FRH salt trick.

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Cookoff013
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FRH salt trick.

Post by Cookoff013 » Sun Jul 21, 2019 7:31 am

Hi guys,
I know that its popular to add salt to the FRH to help it along. But doing this, would it be advisable to add a little more water? My logic would be that the extra liquid would help get the electrolyte there, the frh components only have a certain amount of energy to give up.

Any input appreciated
"Yeah, I can eat that" - cookoff013 2018
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RockyRaab
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Re: FRH salt trick.

Post by RockyRaab » Sun Jul 21, 2019 7:56 am

It's best to add salt water, not just dry salt, for the very reason you state. You need very little. I carry a Visine squeeze bottle of salt water in case my FRH is lazy. About half of that is plenty most of the time. If not, the FRH is well and truly moribund. (And in a pinch, I can still use the salt water in my eyes, too.)
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Mpitt
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Re: FRH salt trick.

Post by Mpitt » Mon Jul 22, 2019 8:13 pm

RockyRaab wrote:
Sun Jul 21, 2019 7:56 am
(And in a pinch, I can still use the salt water in my eyes, too.)
Don't forget that it also works quite well directly applied to your enemies wounds. :lol:

bognog
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Re: FRH salt trick.

Post by bognog » Wed Aug 21, 2019 6:34 am

+1 for the salt trick. Most FRHs barely get the ration lukewarm. Put in the salt from your accessory packet and you'll have to see what happens next.

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mikeoverhere
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Re: FRH salt trick.

Post by mikeoverhere » Wed Aug 21, 2019 12:51 pm

Why must US FRH's suck so badly? Fresh FRH's I get from pretty much any other country are incredible, far more action than a US FRH. The US FRH's could also use a slightly bigger bag (again, like almost all other countries do). I find I often have to use Gundog's trick, take the element out and put it and all the components to be heated into the main ration pouch which has enough room.
Last edited by mikeoverhere on Wed Aug 21, 2019 5:51 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Smitty
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Re: FRH salt trick.

Post by Smitty » Wed Aug 21, 2019 1:01 pm

Luckily, Rocky Raab came out swinging at the MRE meet up and delivered this awesome little presentation.

All the best, Gents.

- I'm also making videos mainly for my own enjoyment, but hey, maybe you might want to check them out: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4-9gp ... C1dSyPX0w/

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mikeoverhere
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Re: FRH salt trick.

Post by mikeoverhere » Wed Aug 21, 2019 6:02 pm

I watched the video and I have to say I have a few issues with that methodology. 1) If you put the element into a larger bag, adding a little more water then tipping the bag over and sloshing the water around is usually plenty sufficient to wet the entire element, and the steam won't leave anything dry. I've never had a problem using a larger bag which at times I find necessary. I don't always have a sleeve for the main, and I often want to heat up more than just the main so there is not enough room in the sleeve. Putting the food pouch inside the bag is more effective because the steam transfers a great deal of heat around the entire pouch. Using it as just a heating element the pouch is sitting on only heats one side. He is right about one thing for sure, add water last, not first.

Everyone to their own method but I will always prefer putting the component(s) in the bag, and sometimes using a larger bag. The steam will heat all sides and multiple components. When using a larger bag, I just put a little more water in it and slosh it around, never having problems with activation. I just wish they made the element larger/more robust, and put it in a larger bag, no need for a sleeve - this is what other countries do and their FRH's have always been superior in my experience.
Socrate's last words: "I drank what?"

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RockyRaab
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Re: FRH salt trick.

Post by RockyRaab » Wed Aug 21, 2019 6:52 pm

Putting the retort pouch inside the FRH puts it in contact with all those "Do Not Consume" chemicals, though. That's the main reason I stopped doing that. There's enough direct conduction to heat the whole retort, if you flip it over midway - and you can't do that if the retort is inside the FRH. I didn't get to do it in the presentation, but there's plenty of room in a sleeve to get a main and a side or a main and a bev bag. If you want to heat more than that, go ahead and use the outer pouch, but leave the heating element inside the FRH bag for best results. With the heating element sandwiched between two items, the water doesn't get to it very well if the heating element isn't in its bag. The hot steam gets everywhere, no matter what.

I appreciate the reply. I've found what works best for me, and hope you have, too.
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mikeoverhere
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Re: FRH salt trick.

Post by mikeoverhere » Thu Aug 22, 2019 2:13 am

I understand and respect that. I just wipe it off, not hazardous if you don't consume, and then eat the inside. If it's in the pouch, no need to flip because the heat surrounds the product. I agree the element between the components is no bueno. I find most components in US MRE's are better when heated, at least the main and any bread, tortilla, or baked pasty type stuff - so I am often heating more than one thing. I still find the steam is what makes it far more effective but my way isn't the only way. I appreciate your video and technique. I think maybe the best answer is a new pouch system where there is an inner bag you put your contents in, and the element stays in the outer bag with a vent. That way the steam can surround the component, but not touch it. Also, make the friggen element bigger and more reactive, and the bag larger. Or, a long element that can wrap around the component which is then stuck in the sleeve to keep it wrapped. Lord knows our FRH is pretty weak, it could use a double sized element and one that wraps would eliminate having to flip the component. Some countries get wise and stick the element itself into it's own pouch so how about a mylar layered sealed pouch you remove the element from and throw into the bag so the element doesn't go stale? BTW, in Alaska, sometimes you are heating in a super cold environment so while one side might be heating, the other is freezing. I watched a friend bust out an MRE at -20F, heat it, and eat it. Pretty hard core.
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RockyRaab
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Re: FRH salt trick.

Post by RockyRaab » Thu Aug 22, 2019 8:29 am

Right with you, mike. I called them Fail to Really Heat in the presentation, and that's pretty much the truth. Using salty water kicks them into another gear, or revives an old one to an extent, but the current FRH is marginal at best. For many reasons, including size of the bag.

Those mylar sheets I gave out really help. Any kind of insulation helps, actually. The main points of my presentation were: No food in the FRH, use salty water, flip the food, and insulate. Those are the steps that work best for me.

Eat well, my friend.
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