walk in freezer/cooler

[maleman]

I am like many on here,raising my own food,pork beef,produce etc,im looking for a walk in cooler/freezer,one or the other or both im not sure,as i wish to store and hang/process my own meat etc,what should i look for,questions to ask,and other then craigslist where to look,i wish to control the handling and storage of my food as well as selling said goods,any ideas.im in western oregon,outside of eugene springfield,what i really want to know is what to look for when discussing units,what info do i need to be a smart consumer,how can i find out about restaurant auctions,or some other venue where i might purchase.jamie

[jtsummie]

Check news paper adds for Restaurants that are going out of business. Usually they will have an equipment auction.

[||Downhome||]

there was a thread on this not long ago but your not the only one interested in having one.

some suggested a portable cooling unit like that used on a refrigerator truck,
and other like myself thought of using a large air conditioner or even a central air unit, for that you can get a modified or specialized thermostat (dont remeber the link to it)

one last option would be a Ice house with a cooler area.

I would suggest something like a root cellar and insulate it well, why a root cellar the ground stays about 50 degrees year round so your cooling unit and cooler space will not be subject to extremes in temp variation,why insulate well even though the ground is pretty temp stable it does act as a heat/cold sink and you will want your setup as effiecient as possiable.

I also considered a solar option wich works like a gas fridge on the absorbtion cycle little complicated and does need to be home built not aware of any viable commercial optiona nd would probably cost a fortune (there are cooling units like this just not anything like I would need)

[foxfiredidit]

Try this link.
www.storeitcold.com
If the link doesn't work, just type it in.

Anyway this looks like a great system that utilizes a cold storage unit powered by a window air conditioning unit interfaced with a computer gizmo that will cost much less. Also uses materials that should be locally available.

[plowjockey]

The cool-bot looks like it just tricks the window air conditioner, into running harder than it was designed to do. Many window units are not that great to start with anymore.

I would be suspect to using a window air conditioner to cool a walk-in cooler, in cold weather. They are not designed for such.

Commercial coolers have heavy duty compressors, with built-in strip heaters to keep the compressor functioning properly during very cold weather.

[Darren]

A freezer and a cooler are different. A walk in freezer does exactly that. It either freezes stuff or keeps previously frozen stuff froze. I've seen restaurants use refrigerated truck bodies for walk ins. The temps those units maintain are way below what an air conditioner puts out. Any refrigerant lines that aren't insulated will immediately collect ice from the moisture in the area. That's a health violation BTW.

Another angle would be to scavenge the refrigeration unit off a wrecked refrigerated trailer. Thermo King is the largest manufacturer. I think some can also be run off an electric source as well as diesel fuel.

If a school has been closed due to consolidation in your area, you might be able to buy the walk ins.

[agmantoo]

I bought a cheap convenience store large 2 door freezer and changed the thermostat to convert it to a refrigerator that can control the temperature accurately. I age venison at 34 degrees in the unit. Works great!

[whocares]

I bought an old locker plant, they processed meat, I have walk in doors...You should put your location on your profile...

[Shawn]

I think that getting an old refer truck box would work well too. I have a summer camp in Wisconsin that I have spent time volunteering with and they used an old milk truck body as their walk in cooler for many summers. They eventually did get a walk in from somewhere and installed it. It worked well for the 4 months a year they used it.

[cathleenc]

we have a spare refrigerator in the garage - we age our meat, in quarters or less, in the fridge. Not hanging, of course.

When the temps are right we'll hang stuff in the barn hay mow, covered with a clean drop cloth, for a few days.

and yes, seconding the request to please put your location in your signature.

[mnn2501]

Find a used restaurant equipment dealer in the nearest large city.

[Wanda]

Yoy will need to find out whether or not you have 3phase electric available! Most commercial units are 3phase and they are very costly to convert.

[Big Dave]

Coolbot Check it out.

[TnAndy]

Here's a walkin cooler on Craig's list if you're local to the east TN or Western NC area.....

http://tricities.craigslist.org/for/1454385879.html

[Common Tator]

Originally Posted by Big Dave

Coolbot Check it out.

Thanks! I found it! http://storeitcold.com/testimonials.php

[the fishkiller]

Build your own inside a garage using prefabricated wall panels made of 12 inch thick styrofoam sandwiched between sheet metal. They go together quickly and you can build any size you need. These can be purchased through commercial distributors. IMO this would be far more efficient compared to a refer truck box, which is built for mobility not efficiency.

[fishtrap3]

Where would you get the panels and what to use to keep it cold?

[Darren]

Any restaurant equipment supplier can get the panels. They might be able to help you find used panels. You'll still need refrigeration and freezer units. That's where a used unit off a truck body or trailer might work for the freezer.

[highlands]

If you want the best results and the lowest cost then I would suggest building it yourself. Basically it is a super insulated box with the vapor barrier on the outside. Not very complex. How strong a refrigeration system you need to run it (compressor, evap, condenser) depends on the load you'll put on it in terms of traffic and bringing stuff in that's at higher temps.

Cheers

-Walter
Sugar Mountain Farm
in the mountains of Vermont
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/blog/
http://HollyGraphicArt.com/
http://NoNAIS.org

[johng]

I saw a COOLER made with a cool bot and it was working very well. It had the temp down to 37. It seemed to be working pretty good for its intended use which was to cool down freshly processed chickens until it was time to freeze them or sell them.