old refrigerator in the cold of winter.

[greenboy]

My nei, has an old refrigerator, in the back porch, is not hook to the electric power, he told me from November to february, he unplug his "inside" refrigerator and keep the one outside with all necessities, the only problem is when he needs something he has to use a coat to go and get it. What are you guys thinking abuout this?

[WanderingOak]

I used to keep an old Servel fridge outside. I would use it on propane when the weather was warm, but when it cooled down, I would let the outside cool it. It was a PITA to put my shoes on to go to the 'fridge, but I got used to it. I had a pond to keep the beer cool, so I had to take my shoes off to grab a cold one.

[silentcrow]

It might work on the "decent" days, but I had to shut my egg fridge down and bring them in. Even in a sheltered spot on the porch, the eggs were freezing in the fridge. The temps. would be a major factor, to me.

[uncle Will in In.]

We have an old non working fridge in the garage. We use it to store potatoes, cabbage, apples and pop all winter. I bought a plugin that contains a thermostat. I ran a cord into the fridge where I placed the plug and hooked it to a lightbulb. The plug turns on a 35 degrees and off at 42 degrees. A 100 watt bulb keeps the fridge from freezing all winter with temps near zero. Cost around $10. Check Farm stores for these plugs. There are many places where they might be handy in cold weather.

[Qwispea]

I've often thought about trying this very thing..using an old fridge outside to keep things cold..but I guess I always thought that the insulating properties of the fridge construction would keep it from getting very cold inside it.

Guess I was wrong! ..and now perhaps I'll once again consider the idea.

Thanks.

[FrankTheTank]

UncleWill~ VERY good idea! Kudos to you! I just read that apples should be kept near 32F, but i know that potatoes, if kept cold, turn sweet? i KEEP mine in the basement (roughly 50F) and they've been fine now since September...very few have sprouted roots or anything, and no rotting!

[Jillis]

That's good to know. Someone gave us an old fridge and I was planning to use it for the eggs and goat's milk, but with the subzero temps we haven't known where to put it.
Right now it's by our front door...you're not a Vermonter if you don't have at least one appliance in your dooryard...

[Ed Norman]

This morning I went out to my camp, to get ready to take it out this afternoon. In the fridge, there was an exploded 2 litre pop bottle. It was also frozen again, so cleanup wasn't too bad. Our low so far this year was about -25F.

I like Uncle Will's idea, alot.

[minnikin1]

How do you keep it from getting the weird smell and getting too warm?

[windmillacres]

I was saying to my Dad just yesterday- why couldn't I keep a frig unplugged on my back porch and he said because it would get too cold and stuff would freeze. But now with the thermostat idea and light bulb, then it wouldn't! Would it have to be 100 watt? And I take it one of those enregy effecient flourescents wouldn't work because they don't produce enough heat. Wouldn't a small old chest freezer do the same trick since its not actually plugged in? Kat

[greenboy]

Put baking soda in your fridge and everything will be close to Paradise.

[Cabin Fever]

Originally Posted by greenboy

My nei, has an old refrigerator, in the back porch, is not hook to the electric power, he told me from November to february, he unplug his "inside" refrigerator and keep the one outside with all necessities, the only problem is when he needs something he has to use a coat to go and get it. What are you guys thinking abuout this?

I think your nei is a whimp. We keep our firewood on the porch all winter long. We never put on a coat to go fetch an armload of firewood. We just tough it out. Your nei ought to toughen up and forget the coat.

BTW, what's an nei?

[seedspreader]

lol this thread is over a year and a half old.

[mwhit]

Originally Posted by Cabin Fever

I think your nei is a whimp. We keep our firewood on the porch all winter long. We never put on a coat to go fetch an armload of firewood. We just tough it out.

I agree-- whimp! I go out on the porch to get firewood in my socks with no coat even when -30. I've even been known to go to the woodshed with no coat to grab wood in the bitter cold.

Michelle

[mwhit]

Originally Posted by ZealYouthGuy

lol this thread is over a year and a half old.

Boy do I feel silly!!

[Ed Norman]

You realize this is a one and a half year old thread bumped for no obvious reason?

[Cabin Fever]

WHo ever reads dates on threads?

(I guess I will from now one....)

[willow_girl]

Well I'm glad it was, because it gave me a great idea!

I have to run 300 feet of hose this winter to water my livestock, and I don't really have a heated place (except inside my trailer) to thaw a hose if it freezes.

However, I DO have an old refrigerator out in the barn (that I was going to haul away with some trash) and I could put a lightbulb in it, and use it as a thaw box in the event of an emergency.

Voila!