Cheap Chest Refrigerator

I know many of you on this forum are very energy-conscious, and some are even off-grid. I came across this refrigerator made from a chest freezer... one that's much cheaper to operate than a conventional refrigerator.

It makes a lot of sense when you think about how heat rises. Look at the grocery store chest freezers in the aisles, the ones with no 'cover'... they stay cold because the cold air is heavier than the ambient room air. But with an upright refrigerator or freezer, the cold air spills out every time you open the door.

The man who made this one just turned off the freezer thermostat in a small chest freezer, and installed an external thermostat with the temperature range for a fridge rather than a freezer.

This link below has only a short blip about it... BUT over on the right, under the photo, is a link to download the full article PDF, which is very comprehensive, unlike the explanation on the page.
http://www.mtbest.net/chest_fridge.html

I came across the initial info in a blog by a couple who had converted an elderly chest freezer, and used it for four years before it died. Unfortunately I didn't bookmark the blog.

I can see many uses for one although it may be awkward for daily use as a fridge for a family. I'm thinking something like using one as a "root cellar atmosphere" where someone could store foods over winter in lieu of having a root cellar. I also think one could be used to age homemade cheese or smoked sausages...


This message was edited Sep 19, 2010 9:29 AM

Thanks, darius. I know a couple of people who can really put this technique to good use.

Pretty cool!

It just occurred to me that it would also be perfect for the 1-2 weeks' necessary to immerse pork bellies in a refrigerated cure to make bacon, or brisket for pastrami. Those larger containers would take up SO much room in the shared refrigerator in my household that I have avoided doing it thus far.

The new chest freezer I bought recently says it will not work in temperatures of less than about 40ºF, but a converted chest freezer body could be used on the porch (or garage if we had one) for short-term 'curing' a good portion of the year, I think.

They don't explain what they mean by 'not work' in low temps... is it efficiency? Not enough side-wall insulation? Shuts off completely, or maybe only struggles to freeze? I also have to consider the different temps between freezing and just chilling...

kewl info, that's the main info i used here, a chest type freezer, with external thermostat an made it into a fridge, if you set it correctly you can still freeze foods on the bottom foot or so of it .. an not freeze your milk or eggs etc. on top or in the basket ..

Yeah, Sailor... I had you pegged as having already made one!

yeah i took the easy way out, simple plug n play but wow does it save lots of power.

i got a simple external thermostat from a micro brewing company, plug it into the wall, plug your freezer into it .. drop the temp probe down into the freezer an set the therostat to the temp u want it to be and there u have it .. a simple freezer to fridge coversion. for about 50 bucks and no rippin out ur freezers curcits an rewirein stuff.

That's exactly what the Australian man did... in the link I posted above. He did add a counter between the wall socket and unit to actually measure consumption but that's the only difference.

works like a charm too.. normal operations a freezer thermostat will not let u raise the temps to above 20 deg. F with this thermostat i can go down to 20F or up to 45F. keepin mine set at 28 deg. i can still freeze on the bottom layer an not freeze my milk or eggs or other things above it. also .. it would run about 50 mins every two hours before the conversion .. an now from 6 to 10 mins. every hour. saves alot of power when ur on solar alone an off grid.

Darius, you always find the coolest links! I didn't click on any of the other links on that page to learn more. After Sailors explanation, it couldn't be any easier.