Kitchen Large Electric Appliances - using a chest freezer outdoors
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jayvee
12-09-04, 09:32 AM
Are there concerns about installing a chest freezer in an unheated garage? Might cold winter temps and high summer temps cause problems with the compresor? I think that it is recommended that freezers be placed in a locations with constant temperatures, but I can't do that. Any thoughts?
nomind
12-09-04, 12:08 PM
We've done this (except it's on a covered patio) for 4 years. Temp. here varies from about 20 F to about 100-105 in summer. Haven't noticed any problems yet. :cool:
dougm
12-10-04, 09:42 AM
Some newer units will not run in below freezing conditions. High temp conditions will work the compressor (and the electric bill) hard. If you have no choice, a lot of people put freezers in the garage, but it's really not a great idea. Make sure the freezer you use has a high interior temp alarm in case it doesn't work in the cold or can't keep up in the heat. Otherwise the food could warm to an unsafe level and refreeze once the freezer catches up and you would never know it. Good recipe for food poisoning.
Doug M.
Doug M.
Randy Mallory
12-10-04, 10:33 AM
jayvee,
A freezer, especially a manual defrost variety, will probably do ok in a garage. I have had one in my garage for over 20 years and the only time I have had any problem was when the wife defrosted it on a very hot day. When she turned it back on, it really struggled to cool back down again. I had to aim a fan at it for an hour or so until it caught up, then all was well.
One thing you may have heard is that a automatic defrost refrigerator/freezer will probably have difficulty at low temperatures. In most, the primary temperature control is in the refrigerator. If the garage temperature is at or below the target refrigerator temperature, the compressor won't ever turn on. Your freezer won't like that.
One more thing...If your house isn't very old, the receptacles in the garage are probably GFCI protected. This is not a good situation for a freezer. If it trips and you aren't aware of it, you lose food.
Have a good weekend,
A freezer, especially a manual defrost variety, will probably do ok in a garage. I have had one in my garage for over 20 years and the only time I have had any problem was when the wife defrosted it on a very hot day. When she turned it back on, it really struggled to cool back down again. I had to aim a fan at it for an hour or so until it caught up, then all was well.
One thing you may have heard is that a automatic defrost refrigerator/freezer will probably have difficulty at low temperatures. In most, the primary temperature control is in the refrigerator. If the garage temperature is at or below the target refrigerator temperature, the compressor won't ever turn on. Your freezer won't like that.
One more thing...If your house isn't very old, the receptacles in the garage are probably GFCI protected. This is not a good situation for a freezer. If it trips and you aren't aware of it, you lose food.
Have a good weekend,