Freezing Drinking Water ...

[vja4Him]

Well ... I'm still working on my experiment with freezing my water for drinking when I'm out riding my bicycle (which I do a lot, as I'm living car free).

 

This is what I've found out so far:

 

1) The one-gallon water containers (the ones you buy at the store) are no problem. I have over a dozen of them in the cabinet and on our pantry shelves. I only clean them with very hot water, and I check them freqently, and still have not found any of the gross stuff floating around in them. All of these containers have the #2 Triangle

 

2) Several square plastic containers (new from Wal-Mart) don't seem to be good for freezing water, as there is stuff floating around when the ice melts. These containers (I have two) have the #5 Triangle.

 

3) It seems that this stuff floating around in certain containers seems to be plastic, not bacteria.

 

4) When I freeze water in Sobe glass bottles, I have NO problem with the water getting cloudy! So, I have about a half dozen Sobe bottles (Orange/Carrot drink, my favorite!) saved. I wash them out with very hot water, let air dry. Then fill then up with water, and keep them in the refrigerator. About two hours before I go to work (or three or four hours in the warmer weather) I put the Sobe glass bottle in the freezer with the freezer set to high. I keep the water bottle pouch on the table to remind me to take the bottle out of the freezer (otherwise, I will forget and the glass bottle will break after it's been in the freezer too long). The water stays very cold most of the day. When I put the glass Sobe bottle in the freezer for only two hours (leave about three inches of air space from the top), I can start drinking the water by the time I get to work.

 

So far, I've had no problems with freezing the glass Sobe bottles. I've left them in the freezer for as long as 6-8 hours, and none have broken yet. We did have a few break when they were left in the freezer for several days. I've also found that I can freeze an extra Sobe bottle for a little longer, say 4-6 hours, then put the bottle in the refrigerator for the next day.

 

5) I found a good plastic container (from Wal-Mart) that I can use to freeze drinking water without the gross stuff floating around. They are the grey, Arctic Zone, water bottles that come with a nice cooler pouche and clip (I can clip these to my handlebar bag on my bicycle, which seems to be secure so far). These containers have the #4 Triangle.

 

6) The 59 ounce Minute Maid Pomegranate Blueberry plastic containers that have the stuff floating around when I freeze them, are ok if I only keep the container in the refrigerator! No stuff floating around anymore! These containers have the #1 Triangle.

 

7) The 64 ounce 100% orange juice containers which have the stuff floating around (not ice) that looks gross when frozen are also ok if only kept in the refrigerator. These containers have the #2 Triangle.

 

Keeping the 59 oz and 64 oz plastic containers with water in the refrigerator come in handy, so I can mix up some Kool-aid or lemonade for the kids. That way the drinks are already cold! I have also found that I can turn up the refrigerator all the way (to #9) and have the freezer turned up all the way too, and still do NOT have any problems with gross stuff floating around in our drinking water!!!

 

8) I'm still freezing small (8 oz) plastic containers that I put in my cooler for work. There is gross stuff floating around everytime when the ice thaws out! I don't drink that water though. I have cleaned them out thoroughly many times.

 

So, my conclusion is that freezing water in certain drinking containers causes the strange stuff floating around. I believe the gross stuff floating around (some looks fuzzy, some looks more chunky, or small like thin slices, but it is definitely NOT ice! I know this because, even several days later, when all the ice has long melted, there is still this gross stuff floating around).

 

Freezing my drinking water in glass and the grey Arctic Zone plastic drinking bottles is no problem.

 

Keeping drinking water in the refrigerator does not produce the gross stuff floating around in the water.

Edited November 25, 2009 by vja4Him

[StringJunky]

Here's a link to the Resin ID codes on the bottles:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resin_identification_code

 

Reading around on the properties of the various types No.2's (HDPE) seems to be the most stable at cold temperatures and is recommended for that purpose by some plastic container manufacturers I looked into. LDPE (No.4) is also used for freezable containers but one article specifically said HDPE was suitable for refillable containers.

 

No.5 (Polypropolene) has low impact resistance at low temps so is more likely to fragment.

 

HDPE is used for water pipes and electrical wiring insulation so this seems to indicate that it is more stable under adverse conditions than the others.

 

LDPE degrades under exposure to UV (sunlight).

[vja4Him]

Here's a link to the Resin ID codes on the bottles:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resin_identification_code

 

Reading around on the properties of the various types No.2's (HDPE) seems to be the most stable at cold temperatures and is recommended for that purpose by some plastic container manufacturers I looked into. LDPE (No.4) is also used for freezable containers but one article specifically said HDPE was suitable for refillable containers.

 

No.5 (Polypropolene) has low impact resistance at low temps so is more likely to fragment.

 

HDPE is used for water pipes and electrical wiring insulation so this seems to indicate that it is more stable under adverse conditions than the others.

 

LDPE degrades under exposure to UV (sunlight).

 

Thanks for the information! Strange that when I put the plastic jugs with the No. 2 in the freezer, there is stuff floating around when the water thaws out.

[StringJunky]

Thanks for the information! Strange that when I put the plastic jugs with the No. 2 in the freezer, there is stuff floating around when the water thaws out.

 

I noted that inconsistency as well, From what you've experienced compared to what I've read all I can conclude is that not all plastics of any given composition are made to the same standard..the process or formulae are probably slightly different.

 

MY hunch is to favour No.2 types and use the ones that pass your test.

Edited November 27, 2009 by StringJunky

[rogerxd45]

why not use lexan containers? more expensive yes but the material is very strong and stable. i would trust it more then the other containers (some degrade leaving the plastic in your water which you then drink)

[vja4Him]

why not use lexan containers? more expensive yes but the material is very strong and stable. i would trust it more then the other containers (some degrade leaving the plastic in your water which you then drink)

 

Where would you find lexan drinking containers?

[rogerxd45]

here is a quick google shopping search

 

http://www.google.com/products?q=lexan+bottle&hl=en&aq=f