Setting up a commercial chest freezer for at-ready ice baths

My recommendations

My response to a recent inquiry from a former participant in my Wim Hof Method workshops. Richard has been buying ice for cold water exposure, which can become rather expensive over time.

There are two general ways to create an ice bath. While both require a vessel such as a tub to hold water, the first method requires access to a couple of hundred pounds of ice either via your own ice machine or purchase of ice (Costco is the best place I’ve found with $2.99 for 20lbs of ice, followed by The Dollar Store with $0.99 for 7lbs of ice. Either way, you’re investing $30 plus dollars for ice each time). This method requires low entry cost since you’re spending around $30 or so for a bath, but costs more in the long run since you’ll have to buy ice every time.

The second method has a larger upfront cost for investing and converting a chest freezer into at-ready cold water. Your upfront costs will be under a $1,000 which is an investment, but if you plan on making ice baths part of your lifestyle, I believe this is the way to go. Here are the general steps and recommendations:

Cost of buying one-use ice is absolutely a factor and yes, pivoted from buying ice to investing in a 14 cubic foot freezer that I then waterproofed and use for at-ready cold water.

Few things I learned along the way that I can pass on:

1. Get at least 14 cubic feet in space -- you'll still have to bend your knees but will be comfortable. Anything smaller will also work but you'll have to clamshell yourself to fit and comfort will be an issue. 14cuft is the magic size I believe. I bought mine through HomeDepot and it cost me just under $500 delivered.

2. Invest in good water sealants and avoid silicone because it tends to get soft over time at low temperatures and will leak. I use the combination of Flex Seal, Marine boat sealant, and also a water proof Flex Seal spray paint to cover all the edges on the bottom and all sides of the freezer including the outlet hole and cover that some freezers come with, designed to let accumulated water out from the bottom.
   
   Overdue the water sealing part and be sure allow ample time for drying (usually 24-48 hours) between coats. The tendency and desire might be to fill it up immediately upon purchase, but give yourself the few days to set it up properly with sealants because if not done properly you'll have to drain, then let dry, strip off the damage area, and repeat the sealing process all over. Do this right and you'll be trouble free.  
   
   It's also important to think through where you want to position the freezer for best use and for protecting it. I initially had mine outside where it was exposed to the elements even though it was partially covered, but ended up moving it indoors to prolong life.
   

3. I recommend investing in a few items to address your electronics both for safety and functionally:

   1. Invest in a circuit breaker plug such as this one. This will go into the wall outlet or end of extension cord if you need to use one. This will be step 1 in your wiring safety. In case there is a short, this guy will break and save the house!

   2. I recommend investing in smart plugs such as this one that you can set a timer on and plug this into the above plug. My schedule is set to turn on the freezer and filter between 1-5am every day. I've set the freezer to as high (coldest) as possible, which normally freezes the water where the coils are with the ice sticking to the sides and/or bottom of the freezer. Having the filter come on at the same time moves the water around and minimizes ice sticking to these side walls.

   3. Plug into the smart plug a standard power strip panel, with or without surge protector for added protection. Plug the freezer and filter into the power strip and set your smart plug schedule.

   4. Invest in a good pond or aquarium filter. I use this one for just over $100.

4. Some people invest in a smart thermometer that turns on the freezer to keep the temp at desired range but I don't go this route. I've learned to adjust the ON times at various times of seasons to get my temp below 40 which is where I like it -- mid 30's is magic for me!

5. You can also invest in a digital thermometer to gauge the temp if you like.

6. Couple of other tips I'll share are:

   1. When you fill the freezer, fill it up just a little bit and let it sit for a few hours to check for any potential drips. It's better to catch any holes before you fill it up all the way.

   2. Once all the checks have been passed, meaning no leaks or holes, then fill up no more than 1/2 way. Then add about 150 lbs of ice to bring the temperature down before turning the freezer on. This helps save the motor from working overtime and saves electricity as well. Do this every time you clean and refill the freezer.

   3. Cleaning depends on usage. The more you use it the more often you'll have to clean it. I clean mine about once a month.

   4. I add about 1/2 bottle (about 12 ounces) of hydrogen peroxide upon fill to help the water stay cleaner.

7. Last tip, safety wise always ensure no electronics are on before getting into the freezer. The chance for shorts & electrocution are always present so make sure things are turned off.

That's about it. There are loads of videos on YouTube with various methods. It may be worthwhile to pull one up and check it out.

Hope this helps!