Go Back   Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB > Planning, Trip > Staying Healthy on the Road
How to keep cool important (vital) drugs? refrigerator on a bike?? How to keep cool important (vital) drugs? refrigerator on a bike??
Register FAQ Calendar Today's Posts
Staying Healthy on the Road Medical info, e.g. malaria, vaccinations, travel medical tips, medical insurance, where to find a doctor.
Photo by Andy Miller, UK, Taking a rest, Jokulsarlon, Iceland

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Andy Miller, UK,
Taking a rest,
Jokulsarlon, Iceland



Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance.

Reply
Page 1 of 2 1 2
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 29 Sep 2010
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
  
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Zurich
Posts: 6
How to keep cool important (vital) drugs? refrigerator on a bike??
Hello

I wanna make a longer bike trip with a friend (next year 4 weeks Morrocco, then in 2 years RTW).

The problem is, that he has to take his medicine - it's indispensable to his life. This medicine always must be between +5°C and max. +20°C.
So we need a refrigerator box / cooler. Has anyone experience with cool boxes on an motorbike?

My research on that:
- a compressor cooling is unsuitable (sensitive to gradient)
- a adsorption cooler would be suitable (12V/230V/gas), BUT:
- current consumption too high for a standard alternator / battery?
- gas availibility? (need approx. 200-300 g/24 hours)
- standard gas bottles are heavy and too big..
- maybe a combination: current when driving, gas when standing/at night?
I don't konw...any practicable ideas?:confused1:

Thank you!!

Milan
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 29 Sep 2010
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Canada
Posts: 738
Hey Mike,

Sounds like quite an adventure. Not sure that would be an acceptable level of risk for many, but if he feels that a solution can be found that works for him, then power to him.

Initial thoughts would be that riding in the more remote places would be better served by having a support vehicle which could carry better coolers and importantly more batteries to keep the medicine refridgerated in case of breakdowns, delays, etc. For the typical routes, there is usually enought traffic (even if sparse) on the same route that you could explore the possibility of them acting as your carrier in exchange for payment or if you get along, for just being part of a larger group of travellers.

As for the general concept of strapping a big box to a bike and needing enough power to keep the temperature at a level different that the outside air temperature, you may want to chat with the guys that carried their pizzas from SA to London. The dvd is described here on this site and then it links to another site to purchase. There were keeping their cargo warm though, so not directly applicable but probably interesting to talk to to see how often in reality were they able to maintain any semblance of a steady temperature.

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/books/books.shtml

The Epic Delivery
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 30 Sep 2010
Niklas's Avatar
Contributing Member
HUBB regular
  
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Denmark
Posts: 33
I could suggest to drive a bike + sidecar with room for extended battery /gas capacity.

Within marine equipment it should be possible to find refrigerators capable of a "rough ride".

Niklas
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 30 Sep 2010
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Norwich,Ontario,Canada
Posts: 1,057
Just as a wild suggestion,
have you investigated the possibilty of carrying some sort of vacuum flask as which keep cold drinks cold for long periods and filling it with ice and have your medicines in watertight containers in among the ice? Then if you store this flask in a well insulated area of your luggage such as in a rolled up sleeping bag , the temp would stay in range easily, for even on a hot day the innermost part of a sleeping bag feels cool to te touch when unrolled.
There are even vendors who sell small amounts of dry ice = solid carbon dioxide. This is much colder than water ice , but if packed properly ,with water ice, in such a flask it could keep the temperature range you seek for a long time.
The flask size would not impede much on your luggage and with no worries about power consumption.Finding replacement ice might be a problem in very remote areas though.
__________________
http://advrider.com/index.php?thread....207964/page-5 then scroll down to post #93
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 30 Sep 2010
Contributing Member
New on the HUBB
  
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Calgary
Posts: 9
How to keep drugs cool
Milan, you didn't mention the size of cooler you required but I came across the following website that has a small drug cooler. Diabetic supplies Might be worth a look.

Cheers Phil
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 30 Sep 2010
Big Yellow Tractor's Avatar
Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: England
Posts: 649
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil53 View Post
Milan, you didn't mention the size of cooler you required but I came across the following website that has a small drug cooler. Diabetic supplies Might be worth a look.

Cheers Phil
That's cool (sorry) and only needs 25 watts.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 30 Sep 2010
Contributing Member
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Rockhampton, Australia
Posts: 868
May I suggest you have a chat with Chris from Florida ( No Boundaries)

I travelled with him and he had a small insulin box, powered by battery, with cooling fans and kept his/her drugs cool with no big issues. He designed the box himself and it could be removed and plugged into the wall as well, very useful but not a big box, so it would depend on quantity and size of what you need to carry.

