Freezer in Log Cabin / Shed

[moosekat]

Hi guys. Not too sure which forum this would go in, so I thought I would chuck it into General.

Next year we are hoping to install a Log Cabin from Tuin in our garden to replace 2 falling down sheds. It is going to be used as a bit of a dumping ground / storage / workshop etc, as we don't have a garage.

I want to put a chest freezer in there to, but everything I read about it says that it is a bad idea due to fluctuating temperatures. I have found some specifically designed for garages and have a working temp down to -5 which seems good, and it rarely gets anywhere near that where I live in Kent. But I was thinking of building an insulated box / cover for the freezer to go into. This hopefully keep it cooler in summer and warmer in winter. I understand that it will still need some airflow so will also incorporate that too.

Does this sound like a starter??

Thanks

Nick

 

[stem]

People have successfully been using garage / shed located freezers for years. However, manufacturers will now specify an operating temperature range. So, if you buy one that is in line with the range of ambient temperatures in your shed, you will be OK. Often it is the components that make up the freezer, such as seals, lubrication etc., that are the limiting factor.

Sometimes there is confusion because of a situation that can occur with combined fridge / freezers. They often have just one thermostat in the fridge which, when it's only a few degrees in the shed will be 'satisfied' and so the compressor will not operate and so the freezer won't work either. A freezer alone will have its own thermostat and avoid that problem.

There also might be a problem in the summer if it gets too hot in the shed and the compressor can't cope, it will certainly use more energy if it can, although it will likely recoup it in the winter.

But don't enclose it in an insulated box. The heat that is extracted from the inside of the cabinet needs to escape and this is usually lost via black fins mounted on the back. It is essential that air is allowed to flow over them and that the coolant that travels through them looses the generated heat, otherwise the freezer won't work, and may cause a fire risk. Manufacturers usually specify a distance from a wall or provide spacers to maintain a certain distance to maintain airflow. Other types of freezer have a blown cooling system with a vent grille and this too must be unobstructed.

 

[bolo 2]

We have a freezer in the shed and had temps down to -16 without problems.

 

[ellal]

Have always used Beko freezers with no problems.

They use what they now call 'freezer guard', but even older models seem to survive the coldest of winters.

 

[ericmark]

You can't have any frost free freezer or fridge with ambient below around 12°C. But in the main chest freezers don't have any auto defrost so will work OK. The other point in an out building is the volt drop, at start-up many freezers need around 10A and if the volt drop is too great they will fail to start, if repeated too often it will take out the built in over load. Not a problem with inverter drive freezers but they are normally up-right not chest.