Dead Chest Freezer - DIY solution

So a buddy of mine is offering to give me his his 15-18 CF dead chest freezer (basically doesnt want to pay to have it disposed of). He's had a HVAC guy look at it already and he said that it would need either new R12 and recharged, or would need all the guts replaced (both not cheap). I plan to check to see if it may just need a new capacitor but I doubt thats the case because the HVAC guy is an aquantance and does quality work. He wouldnt be trying to rip us off. I figure that is going to cost me upwards of 150 bucks either way.

So here is my plan. Tell me if I am crazy:

Cut a square hole in the side of the freezer and mount an AC Unit. Then add a temp controller and bypass the existing AC thermostat. Leave in the garage or under the back porch for fermenting, and long term beer and grain storage.

It would basically be similar to the other AC unit builds except I would already have a large airtight insulated box.

Anyone see any problems with this? Any suggestions? Pictures of existing builds?

I'd say its a great idea. Freezers are made to keep temp really well so the insulation would be more than adequate. That size would have pleanty of room for your needs too.

A collar build for that huge thing would be epic!

Sub'd

i've even thought about separating the freezer somehow and adding an additonal temp controller so I could lager/serve and ferment ales at the same time! That would be awesome if I could make that work.

Does anyone else hear the Sanford & Son theme song playing in the background?

wyzazz said:

Does anyone else hear the Sanford & Son theme song playing in the background?

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Absolutely!

Look at Elizabeth, I'm comin!

(Im barely even old enough to know that reference)

But seriously, other than looking a little ghetto, how would this not be a good idea? People build these type of ferm chambers with AC units all the time. I am reusing a piece of material that would be landfilled, saving my buddy some cash, and getting a perfectly sealed and insulated box.

Winner winner chicken dinner? nuh uh WINNER WINNER SHEEN DINNER!

Other than having an AC Unit sticking outside of a perfectly rectangular box it should work. Provided the empty freezer doesn't tip over from the added weight of the AC Unit.

On the other hand, I got $20.00 for dropping my dead chest freezer off at the scrapyard just last weekend.

wyzazz said:

Other than having an AC Unit sticking outside of a perfectly rectangular box it should work. Provided the empty freezer doesn't tip over from the added weight of the AC Unit.

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All the better reason to keep the thing full of fermenting beer!

wyzazz said:

On the other hand, I got $20.00 for dropping my dead chest freezer off at the scrapyard just last weekend.

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Thats an interesting one, but I would be hard pressed to be able to construct a ferm chamber with $20, let alone make it look good.

This thing is going in my garage, it might be the best looking thing in there (besides my brew kettle of course).

When it's not full of beer you could always brace the AC Unit up with a 2x4 or something.

Brilliant! I doubt you'd need much more than a 5000 BTU AC unit to cool it. Just make sure it's a manual/analog AC and not digital/remote. Cheers!!!

Look AT Elizabeth! hahaha Try again

kpr121 said:

Leave in the garage or under the back porch next to the couch for fermenting, and long term beer and grain storage.

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wildwest450 said:

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Hey I actually have a nice outdoor couch under my deck. That and two adirondack chairs are where my buddies and I like to smoke stogies. I think it will go well there.

I wouldnt want to put it next to the 78 buick on blocks in the front yard tho, I have class.