Cheers
TS
__________________
www.travellingstrom.com
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 30 Sep 2010
MikeS's Avatar
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,187
HotRef - New Connections 6-Can Collapsible Cooler $6.69 - Coolers - Business Gifts

I used something like this strapped to the bike to keep drinking water / food cool and it worked. If you freeze the pouch that comes with it, it keeps cold for quite a while. They're collapsible too so don't take up much room.
__________________
Mike


www.singapore-scotland.blogspot.com
www.argentina-alaska.blogspot.com
My little Vid: India/Pakistan

BMW R1150GS
Suzuki DR650 SE: Ride it like ya stole it. Oh, somebody just did...
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 30 Sep 2010
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
  
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Zurich
Posts: 6
Hey guys...this is amazing! One day and so interesting answers
I'll analyse all of them, but the drug cooler Phil mentioned is at the first sight a good alternative. And maybe 2 of these drug coolers have enough capacity for 3 or 4 weeks. I'll check it.

Thank you all!
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 1 Oct 2010
Gold Member
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 619
USB Fridge.
Hi, search in ebay.co.uk for "USB Fridge" or ebay.de under "USB Kuhlschrank". I got one, removed the element from the base and slid it into a cut I made in a plastic Tupperware box. Wrapped in four layers of bubble wrap and then foil it is very effective. In UK I got a "little black thing" to convert the small USB voltage to 12 V and it then plugs into the bike's battery. It would be quite easy to cool a complete pannier. This little cooler is very effective. In the open, on the kitchen table it was chilled after a few seconds. Lindsay.
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 1 Oct 2010
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Tallinn, Estonia
Posts: 1,049
I would recommend a very well insulated box, kept in another cooler and possible a supply of dry ice in a small gas cannister. You could add a bit of dry ice to the larger box every morning...

However, you'd need to know how much CO2 to use to keep it cool and how long it would stay before subliming at different ambient temperatures....

Then there's the problem of re-fills in remote areas.

A thought to consider.
__________________
Adventure: it's an experience, not a style!
(so ride what you like, but ride it somewhere new!)
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 1 Oct 2010
javkap's Avatar
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Buenos Aires - Argentina
Posts: 520
I also may suggest you have a chat with other Hubber: Road Hog http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/members/road-hog
he was here resuming his trip whit his wife and also had to keep some drugs for her in an small fridge plugged to the 12v. I remember he told me that they need to stop every night in a hotel or at last in place where they can keep the drugs cold during nights because his Buell battery will not support to start in the morning… So I will suggest forgetting wild camp.
Cheers
__________________
Javier...
Dakar Motos “ ”
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 7 Oct 2010
Registered Users
New on the HUBB
  
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Miami
Posts: 10
Bikecooler
I have been on the road for 15 months plus and needed a fridge for my wifes enbrel and couldnt find anything that would do from Canada to Ushuaia, so I gave up and made one. I installed a separate circuit with a lithium battery that only charges when the bike is running and the relay closes the circuit when stopping for lunch. It is tri-volt, 12v, 110v, 240v so it can be used in all hotels. We have since improved tremendousely on the design, we are now able to maintain any temparature regardles of outside temp, using a thermostat. The size is 6" x 6" x 10" exterior and the interior will hold a can of , or 4" x 4" x 5". As for camping with no power point, we have not tested what size lithium battery will do the job for 8 hours, but give us time. For those of you that are interrested, email to bikecooler@gmail.com
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 18 Oct 2010
Gold Member
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: England
Posts: 277
Hey, my ex and I rode to Cape town, she is a diabetic and we used something called a 'friopack.'

If you google them, it is a small bag that you have to immerse in water every few days, and it stays cool in any temperature. In sudan temperatures got up above 50, and they kept her insulin cool. We stored the friopacks inside a cool bag to further help the temperature.

It's a good cheap alternative to a fridge, and doesn't drain your bike.

Hope this is of help.

Joel
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 1 Jan 2011
Registered Users
Veteran HUBBer
  
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: the MK riviera
Posts: 166
Why not experiment with a small stainles steel thermos flask.
So long as it's kept in the shade I'm sure the temp inside would remain considerably lower. As a test keep a small temp guage inside and check it every hour or so.
Reply With Quote
Reply
Page 1 of 2 1 2

« Previous Thread | Next Thread »

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 Registered Users and/or Members and 1 guests)
 

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
12V mini-cool box Em and Hame Equipping the Bike - what's the best gear? 4 24 Nov 2009 03:58
Travelling with drugs bigj Staying Healthy on the Road 9 3 Jun 2009 13:36
which bike ? or more important where to buy it? baror Which Bike? 3 11 Apr 2009 20:40
Getting drugs in Mexico dunkee Staying Healthy on the Road 1 23 Mar 2006 04:38

 
 

Announcements

Thinking about traveling? Not sure about the whole thing? Watch the HU Achievable Dream Video Trailers and then get ALL the information you need to get inspired and learn how to travel anywhere in the world!

