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Old 07-15-2009, 12:47 AM   #1
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Re: Chest Freezer as 'Fridge in Bus

I didn’t read the links, but I was thinking of putting a chest freezer in as a fridge however decided against it just because of space lost. You loose a big area and the bus is tight enough if you need to build for 8 people. But if you have the room go for it, it will use way less power then anything else.

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Old 07-15-2009, 01:59 AM   #2
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Re: Chest Freezer as 'Fridge in Bus

Smitty, Can you re-post those first two links? They give me 404s and then noticed that they arn't complete.

*edit*
Thanks Smitty.
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Old 07-15-2009, 12:37 PM   #3
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Re: Chest Freezer as 'Fridge in Bus

Quote:
Originally Posted by Smitty
swinada- I've seen some fairly small chest freezers, not really much larger than dorm style 'fridges. I like the idea because the cold doesn't pour-out as soon as you open the door, they'd have to be much more efficient just in their design. You might want to look around at sizes, with 8 in your bus, that's alot of opening the 'fridge door

I think the idea would merit some serious consideration, especially by someone who intends to live off-grid.

Smitty
Yes i know that small chest freezers exist however because of the 8 people in our houshold, small doesnt really work. And with the chest freezer you loose the space in the with as well as above the freezer to open the lid.
But as i said before if you plan to live off the grid and have the room go for it.
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Old 07-15-2009, 04:51 PM   #4
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Re: Chest Freezer as 'Fridge in Bus

Good idea....even better if an ice maker can be fitted.
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Old 07-15-2009, 08:47 PM   #5
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Re: Chest Freezer as 'Fridge in Bus

I was thinking about putting in a flush mount insulated cooler. Make a cutout in the counter top that a flanged cooler would rest on. Then I could take it out to fill/drain it but have an ice chest down the road with no electric. Any thoughts about where you could find this?
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Old 07-16-2009, 08:52 PM   #6
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Re: Chest Freezer as 'Fridge in Bus

Smitty, do you know where you could find a drop in style cooler? Or what you would call them to search for. The only thing I could come up with was a livewell/baitwell but they are pretty expensive.
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Old 07-17-2009, 07:15 AM   #7
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Re: Chest Freezer as 'Fridge in Bus

Quote:
Originally Posted by kamoo
I was thinking about putting in a flush mount insulated cooler. Make a cutout in the counter top that a flanged cooler would rest on. Then I could take it out to fill/drain it but have an ice chest down the road with no electric. Any thoughts about where you could find this?

why not flush mount a standard plastic cooler?
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Old 07-17-2009, 07:52 AM   #8
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Re: Chest Freezer as 'Fridge in Bus

I cant find a regular plastic cooler that has a flange. If I built a platform and set one in place it would have a little gap around the edges, if I had one with a flange on 4 sides then a hole can be cut and it would just set right in.
Here is one but it isnt insulated. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ICE-CHES ... ccessories
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Old 07-17-2009, 08:28 PM   #9
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Re: Chest Freezer as 'Fridge in Bus

That is exactly what Im looking for, but about 75% off of that price.
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Old 07-24-2009, 09:17 AM   #10
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Re: Chest Freezer as 'Fridge in Bus

Aside from living off the grid, a modified chest freezer can also be easily converted into a WICKED kegerator with 3 to 4 flavors on tap. (or six or more homebrew kegs
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Old 08-20-2009, 09:13 PM   #11
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Re: Chest Freezer as 'Fridge in Bus

i should try ..i have a 7cuft downstairs...wonder what it would do set on MIN???


i will try and see howlong it takes to freeze a loaf of bread and a 2 quarts of milk....hmmmm

will research the regulator....
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Old 08-20-2009, 09:34 PM   #12
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Re: Chest Freezer as 'Fridge in Bus

The best fridge I owned as far as keeping things a long time was set to 32°-33°F in the fridge, and 0°F in the freezer. I left thermometers in the compartments for a reference in setting the temps. Milk never froze nor spoiled at 32°. White bread would spoil, but my rye never would. Fridges set to around 40°F seem to let milk spoil after about a week or two.

