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rockies
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# Posted: 21 Jun 2019 20:22
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Creeky, you're the resident electricity expert so I was wondering if you'd have a look at the schematic for this freezer conversion device mentioned in the second half of this article.
https://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/Conservation/chest_fridge2.pdf
From what the author says, he built it himself and it results in a dramatic decrease in the amount of power needed to operate a chest fridge.
Could it be built and work as the author suggests?
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mj1angier
Member
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# Posted: 21 Jun 2019 20:46
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I do home brewing and a lot of folks ( myself included)
use these to make keggerators
https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-Max-1200W-Temperature-Controller-Greenhouse/dp/B01HXM5 UAC/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2WKGIHQTC1I39&keywords=inkbird+temp+controller&qid=1561164176&s=g ateway&sprefix=inkbird%2Caps%2C187&sr=8-3
You can set either a low cut off ( cuts power when gets down to set temp) or a low cut on- we use that when we need to warm something to a set point.
They work good and have not seen that they harm the freezer.
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Wilbour
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# Posted: 22 Jun 2019 06:01
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Leave it to me to see a down side....
My little fridge has a very small freezer area which I use to make ice (a small amount of water in a water bottle) for a refreshing drink
Using this freezer to fridge, you would not have that luxury.
Aside from that, this has been successfully done before and is well proven, but I never seen the power cut-off switch used.
Very clever
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creeky
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# Posted: 22 Jun 2019 08:32
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I've seen these. But my story is really my dads. He had a chest fridge. Hated it. You think losing stuff in the back of an upright fridge is bad. Imagine bending over shoveling through your entire fridge looking for the last of the leftovers that have migrated to the bottom of the chest.
In today's solar world. Not sure why anyone (outside of a kegger!) would do a chest freezer/fridge conversion. For the time and effort. You could buy a regular fridge and add a bit of solar to compensate.
.02?
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Nobadays
Member
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# Posted: 22 Jun 2019 08:33
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Like mjangler, I'm a brewer as well and use an Inkbird controller for my kegerator. Addressing Wilbour's concern, my kegerator has a separate freezer area (it's a very large side by side, but a top/bottom freezer would likely be the same) and though I control the fridge side temperature with the Inkbird it still maintains freezing temps in the freezer section.
If your small fridge has the freezer compartment within the fridge space.... yeah may not freeze very well. If I'm correct the little freezer in those small fridges is what cools the main fridge part. If that is the case, it may be less efficient to use an external temperature controller.
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Brettny
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# Posted: 23 Jun 2019 08:44
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Type STC 1000 into amazon. They are electrical controlers with a remote temp probe. Temps are completly controllable. Just make sure you get the 120v one and not 12 or 24v. Home brew kegerator guys use these controlers alot to make chest frezers into fridges.
I used one of these to control a 250w heat lamp on baby chicks for a few seasons. It worked very well.
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