Chest freezer ?s

[Sikafishn]

So many threads...Not sure if this has been addressed.  Been finding interesting vids on converting 110v chest freezers...3.5 ft... into serviceable and economical refers. At twice the volume for half the price I would think someone out there might have a thought or two on their experience with this. I guess my main concern would be would a 200ah solar system be able to handle it?

 

[John61CT]

Yes if in a consistently sunny place and season.

There are threads where the inverter is powered on and off by a 12V thermostat.

 

[DLTooley]

Which is the best video on the topic?

 

[MrNoodly]

What are the dimensions of the freezer and what do you want to put it in?

 

[Sikafishn]

Not sure if this is the best vid or what dimensions I'd be working with but here's one that sheds a little light. Was also thinking if one wanted to freeze why couldn't  you keep a couple jugs of water in there to freeze and stick one in a cooler for non freezables and just switch em out as needed. Would help keep the freezer from cycling more if more space was taken up with ice jugs as stuff was used up. Was visited last night by a couple that are old desert veterans and he made the observation that gas refrigeration doesn't  work so well above a certain elevation...Think he said 3500 ft. Or more.

 

[John61CT]

Note they convert a freezer **box** better insulated

into use as a fridge.

A big freezer requires a **lot** of power running off solar, like 4-6x compared to fridge temps.

 

[Sikafishn]

Not sure but if a freezer is down to temp the draw falls off and my jug idea, maybe 4 on the bottom to freeze for the cooler and even one at a time out to thaw and provide a nice cold drink from time to time and help keep the space colder, might be worth considering. Thoughts?

 

[B and C]

Was visited last night by a couple that are old desert veterans and he made the observation that gas refrigeration doesn't  work so well above a certain elevation...Think he said 3500 ft. Or more.

If he was talking about gas absorption fridges, they work extremely well (even at altitude).  I have camped at over 10K feet and nary a trouble with mine.  If he was having trouble at that low altitude, the gas orifice was clogged or the airport (they are adjustable) was incorrectly adjusted.  Maybe even a clogged burner.

I clean the burner bi-annually and have never had to adjust the airport (other than a visual inspection to make sure no critters are in there) regardless of altitude.  Spiders and other critters like to get in that airport and cause (clogged) trouble too.

 

[John61CT]

Not sure but if a freezer is down to temp the draw falls off and my jug idea, maybe 4 on the bottom to freeze for the cooler and even one at a time out to thaw and provide a nice cold drink from time to time and help keep the space colder, might be worth considering. Thoughts?

No even the most efficient freezers consume **lots** more per 24hrs than fridges, even loading their contents already fully frozen, colder than target temp. That is just physics, unavoidable.

If you need to run a freezer 24*7 anyway, then sizing it a little bit bigger to accommodate a "polar tubes" concept, or using them to fill up empty space is fine.

But not a sound strategy for keeping a cooler at food-safe temps, and certainly not energy efficient.

However, using holding plates tech to capture "free excess" energy produced works very well, but such systems cost thousands.

 

[VanTalk00]

If you need to run a freezer 24*7 anyway, then sizing it a little bit bigger to accommodate a "polar tubes" concept, or using them to fill up empty space is fine.

What is the "polar tubes" concept?

Thanks!

 

[highdesertranger]

remember with any conversion of energy you have losses. no conversion is 100%. so if you are freezing something that's one conversion, then you put it into another cooler that's another conversion, they you put it back in the freezer that's another conversion. as you see this is adding up. you are better off just getting a efficient refrigerator. highdesertranger

 

[John61CT]

What is the "polar tubes" concept?

GIYF
Put

"polar tubes" cooler

into the google https://goo.gl/8hRK4r