Chest Freezer Hack

Open Source Temperature Controller for modifying chest freezers to run as refrigerators. Wendy of Holy Scrap explains how she switched from a 2000 watt per day upright fridge watt per day chest freezer running at fridge temps. The controller she shows can be purchased for $50 to $80 in different forms from kit to custom enclosure:

http://screwdecaf.cx/fckit.html

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• chest
• freezer
• hack
• open
• source
• hardware
• green
• gadget
• avr
• atmel
• mikey
• sklar
• wendy
• tremayne
• keezer
• fermentation
• temperatur
• fckit
• fck

[djc1210]

So Mikey - could you share your controller design? Thanks - Dan

[sklarm]

@djc1210 All the designs are open hardware you can find he schematic, board layout, bom and firmware here.

screwdecaf.cx

[BurtBartlow]

So what wattage solar panels would you need to run these?

[sklarm]

@BurtBartlow 1 50W panel

[7thFelonTV]

how long was it before you switched back :)

[sklarm]

@7thFelonTV still using it. Nobody goes back.

[steveman223]

this is awesome! good job

[LordHarHar]

Lambedan

A kwh per day = 41.6w (or whatever number you listed) at a constant draw (ie as if a unit ran steady)

People on solar need to figure out the running draw - my freezer as fridge uses about 75w when running. Sometimes 65 sometimes 81. This tells me what inverter to use. It runs only 10 min in an hour. This helps me size battery and pv array.

[sklarm]

@rebmahendy I believe sunfrost makes a very efficient refrigerator, but it costs over 5x the price of a converted unit. As far as I know they are the only one making the refrigerator in chest freezer form. Our conversion has been well worth the extra effort. Now our food lasts 2x as long since we can run it as cold as possible, but just above freezing. We also do a good job of eating leftovers as it is easier manage 5cu feet of food than 18 cubic feet.

[sklarm]

@rebmahendy I believe sunfrost makes a very efficient reffrigerator, but it costs over 5x the price of a converted unit. As far as I know they are the only one making the refrigerator in chest freezer form. Our conversion has been well worth the extra effort. Now our food lasts 2x as long since we can run it as cold as possible, but just above freezing. We also do a good job of eating leftovers as it is easier manage 5cu feet of food than 18 cubic feet.