I too have wondered if a chest freezer set at its warmest setting would work as a fridge without needing an outside cut-off controller and without freezing things. Our Energy Star chest freezer from Lowe's cost about 1/3 of what a super-efficient off-grid DC refrigerator model would cost.
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Old 08-21-2009, 03:39 PM   #13
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Re: Chest Freezer as 'Fridge in Bus

Um, yeah.

Edit: Post #13,500 in Conversion Discussions. Steve, ya done good!
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Old 10-20-2009, 12:01 AM   #14
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Re: Chest Freezer as 'Fridge in Bus

I know this is an old thread, but I purchased my chest freezer today. Found a 3.5 cu foot one at target for $160. It is the perfect size. 22 inch square and 32 inch tall. Smaller than most of the dorm fridges and rv combos i looked at, but has more interior space than a lot of them. Also found the thermostats at a couple sites for under $60. Gonna order one right now. Here is the link. Just thought some of you might be interested.
http://www.homebrewers.com/product/B...&utm_campaign=

or

http://www.kegkits.com/Merchant2/mer...T&Store_Code=W

hope it helps someone.
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Old 10-20-2009, 10:02 AM   #15
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Re: Chest Freezer as 'Fridge in Bus

I thought over using a chest freezer instead of a fridge a year or two ago after I read about a few folks Down Under who used them instead of a refer. I decided that I would go with a 4.0 to 4.2 cubic foot fridge (lower door) freezer (upper door) in my bus just for the convenience of being able to see what I am after when I open the door. If I need more space then that a 12-volt Ice chest will pick up the slack. If I had to live in my bus full time I believe I would go with an apartment size refrigerator standing in the front room near the end of the kitchen counter top. I don't really care for the idea of removing this and that then putting it all back in when I want something that is located under the other items.
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Old 10-20-2009, 11:15 AM   #16
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Re: Chest Freezer as 'Fridge in Bus

I am going with the chest freezer because of what i do. i am plugged in every night, then on the road all day. i think this will hold the cold a lot better while unplugged. i use it primarily for water and drinks so it works well for that. im gonna try the lowest setting before i order the thermostat. thats a good idea.
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Old 10-20-2009, 03:48 PM   #17
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Re: Chest Freezer as 'Fridge in Bus

I am gonna run the test on the temps tonight and will post em on here. My biggest plus for it is not losing cold air when I open it. The estimated yearly cost and run usage on mine is $23 and 212 kwh. That is having it run as a freezer using electricity all the time. After reading a lot on Australian websites (which is where this idea seems to originate) I think if I was running it as a fridge plugged in all the time I would use about 25% of that. And since it wont be drawing power when we are on the move I estimate my usage to be about 50% of that (as long as we aren't opening it a lot when we are on the move). So I think the yearly cost for me is going to be around $4-7 a year and 30-50 kwh a year. You don't get much more efficient than that. And the compressor start up amp draw on my particular unit is very small too, so running it and the a/c off a genny should be no problem too. Im excited. I am installing mine into the counter. The counter is going to be cut out and the unit will rise up through it allowing me to open the top. I think its gonna work great.
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Old 10-20-2009, 05:30 PM   #18
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Re: Chest Freezer as 'Fridge in Bus

very interested in results of this. My current floor plan has this idea incorporated.
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Old 10-20-2009, 11:51 PM   #19
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Re: Chest Freezer as 'Fridge in Bus

thats a great idea smitty. problem is that there is no discernible cool air vent in the thing. It seems to just cool through a metal ledge in the bottom, so i would guess you would have to make the top half the fridge part. its just a sealed unit on the inside. the same thermostat controller would work for it, so i may try it out once i get it in.
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Old 10-21-2009, 11:48 AM   #20
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Re: Chest Freezer as 'Fridge in Bus

while looking for freezer schematics and power draws(inconclusive). I found this. Rquires more power(and cost) than Smitty's design but may be acceptable with some modification.

http://www.oregonbrewcrew.com/freezer/freezer.html
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