How to keep insulin cold

[cdegelau]

Hello Everyone!
I'm brand new to the forum and have been fantasizing about a mobile lifestyle for quite some time. I just purchased a Nissan Xterra and plan on living in it as I pay off student loans and then i'll hit the open road. I have been reading as much as I can and learning everything I can from Bob and other vehicle dwellers, but there is something I need your help for. One of the major things I haven't figured out yet is how to keep my insulin constant at around 35-40 degrees. I've been diabetic since I was 3 years old and have been insulin dependent so this is definitely a necessity. I could use a fridge in the summer by harnessing solar energy, but my concern is the winter when temperatures drop below freezing. Thanks for your help!!

-Chris

 

[Wanderer]

Hello Everyone!
I'm brand new to the forum and have been fantasizing about a mobile lifestyle for quite some time. I just purchased a Nissan Xterra and plan on living in it as I pay off student loans and then i'll hit the open road. I have been reading as much as I can and learning everything I can from Bob and other vehicle dwellers, but there is something I need your help for. One of the major things I haven't figured out yet is how to keep my insulin constant at around 35-40 degrees. I've been diabetic since I was 3 years old and have been insulin dependent so this is definitely a necessity. I could use a fridge in the summer by harnessing solar energy, but my concern is the winter when temperatures drop below freezing. Thanks for your help!!

-Chris

 I'm pretty sure we have others on this forum who use insulin and can tell you the ways that work for them.

BTW Welcome.

 

[highdesertranger]

a portable 12v refrigerator will keep a constant temp inside I wouldn't worry until the ambient temps where below freezing for days on end. since the refer will be inside your living space I don't see the temps getting that low. you can also get temperature sensors to monitor the temp inside the refer. hope that helps. btw go to the Newcomers Corner and introduce yourself, we will give you a warm welcome. highdesertranger

 

[Vanholio]

One of the major things I haven't figured out yet is how to keep my insulin constant at around 35-40 degrees.

Will it hurt the insulin to get down to 32? If that's OK, a tiny Yeti cooler with ice should do the trick. Normally, I think of them as overpriced. They certainly are for beer and balogna. But for you, it's worth it.

 

[cdegelau]

 I'm pretty sure we have others on this forum who use insulin and can tell you the ways that work for them.

BTW Welcome.

Thanks,

I did a quick search, but didn't see what I was looking for as far as temperature regulation in the winter time. Sorry if i'm repeating questions, but if you come across anything let me know.

Thanks again,
Chris

 

[cdegelau]

a portable 12v refrigerator will keep a constant temp inside  I wouldn't worry until the ambient temps where below freezing for days on end.  since the refer will be inside your living space I don't see the temps getting that low.  you can also get temperature sensors to monitor the temp inside the refer.  hope that helps.  btw go to the Newcomers Corner and introduce yourself,  we will give you a warm welcome.  highdesertranger

Thanks,

My biggest concern was the freezing ambient temps. I was hoping not to have to rely on a climate controlled storage unit. I feel like the 12v fridge would be perfect for the 3 seasons here in Colorado, but i'm not too sure how the winter will pan out with lows in the negatives. Thanks for the input!

Thanks again,
Chris

 

[highdesertranger]

if it's inside your living space are you going to let the temp get that low? highdesertranger

 

[cdegelau]

if it's inside your living space are you going to let the temp get that low?  highdesertranger

Unfortunately only because I'm not sure how to keep the inside from reaching freezing temperatures. I work 12 hour shifts in which I wouldn't be inside to turn on the portable heater, but you're right if I could figure out how to keep the living space from freezing there would no longer be an issue. I'll have to do some more homework and maybe look more into diesel heaters as I hear they are very efficient. Thanks for the help : )

 

[ArtW]

No refer in the employee break room where you work?
What kind of insulin? My ex used Lantus and Novologue and they were pretty forgiving of being kept at room temp at her job, otherwise she had a small soft sided cooler with one of the blue hard freezer packs she could keep them i n at her desk, no problem

 

[akrvbob]

Keeping it cold is easy:

1) Ice chest, or
2) 12 volt fridge.

It sounds like your problem is keeping it warm during the day while you are at work. Again, that's easy. Buy a Olympian Wave 3 Catalytic heater and leave it on low during the day while you are at work and it's below freezing.

I lived in Anchorage Alaska for 6 years in a box van and had an Olympian Wave 3 Catalytic heater and left it on low 24 hours a day all winter except to change the bottles. I turned it on in October and turned it off for the last time sometime in May. You and the insulin will stay warm, the ice chest will regulate it.

 

[DannyB1954]

A thermos bottle has a higher insulating capability than just about anything else. It will keep things cold or warm. If it is hot, put something cool in the thermos with it, if it is cold, put something warm in with it. Not too warm though, I don't think you want to overheat it either.

