell better than the semi-expanding - more flexible foam (BLUE CAN ). Filling the top and bottom should have the best result. Only drill holes on the inside, so rain will not penetrate and standing water will not seep inside. I would spray a lubricant like WD-40 on the shell before injecting foam into the holes. I also would drill very small holes in the corners of each "pocket " for trapped air to escape. Let the cooler sit for at least 24 hours before removing any excess squeeze-out. The foam takes much longer to cure when not exposed to air. That is why it does not cure inside the can once it is first utilized. Attempting to wipe off wet / uncured foam will be MESSY. DON'T DO IT. Leave it till fully cured and it will pop off the sprayed surface easily. Plugging the holes with caulk or silicon is only decorative. Just don't drill any holes below a potential WATER LINE inside the tub portion. Wish all of you success and cold results ! J K
Why just the lid an not the cooler to ?
You could also use white plastic plugs used for furniture or wood
Those extra holes helped the foam to expand and leach out. It probably helped from the lid from bowing out.