FAQS
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
1) Why does Techni Ice last longer than regular Ice?
Answer: YES, ice melts at 33 degrees and turns into water. Techni Ice keeps releasing cold air up to room temperature (most refrigerators are set at 45 to 47 degrees. As long as your food and or your drinks are still cool & dry you can eat or drink them). Techni Ice can be frozen as low as your freezer temperature can go (40c if you have a deep freezer).
2) What is the difference between Techni Ice and Blue Ice?
Answer: Techni Ice can be used for heat also, blue ice can’t; Blue Ice is a liquid base while Techni Ice is a Polymer Crystal Base that will not stain or harm the environment or foods because it is similar to polymers that are used in baby diapers, and the Agricultural Industry uses them for holding water for plants.
Techni Ice sheets are made up of 24 individual cells; if one of the cells breaks you only lose the one cell with Blue Ice, if you puncture it, you lose the whole product.
Techni Ice creates a blanket of cool air while Blue Ice stays in one position in your cooler. Techni Ice is flexible and it can be wrapped around food or drink and thus produces a blanket of cool air, while blue ice stays in one location in your cooler. Since Techni Ice are individual cells when one cell goes from solid to gel it doesn’t melt the other cells. But when Blue Ice goes from solid to liquid the whole package chain-reacts and defrosts.
3) Why doesn’t the water come out of the cells?
Answer: The water enters the tiny holes per cell in Techni Ice and mixes with the crystals and becomes a polymer gel and thus the polymer gel has a bigger molecular make up and since the gel is bigger than the tiny cells, it won’t come out.
4) Will Techni Ice contaminate my food? Is it toxic?
Answer: No! It is a polymer crystal gel similar to what they use in baby diapers and is what the Agriculture Industry uses to hold water for vegetation. It is nature friendly and non-toxic. Place a dab on your tongue, rub it on your skin, it won’t hurt you!
5) Can you cut Techni Ice?
Answer: Absolutely! Remember, it’s flexible and adaptable. You can cut each sheet into 24 individual cells or any configuration that suites your needs. From a soda can to an aching neck, Techni-Ice fits! (Be sure to cut between the cells, not where the polymer gel is).
6) How do you activate Techni Ice?
Answer: You submerge It. in warm to hot water and scrunch it from side to side from top to bottom evenly. You do this for approximately 4 to 6 minutes or until hydrated (you should be able to put a thumbprint in each cell. The reason for the thumbprint is when you put anything into the freezer it expands 10%, so you must leave some room for expansion when frozen). If you over hydrate your Techni Ice, just lay it on a counter for 1 to 2 days or put it in the microwave a few times to dehydrate it.
7) How many sheets do I need?
Answer: You need one sheet per 8 Quarts of space in a cooler. An example is a 54-quart camping cooler needs 6 to 8 sheets to give the full cooling benefit of the Techni Ice. A day cooler needs 2 to 4 sheets, and a lunch box cooler needs only 1 to 2 sheets to keep your lunch cool all day.
8) How long does Techni Ice last?
Answer: It depends on how often you open and close your cooler, how many sheets you use, how cold you froze the Techni Ice (recommended time of freezing is 24 to 36 hours before using. The longer you freeze, the colder your freezer, the quality of your cooler, the longer it will last). A typical camping cooler with Techni Ice should give you 1 to 4 days approximately of lasting coolness, a day cooler will last a day, and a lunch box will last through a normal lunch period.
9) How often can you freeze Techni Ice and how durable is it?
Answer: Remember Techni-Ice is a replacement product Forget those messy water ice cubes that promptly melt and make a soggy mess in your cooler. You can freeze Techni Ice as often as you like. With proper use, you will have years of benefit from Techni Ice.
10) Can I use Techni Ice with Ice?
Answer: Yes, you could, but why bother? You must put either the Techni Ice or the ice in a waterproof bag so the water from the ice doesn’t melt onto the Techni Ice. If it does melt onto the Techni Ice the Techni Ice will absorb the liquid and melt quicker (It will also make the Techni Ice too full and when it expands in the freezer it will probably burst or split because it is too full).
11) How should I store the Techni Ice?
Answer: The best place to store the Techni Ice is in the freezer. However, If you have a frost-free freezer, it will most likely dehydrate a little. If this happens all you have to do is re-hydrate the sheets in warm to hot water again for just a few moments or until a thumbprint can be put in each cell. You can also store it in an open plastic bag and lay it on a shelf. It too will dehydrate eventually. All you have to do is re-hydrate again for a few minutes or until you can put a thumbprint in each cell
12) How do you heat Techni Ice?
Answer: Place it in a microwave oven for, to begin with, one minute. If you need it hotter, just add time to your microwave oven until you reach the desired temperature. It is recommended that, if frozen, defrost the Techni Ice first.
13) How should the Techni ice be placed in the cooler?
Answer: You can either put some on the bottom first, then circle the edges of the cooler or layer it with food, then add a layer of Techni Ice, then food, then Techni Ice, etc.
14) Why should I heat the Techni Ice?
Answer: You can make a hot pack for your body or use it to keep food warm. Be careful not to overheat Techni Ice; just like the baby’s bottle, touch it gently to your wrist and adjust the temperature as needed. Be sure to put a towel or clothe between the spot to be treated and the Techni-Ice. This way you will feel the benefit of warm heat without the discomfort of plastic on your skin.
If you have any other questions, please email us at info@techniiceonline.com or call us on 310-392-4608.