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How to store water in car in freezing temps?

39K views 26 replies 23 participants last post by  Duggo 
#1 ·
Long time listener, first time caller.

I'm packing my winter ditch/accident bag to keep in my car for the season.

I drive around a lot in flip flops, so I'm packing some wool socks and a pair of old hiking shoes, hand/foot warmers, wool blanket, sweater, hat, gloves, first aid kit, small gun, knife, paracord, mask, etc...

I'd like to keep some water in the trunk along with the bag... what would you do to keep containers from bursting?
 
#4 ·
you want a bottle that will allow water to expand as it freezes. screw cap bottles are the best! they keep water fresh the longest. the bottles with rip off caps are only good for 6 months at best. with the screw cap bottle you can open it up and take a cup of water out and drink it. then close the bottle and it should be ok if it ever freezes.
 
#7 ·
Take that one step further just in case (I have had the same experience--I've never had one burst, and I keep the odd bottle or two in my car in the winter here in Wisconsin, they have never burst).

Get a ziplock back or some sort of otherwise waterproof container and store them in that. This way, if you ever do have a burst, it's contained.
 
#8 ·
Don't store water, store a sports drink like Gatoraid.

I keep Gatoraid in all my vechicles and so far it has not frozen even when I leave them
out side all night with temps in the tens.

Not only is it a source of fluids it is also a source of calories, something you will need if you are stuck in your car in a blizzard.
Your will need the electrolytes as well if you will be on foot.


McLOVIN
 
#10 ·
I always keep a case of water in my car all year long and have never had a bottle burst. My car sits outside in michigan weather. often the water will not freeze until it gets well below zero for extended periods, and even when the outer bottles freeze, some of the inner bottle will remain liquid until opened, and then they will turn to slush.
 
#12 ·
Before Y2K, I bought a dozen of these and carried them in the tool box of my truck for 7 years. Been through many Western PA winters and froze solid often. Never had one leak or burst. Still use them to carry water to the chickens everyday - been out in the weather/sunlight and still only have had 1 spring a leak (after I stepped on it!) I got the ones without the spigot.

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=22689&catid=816
 
#16 ·
Aaron Getting stuck in the car in winter is what got me on the road to being prepared for things to happen in life. Long story short. A local man (SW Virginia man) was trapped in his car for 3 days after going over an embankment on a snowy night. He was trapped in his seat by the steering wheel. My reason for chiming in is i always keep my car bag in reach of the driver's seat that way if this happens to me i can get to it. I also think if you dont you might want to add food to your kit. something you could eat out of the package needing no prep or heat. Funny note to this story he burned the pages out of his first aid text book to stay warm.
 
#18 ·
living in florida i have never thought of this concern, thanx for the thread. i do store
16oz water bottles in my freezer to take with me when i go out for the day. they have never burst on me. they do become misshapen when the bottom pops out, so you cant set one down and expect it to stay up right, but that is what i would(and do ,come to think of it) in my BOB and vehicle
 
#21 ·
It would help if you store it upside down. I know, it wont keep it from freezing solid but since water freezes from the top down you would still be able to get what didnt freeze out of the bottle rather than the liquid water being down at the bottom of the bottle. If you combine that with the gatorade idea you should be set.
 
#24 ·
Distilled water can drop below 32 degrees F without freezing solid. Thats because there are far less nucleation sites for crystals to form (impurities). You can take a container of distilled water and put it in the freezer and it will remain a liquid. If you open it and touch the surface it will instantly solidify because your finger has contours that allow for an intial formation of a nucleation site.

So I wonder if you put distilled water in your car if the vibration from bumps and the motor will encourage it to freeze. Its worth a shot. If it does freeze it's so rapid there is almost no physical expansion.

Here is a video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpiUZI_3o8s
 
#25 ·
occasionally the 16.9oz bottle caps will leak after multiple freeze-thaw cycles. The 1 lt and 2 lt bottles do better. A Mylar bottle bag works even better. The bags actually change shape with the water as it expands, just be sure to squeeze the air out. Whatever you use, fill it about 90%.
 
#26 ·
Test your water bottles in the freezer before you store them in the car. Some of the bottling companies are putting out these thin flimsy plastic things that get brittle. Go for the thicker Dasani bottles. We freeze them and put them in a cooler for baseball games. Either way, test it first.
 
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