Does a chest freezer have to be autodefrosting

[zaxsan]

I am about to buy a chest freezer off craigs list for $60.

Frigidaire Model MFC05M0BW4 Freezer - 5 Cu Ft Capacity

This freezer is not auto defrosting. The owner says, "It is not autodefrosting. It does not accumulate a lof of ice. Is has been on and I will keep it running until you pick it up so that you can see the ice. Basically it has been on and running as long as I've had it but we rarely open it so it doesn't run much."

So, do I need to refuse the item and make sure I get an auto defrosting unit? Is it worth it to get it for $60 and have to defrost it every so often?

I am scheduled to pick it up at 6pm, so I have all day to email him back and say no thank you. Let me know your thoughts on all levels. Thanks so much!

 

[osagedr]

If you are going to be using it for home brewing (why else would you be on this forum?), whether or not it has "autodefrost" (does that mean "frost free"?) shouldn't matter much since you will never have it set below freezing. I bought a 12 cf chest freezer used, it occasionally gets a bit of ice buildup on the sides when I hold it right above freezing to lager, but it's an easy cleanup.

Sounds like a great deal and it should work for you.

 

[zaxsan]

I currently have a 3 gal keg but want to have the ability to put 2 or even 3 beers on tap. My current refrigerator cannot fit a 5 gal keg. I do plan on getting atleast two 5gal kegs for this freezer. The fact that it will be above freezing never occured to me. Frost should not be an issue. I am going to bring my glass secondary to test if it will fit in the freezer before I buy it. No reason to have a unit that cannot lager!

After I have it set up I can then look into drilling some holes on the side to put in external taps. I guess that will depend on the space in there with 2 or 3 kegs and co2.

 

[IrregularPulse]

I currently have a 3 gal keg but want to have the ability to put 2 or even 3 beers on tap. My current refrigerator cannot fit a 5 gal keg. I do plan on getting atleast two 5gal kegs for this freezer. The fact that it will be above freezing never occured to me. Frost should not be an issue. I am going to bring my glass secondary to test if it will fit in the freezer before I buy it. No reason to have a unit that cannot lager!

After I have it set up I can then look into drilling some holes on the side to put in external taps. I guess that will depend on the space in there with 2 or 3 kegs and co2.

Do not drill holes through the side. You will likely ruin the freezer.

 

[osagedr]

I currently have a 3 gal keg but want to have the ability to put 2 or even 3 beers on tap. My current refrigerator cannot fit a 5 gal keg. I do plan on getting atleast two 5gal kegs for this freezer. The fact that it will be above freezing never occured to me. Frost should not be an issue. I am going to bring my glass secondary to test if it will fit in the freezer before I buy it. No reason to have a unit that cannot lager!

After I have it set up I can then look into drilling some holes on the side to put in external taps. I guess that will depend on the space in there with 2 or 3 kegs and co2.

I hope you find that 5 cf is big enough for what you want to do. I think it might be on the small side for 2 or 3 kegs plus a CO2 tank, much less fooling around with a conversion.

 

[zaxsan]

Well, I saw pictures of 5 cf fridges with 2 kegs plus a co2 line. That is really what I am looking for. 3 kegs would just be fun. There is enough space for the co2 tank to sit on the "bump" and close the top. I have two 9" templates which I will place on the bottom of the freezer to make sure it will fith the 2 kegs.

Do you think I should skip the 5cf fridge and look for a bigger one?

@IrregularPulse - are you saying I should get a professional to drill the holes, or it should not be done at all?

 

[Changeduser123]

I hope you find that 5 cf is big enough for what you want to do. I think it might be on the small side for 2 or 3 kegs plus a CO2 tank, much less fooling around with a conversion.

3 will fit in the holiday 5cu ft. I could even put 4 the day I decide to put the CO2 out. It has to be ball lock kegs though.

 

[zaxsan]

I just found out the fridge has teh "bump" all the way across and not just in the corner. That is upsetting...I will probably have to go and see if teh keg can fit.

Now I see why people just go out and buy a new one.....

 

[mrgreen4242]

I can fit 3 pin locks and a 5# CO2 tank with a single body regulator inside my 5cuft (Kenmore, I'm pretty certain) freezer with a nice tall collar. I've got a thread going somewhere here about the build. I'll post pics of the inside in the next couple days, but I had to make a little stand to "bridge" part of the hump and the lower part of the freezer for the 3rd keg. I'm not completely done yet, but I can't see any reason why it won't all fit (I've test fit everything, but not all at once, yet). My only concern at this point is if the shanks (got the "standard" 5 3/8th shanks) are long enough to make getting kegs in and out overly difficult. I made the collar extra tall so they shouldn't interfere with the kegs while in use. If I wanted to add a second reg for multiple pressures (which I do) I think I have to mount it "remotely" on the inside of the collar to make it fit, the regulator fits between two of the kegs, with the tank set in the corner.

TL;DR it's a tight fit, but a 5 cuft Kenmore with a giant (50% of the width) hump can fit 3 pin locks with some effort.

 

[malkore]

You really won't find an auto-defrosting (i.e. frostless) chest. They tend to only come in the upright format.

Even my brand new 14cu Kenmore isn't frostless.