how to convert a chest freezer to a fridge
My chest fridge conversion uses an average of only 8 watts, down from 100 watts (peak of 224), a 92 percent reduction of electricity use.
Here’s how you can do the same thing.
MATERIALS
temperature switch $16.78 from Ebay
push on connectors – $1.70 Home Depot
three wire extension cord, or wall box and plate
you will need to use the 14 gauge wires either way
micro screwdriver – $1 Dollar Store or Harbor Freight
new or used 5 to 7 cubic foot chest freezer $50 to $200
WIRING with extension cord
Cut a 6 inch section out of the middle of the extension cord. There need to be black, white and green wires that can be separated and stripped. Complete the wiring with the push on connectors. This wiring diagram shows the proper connections, but it is better to have a 3 way push on connection prior to 8, to only have one wire go into the 8 socket, and the third wire to 10. The white wire can be set up the same way, with a 3 way connection prior to 7. The ground wire is spliced together with a 2 way push on connection. The extension cord is plugged into a regular outlet
WIRING into box
The switch can be put in a wall box or a mobile box. The freezer is plugged into the box.
PROGRAMMING
3) This is my TS-13010 programming to keep the temperature an average of 36 degrees. The switch turns on at 38, off at 36, and the temperature continues to 34 degrees. Having the probe attached to a container of water at the bottom of the fridge results in a smaller temperature range, and less compressor cycling.
TESTING
4) Plug the chest freezer into the extension cord, and plug the other end into the wall (or plug the freezer into the switch in the wall). Verify that the chest fridge conversion is working as expected. Make any adjustments in programming. Move food from the old refrigerator to the new chest fridge conversion.
RESULTS
The 7 cubic foot Whirlpool chest fridge averages only 8 watts ($.48 a month), compared to the old Frididaire fridge that averaged 100 watts ($6. a month). The chest fridge runs 5.8 minutes an hour, with an average temperature of 36 degrees (33 to 38). The fridge conversion uses only 8% of the energy that was used by the fridge.
GOOD CHEST FREEZERS
1) Whirlpool 7 cubic foot eh070cfxcqoo Costco 200709 – Good, but no longer carried by Costco ($200 plus tax).
Uses 80 watts when running (107* energy meter); 3 amps; runs 8.5% of the time as a fridge conversion (and 10.1% of the time when used as a freezer); is quiet and cool; does not put out any significant heat.
2) Six year old 5.4 cubic foot 1.5 amp Beverage Air 2sf-13 ice cream freezer, Craigslist $120. Good for the price.
3) 5 cubic foot chest freezer – $50 Craigslist, not tested yet.
BAD CHEST FREEZERS
4) GE 7cf fcm7suww – terrible ratings – Home Depot.
5) Frigidaire 7.2cf ffco723dw19 uses 121 watts when running, 5 amps; runs 33% of the time, is loud and gets extremely hot, heating the room. The freezer was returned to Costco.
That’s so cool that you did that!
lil 1/2 pint
October 21, 2009 at 9:12 am
Interesting conversion! Thanks! I’m trying to advise my son, a professional chef, on how he might use a chest freezer keep and deliver refrigerated (not frozen) food safely to catering jobs.
One question: How and where is the temp sensor probe from the exterior Love control unit inserted into the freezer?
Mike
December 13, 2009 at 11:15 am
lil 1/2 pint & Mike, thank you for your comments!
The temp probe line is between the gaskets near one of the hinges in back. This is easier and safer than drilling a hole. The probe is duct taped 1/2 way down but not touching the back wall.
John
December 13, 2009 at 11:27 am
So glad you found my one2flush post helpful!
If you write a post about it you’ll have to let me know!!
pennyroulette
December 19, 2009 at 6:35 pm
John,
I am in the process of doing a similar conversion. I am considering sealing off the area surrounding the refrigerator compartment and ducting in cold air in the winter to reduce the load. I’m was also wondering if it would be possible to separate the compressor to release heat from the compressor into the interior space in the winter.
Any thoughts?
Tony
Raleigh, NC
Tony
February 16, 2010 at 11:35 am
Tony,
There is less load in the winter. I’ve raised the on/off range from 37-40 to 38-41, and it goes down to the same 33 degrees.
Ducting in cold air would help, or put the conversion in the garage or a cold room for the winter. The fridge does not run much though, even in the summer.
The compressor heat does go into the room regardless. The less it runs, the less heat that goes into the room. You could put foam insulation or radiant barrier foil inside the compresser compartment, which might keep some of the heat from getting into the fridge. Let me know how the conversion works out for you. I am very happy with this one!
