Glenn, here's a solution complicated enough to appeal to you ;-):

Let the cold box drain into another insulated tank/box whose function is to
pre-chill warm beers. You could get every last BTU out of that ice before it's
drained.
Don't some air heat exchangers work this way?

Jim,

Really like that solution for ice boxes. Have always hated to discard ice
cold water, and prechilling the beer will certainly help out ice life.
All those who stayed awake during high-school physics will recognize that
adding 4 cans of beer to an ice box will result in the melting of a beer can
sized block of ice - even without any heat transmission through the walls or
floor of the box. Cool your beer first, and you might be able to put a dozen
in for the same ice use. Thats energy conservation where it counts!

surfnturf

"Jim Conlin" wrote in message
...
Glenn, here's a solution complicated enough to appeal to you ;-):

Let the cold box drain into another insulated tank/box whose function is
to
pre-chill warm beers. You could get every last BTU out of that ice before
it's
drained.
Don't some air heat exchangers work this way?