Have YOU ever wondered who has ridden around the world? We did too - and now here's the list of Circumnavigators!
Check it out now, and add your information if we didn't find you.

Next HU Eventscalendar

ALL Dates subject to change.

2025 Confirmed Events:

  • Virginia: April 24-27 2025
  • Queensland is back! May 2-4 2025
  • Germany Summer: May 29-June 1 2025
  • CanWest: July 10-13 2025
  • Switzerland: Date TBC
  • Ecuador: Date TBC
  • Romania: Date TBC
  • Austria: Sept. 11-15
  • California: September 18-21
  • France: September 19-21 2025
  • Germany Autumn: Oct 30-Nov 2 2025

Add yourself to the Updates List for each event!

Questions about an event? Ask here

See all event details

 
World's most listened to Adventure Motorbike Show!
Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...

Adventurous Bikers – We've got all your Hygiene & Protection needs SORTED! Powdered Hair & Body Wash, Moisturising Cream Insect Repellent, and Moisturising Cream Sunscreen SPF50. ESSENTIAL | CONVENIENT | FUNCTIONAL.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.

"Ultimate global guide for red-blooded bikers planning overseas exploration. Covers choice & preparation of best bike, shipping overseas, baggage design, riding techniques, travel health, visas, documentation, safety and useful addresses." Recommended. (Grant)



Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance.

Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance™ combines into a single integrated program the best evacuation and rescue with the premier travel insurance coverages designed for adventurers.

Led by special operations veterans, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, paramedics and other travel experts, Ripcord is perfect for adventure seekers, climbers, skiers, sports enthusiasts, hunters, international travelers, humanitarian efforts, expeditions and more.

Ripcord travel protection is now available for ALL nationalities, and travel is covered on motorcycles of all sizes!


 

What others say about HU...

"This site is the BIBLE for international bike travelers." Greg, Australia

"Thank you! The web site, The travels, The insight, The inspiration, Everything, just thanks." Colin, UK

"My friend and I are planning a trip from Singapore to England... We found (the HU) site invaluable as an aid to planning and have based a lot of our purchases (bikes, riding gear, etc.) on what we have learned from this site." Phil, Australia

"I for one always had an adventurous spirit, but you and Susan lit the fire for my trip and I'll be forever grateful for what you two do to inspire others to just do it." Brent, USA

"Your website is a mecca of valuable information and the (video) series is informative, entertaining, and inspiring!" Jennifer, Canada

"Your worldwide organisation and events are the Go To places to for all serious touring and aspiring touring bikers." Trevor, South Africa

"This is the answer to all my questions." Haydn, Australia

"Keep going the excellent work you are doing for Horizons Unlimited - I love it!" Thomas, Germany

Lots more comments here!



Five books by Graham Field!

Diaries of a compulsive traveller
by Graham Field
Book, eBook, Audiobook

"A compelling, honest, inspiring and entertaining writing style with a built-in feel-good factor" Get them NOW from the authors' website and Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Amazon.co.uk.



Back Road Map Books and Backroad GPS Maps for all of Canada - a must have!

Your ad could be here, on EVERY page of the HUBB, or the whole website, or as many as you like!

New to Horizons Unlimited?

New to motorcycle travelling? New to the HU site? Confused? Too many options? It's really very simple - just 4 easy steps!

Horizons Unlimited was founded in 1997 by Grant and Susan Johnson following their journey around the world on a BMW R80G/S.

Susan and Grant Johnson Read more about Grant & Susan's story

Membership - help keep us going!

Horizons Unlimited is not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown what started as a hobby in 1997 into a full time job (usually 8-10 hours per day and 7 days a week) and a labour of love. To keep it going and a roof over our heads, we run events all over the world with the help of volunteers; we sell inspirational and informative DVDs; we have a few selected advertisers; and we make a small amount from memberships.

You don't have to be a Member to come to an HU meeting, access the website, or ask questions on the HUBB. What you get for your membership contribution is our sincere gratitude, good karma and knowing that you're helping to keep the motorcycle travel dream alive. Contributing Members and Gold Members do get additional features on the HUBB. Here's a list of all the Member benefits on the HUBB.



All times are GMT +1. The time now is 16:54.

Contact Us - Horizons Unlimited Motorcycle Travellers Website - Archive - Privacy Statement - Top