Keeping a freezer outside in the Winter?

sagecreek · #1 06/05/06, 04:08 PM

I live in Northern Idaho and it can get pretty cold in the Winter. Would I have any problems with keeping a chest freezer in our un-insulated shop?

I have a refrigerator with a freezer on the top in the same shop, and I had it full of chicken over the Winter. I didn't check on it very often and when I did this Spring, all of the chicken had black mold on it! And it was frozen solid!

Any ideas what happened?

Scott

seedspreader · #2 06/05/06, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sagecreek

I live in Northern Idaho and it can get pretty cold in the Winter. Would I have any problems with keeping a chest freezer in our un-insulated shop?

I have a refrigerator with a freezer on the top in the same shop, and I had it full of chicken over the Winter. I didn't check on it very often and when I did this Spring, all of the chicken had black mold on it! And it was frozen solid!

Any ideas what happened?

Scott

black mold had moisture that was not frozen at somepoint. My guess is that your fridge has a "self defrost" mechanism and shouldn't be kept someplace that gets cold because it will heat itself up.

Same thing with the freezer as long as it doesn't have the self defrost you can keep it outside where the temps rise and fall, but not if it has the self defrost...

SquashNut · #3 06/05/06, 04:34 PM

we have a small chest freezer on our back pourch, been there for 10-15 years. No Problem. But it does not have any defrost settings.

sagecreek · #4 06/05/06, 05:11 PM

Thanks, thats great information! I would have naturally bought the frost free freezer if you hadn't warned me!

Scott

hunter63 · #5 06/06/06, 08:31 PM

If it get too cold the compressor will not start, it will try, but will go out on thermal-overload. When it resets and it gets warmer out, it will start up again, which is why the moldy stuff was frozen.
Most refrig's and freezers are not equipped for low ambient temps (outside), they need a case heater and a fan control.

Commercial units are equipped for this, as they run all year.

My freezer in the garage S.W. WI, has a 100 watt lite bulb, tucked in buy the compressor, seems to work o.k.

terri46355 · #6 06/06/06, 08:45 PM

The suggestion to get a regular freezer is right on.

I, too, have a chest freezer in my unheated garage year round. It is over 30 years old and works great in both summer and winter. The frost free freezers tend to thaw the food slightly during the cycle and cause freezer burn. This happens only when I put things in the refrigerator freezer.