Chest Freezers

[Industrial Toys]

I have never owned a chest freezer before. Nor has anyone in my family.

So I finally bought a small one. Danby, maybe three feet long.

I put the laser thermometer on the interior some time ago and was very surprised to see it at something like -20C.

So several quesitons.

What is the best temperature for frozen food? Prepared meals, steak, hamburger, that kind of thing?


I want to put in a temperature monitor connected to an alarm system.

What is the best location for a probe, as far as accurate temperature or best location for alarming purposes.

Typically, where could one safely pop a small hole through the side for the probe cable? Maybe 1/8" diameter. It there anything in the sides?

Thanks for the input.

Oh, also, does one typically have to defrost a freezer? This one is looking like it could use a defrosting.

 

[Diggin It]

I have a Frigidaire .... 7.5 CuFt I think, probably got it over 15 years ago. Needs to be defrosted about once a year. Usually maintains 0 degrees or so.


I have a cheap probe in it. Uses a sensor on a thin wire about the size of what earbuds use. Goes under the door seal with no problem. LCD display mounts on the wall behind.

 

[rekees4300]

Best temperature is 0F. Defrosting is necessary, watch for ice buildup on the inside walls. There are wireless thermometers available with alarms (battery operated), no wiring or probe holes needed.

Amazon: Refrigerator Freezer Thermometer by eTHERMOMETER - Includes 2 Wireless Temperature Sensors and 1 Indoor Digital Display with Built-In Alarm - Batteries Included

 

[Industrial Toys]

Thanks. I'm curious if some are frost free. Can't see many people be willing to do that.

 

[Diggin It]

Mine isn't hard to defrost. I unplug it and leave the top open for a while. Sometimes pour a little hot tap water between the walls and ice until the chunks break free. Toss those in the laundry tub to melt.

Mine's almost empty right now though. Stuff in the bottom was getting old and had to be used. I stopped buying until I used most of it and could move the rest to the refrigerator/freezer. Now it's time to start watching sales to fill it again.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I think, my Dad (and he still has his 1950s fridge) used to melt the ice and save it for batteries.

 

[Diggin It]

Not sure if it would be distilled, but it would be free of utility added chemicals.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

You don't want a frost free chest freezer!

What you put in it, won't last near as long in a frost free.

SR

 

[Industrial Toys]

It is one good reason to own a freezer, as the frost free fridge freezer is not great.

I believe the ice water to be totally distilled. It is only water vapour condensed.

 

[MossRoad]

We have a large chest freezer. I think it's 10 years old and we've only defrosted it once or twice that I recall. That was after we packed it too high, one corner of the lid didn't close, we didn't notice it, and it let air in, which froze to the sides on a surprisingly short amount of time. Built up about 2" thick ice starting about 6" below the edge and extending down about a foot. We defrost ours in the dead of winter, so that we can just put any food in it into bags and boxes and set them in the garage and they won't thaw. Then we unplug it and let it sit with the lid open for an hour or two. Then the ice just pops off the sides with a push of the hand. Pick it all up in a bucket or two, wipe it out with a clean rag, turn it back on and restock it. Easy peasy.

Hope that helps.

 

[MossRoad]

We had an upright chest freezer for about 15 years. While it was much easier to see what was in it, it was much harder to pack full, and every time you opened it, all the cold air would fall out onto the floor. It would start up every time you opened and closed it. The chest doesn't do that, and it's also easier to pack full.

 

[Diggin It]

I believe the ice water to be totally distilled. It is only water vapour condensed.

Yes, but it can have bits of gunk in it, so it would need to be filtered or strained at least.

 

[Industrial Toys]

More food for the batteries!

I never understood why distilled fluid is supposed to be pure, but alcohol is distilled and is not just water.

 

[PILOON]

We have a huge one, 20 CF, I think. Chest style.
It must be 22 years old.
This time of year is when we defrost as it is like -25 outside so we simply store outside while we defrost.
Sure makes taking advantage of discounts and sales worth while.
You'll notice certain foods go on sale in regular cycles with best deals the week BEFORE welfare checks are issued.
Usually we mark date on perishables with felt marker.
One good example is turkeys that get heavily discounted after Xmas and thanksgiving.
That old (now ugly)* freezer owes me nothing.

*ugly as the surface has been used as a work top for so many projects. (For a long time it served as my shipping station for EBay sales.)
Shucks my wife often uses it as an ironing board.

Being rural I even buy bread 6 at a time. When cheese is on sale at Cosco I get 2 or 3.
Same for ice cream.

Big consideration is the possible loss from a hydro outage but my reliable gen set covers that.

 

[Industrial Toys]

That was my justification for the extra power useage. I guess in the winter it just puts a bit of heat in the house. It hasn't happened yet, but i guess you could waste money by frost bite if you don't watch your inventory. We try and make a list once in a while what's in there.

 

[fried1765]

I have never owned a chest freezer before. Nor has anyone in my family.

So I finally bought a small one. Danby, maybe three feet long.

I put the laser thermometer on the interior some time ago and was very surprised to see it at something like -20C.

So several quesitons.

What is the best temperature for frozen food? Prepared meals, steak, hamburger, that kind of thing?


I want to put in a temperature monitor connected to an alarm system.

What is the best location for a probe, as far as accurate temperature or best location for alarming purposes.

Typically, where could one safely pop a small hole through the side for the probe cable? Maybe 1/8" diameter. It there anything in the sides?

Thanks for the input.

Oh, also, does one typically have to defrost a freezer? This one is looking like it could use a defrosting.

So.... did you know, that if you should ever want to, (game cooler? beer/wine cooler? etc.), you can use that chest freezer as a refrigerator instead?

Yup! On Amazon you can buy a "Johnson Controls A19AAT-2C Freezer Temperature Controller".
Whenever you want, you can hang the probe in your freezer and set the controller for a temp anywhere between 20F and 80F (though there is no heat source included).

I have one for my 8 cuft. chest freezer......oh, no....then it's not a freezer....it's a refrigerator.....but only when I want it to be.
Great little device. $62.21 (USD) on Amazon.

 

[Industrial Toys]

My lady friends poor cat died last spring and spring was slow coming, so I couldn't bury it. Built a casket and entombed it in a snowbank until that melted. Then a friend was moving so I got a large chest freezer as a morgue. Finally buried the poor thing and gave the big freezer to my neighbor who uses it for something in his Honey Bee Business.

 

[MossRoad]

We've kept dead pets in the freezer during inclimate weather or when the ground was frozen too deep to dig a hole. But for the past 10-15 years, it hasn't gotten cold enough for the frost to go more than a foot into the ground. A pickax makes short work of it before we hit soft dirt. To think the frost line specs around here are something like 38".... haven't seen that in many, many years.

 

[rangerfredbob]

A chest freezer is better for the reasons mentioned above, but I don't have the room for that but found a 70's or 80's era upright for $15 at a garage sale 3 years ago, works like a charm and lets us keep some extra stuff around.

 

[Lnk]

Pretty funny this topic showed up today. Last year wife and I bought half a cow from the neighbors, picked it up from the processer and had plenty of room in our 15 cu. Ft. Chest freezer. We though, we could fit 3 times as much in there. Yesterday went to processer to pick up a whole cow, (the half cow lasted 6 months), and it wouldn't fit. Had to run out and buy an additional 7 cu ft freezer.

Needless to say, the cows were not the same size:laughing:. Guess I need to pay more attention and ask questions...��