 

[cdegelau]

Keeping it cold is easy:

1) Ice chest, or
2) 12 volt fridge.

It sounds like your problem is keeping it warm during the day while you are at work. Again, that's easy. Buy a Olympian Wave 3 Catalytic heater and leave it on low during the day while you are at work and it's below freezing.

I lived in Anchorage Alaska for 6 years in a box van and had an Olympian Wave 3 Catalytic heater and left it on low 24 hours a day all winter except to change the bottles. I turned it on in October and turned it off for the last time sometime in May.  You and the insulin will stay warm, the ice chest will regulate it.

Prefect! The Wave seems to be exactly what I need, thanks Bob!! I'm really excited to install one in my Xterra and now I have a lot of contingency plans to fall back on. Thanks everyone for all the replies. A couple weeks ago the temps dropped to -12 degrees Fahrenheit so I'm still debating between the Wave 3 and 6. My Xterra is small but it's not insulated so I need to do a little more research. My windows will be slightly cracked for a little ventilation so I'm not worried about CO, but is having a 10lb or 20lb tank in the vehicle safe? Still debating on running a gas line from a cargo hitch.

 

[akrvbob]

The Xterra is so small that your big worry will be clearances around it. Download a .pdf of the manual and find the required clearances. They put out so much heat that things too close and spontaneously combust--very dangerous. Especially above it! You will probably have to pull down the headliner above it and just have the metal roof. You MUST give it enough clearance.  If you can find a place to run it, here are my thoughts.

• The Wave 3 is the only one that might fit, none others.
• The smallest Mr. Buddy might work, but I think it would still be too much heat. 
• A 5-gallon bottle would be too big inside, so I would get a hitch haul and mount it there. If you have the money, get a swing-away that is hinged and swings out. Mount a box on it and put the bottle in it. 
• If that doesn't work, I'd get a 2 1/2 gallon bottle and 1-gallon bottle to save space inside. When the 2 1/2 runs out, switch to the 1 gallon and refill it the next day.  

Hope that helps.

 

[DannyB1954]

You could even put the insulin in a thermos and then put the thermos in the bottom of the refrigerator. The refrigerator would help slow any temperature changes especially if the refrigerator was filled with stuff.

 

[cdegelau]

The Xterra is so small that your big worry will be clearances around it. Download a .pdf of the manual and find the required clearances. They put out so much heat that things too close and spontaneously combust--very dangerous. Especially above it! You will probably have to pull down the headliner above it and just have the metal roof. You MUST give it enough clearance.  If you can find a place to run it, here are my thoughts.

• The Wave 3 is the only one that might fit, none others.
• The smallest Mr. Buddy might work, but I think it would still be too much heat. 
• A 5-gallon bottle would be too big inside, so I would get a hitch haul and mount it there. If you have the money, get a swing-away that is hinged and swings out. Mount a box on it and put the bottle in it. 
• If that doesn't work, I'd get a 2 1/2 gallon bottle and 1-gallon bottle to save space inside. When the 2 1/2 runs out, switch to the 1 gallon and refill it the next day.  

Hope that helps.

Thank you so much Bob I really appreciate it!!!

 

[Ticklebellly]

An STC - 1000 Temp controller may be useful. Commonly used by the beer brewing mob, can control a heater, like a fish tank heater, for example. The other outlet on this thermostat is intended to control power to a cooling device, such as a fridge. About $10 on line. I have one outside a fridge with the sensor poked through the door seal to set the internal temp to 19 Degrees C. In super cold conditions, I have a simple incandescent bulb as a heat source to raise the internal temp to 19 Degrees C. I imagine a small insulated box with a bulb in the bottom would be easy to construct for storing the insulin in super cold conditions.

The thermostat suggested runs on 110 - 230 Volts AC, could be difficult in a van dwelling situation. I have not looked for similar in 12 Volts. The power On/Off switch arrangement controlled by the parent device switches any power source within its design capacity so a 12Volt vehicle bulb could be used as the heat source.

 

[blars]

Here's a 12 volt thermostat like I'm using on my RV furnace: http://www.dxsoul.com/product/w1209...1449507?Utm_rid=86646167&Utm_source=affiliate
Display in Celsius, remote sensor, can be set for heat or cool.  Documentation may be in Chinese, but you can find english on the web.
Note: I get a small percentage of the sale if you order through the above link.

 

[blars]

Also, you could use a resistor as a heater. This one would be about 10-15 watts when run on a "12v" battery: http://www.dxsoul.com/product/jtron...1419252?Utm_rid=86646167&Utm_source=affiliate
Note: I get a small percentage of the sale if you order through the above link.