John
February 16, 2010 at 11:44 am
Hi John-
email me if you have more questions about building a pullover machine.
I also converted my chest freezer to a fridge since I am off grid on solar. I have the freezer plugges into a timer, and it runs 1/2 at a time for 7 times per day and it stays around 40 degrees. I also put several 5 gal water jugs in the bottom for thermal mass to keep the temperature more constant when it is off.
Charlie
February 23, 2010 at 10:21 pm
Hi Charlie-
Thanks for your post.
I’ll send you an email about your pullover machine.
John
February 23, 2010 at 11:15 pm
John do you have a link to that controller? If so could you email it to me as I am not on line much anymore, but get email by phone?
Saw this on GIM.
greg
greg m
March 27, 2010 at 7:34 pm
My 2nd temperature controller is this 5amp 110v single device model from Ebay for $16.78 (shown here in a wall plate). It is 1/4 the price of the Love TS-13010.
john
March 27, 2010 at 9:35 pm
Do you have to disable the thermostat that comes installed with the freezer?
Also the instructions with the Love controller are very confusing to me, Is the R1 and R2 the only temps that need to be set?
brent
September 5, 2011 at 8:05 am
Brent, you do not need to disable the freezer thermostat, as any setting below freezing will work. I left it on the lowest setting. The new control takes over all the settings above that.
Check the programming link above to see the programming that I use. I’m not sure what all the settings are but like the minimum stop to be 40 minutes.
I like to use 2 to 3 degrees between the high and low temperatures, so the fridge runs the least often. Usually this is 39/36 or 38/36 and is a little different in winter than summer.
The fridge cools the most efficiently in 6 minutes, then keeps cooling 2 to 3 more degrees after the switch is off.
It helps to tape the probe to a small bottle of water, away from the walls, so the sensor doesn’t change as much when the freezer is opened.
john
September 13, 2011 at 9:08 am
I got it done, I called Love controller and they explained the settings to me. SP is the temp to be concerned with, and the RO is the diff that will allow it to go above the set point before it kicks in. I used 37 deg so unit will kick on at 42, with an ro diff of 5. Since I will only use occasionally in primitive camp, and power with generator for now, I bought a 5 cf freezer , in the bottom i set, 4- 1 gallon milk jugs pre frozen with a sheet of plexiglass over top of them will help my thermal cooling at night without generator. I think it will work great, plan on using this weekend. Thanks for the help. Thanks a bunch for the wire diagram, made it easy, Love should use it for instructions. .
brent
September 14, 2011 at 8:40 am
I just got back and used the 5cf freezer converted to fridge. I put 2-1 gallon frozer water jubs in bottom portion and plexiglass on top to use as shelf, set the unit for 33 deg with a 6 deg diff and it worked great. I would power it twice a day with generator and it kept all very cool. when I would power back on, the temp would be in low 40′s. even after all night without power. worked great for my cabin in woods. next step will be to power with solar thanks for the info!!
brent
September 18, 2011 at 8:04 pm
Brent, thanks for your feedback. I’m glad the chest freezer is working well for you too. I was having some trouble reprogramming the controller but figured it out, so am adding an amendment to the programming instructions.
To program the TS-13010 love digital temperature switch:
press [set] with the temperature showing
press the [down] button once and release
continue holding the [set] button down for 10 seconds or longer
the display will change from the temperature to 0 or 00
release and press the [set] button again
SP will appear, press [set] once then [up] or [down] to program
repeat [set] release, and [up] or [down] to program the other settings
john
September 18, 2011 at 8:22 pm
The chest fridge results in some water buildup from condensation on the bottom of the chest. I usually wipe this out once every few weeks with a sponge. It is not any problem, but is a concern that it might cause some rust in the chest.
Some people use DampRid, that is just a silica gel, $4 for 42 ounces at Walmart. I got a package of this but haven’t used it.
Keeping greens in a closed container solved the issue, as they were releasing a lot of water into the rest of the fridge.
john
September 18, 2011 at 8:44 pm
Thanks for this great idea. I plan to try it soon but have a question: The power company where I live changes generators every 12 hours so our power goes off twice a day for a while. Would I have to reset the temperature control each time? Thanks.
Cynthia Neill
March 25, 2012 at 7:53 am
You’re welcome. The temperature control keeps the settings when the power goes off, and then resumes as usual. You don’t need to reset them. The Dwyer controllers are $90 now, so I’m looking at Ebay controllers in the $20-30 range.
john
March 25, 2012 at 8:56 am
can this be done with an upright freezer too? I can’t handle reaching down into a chest freezer.
Innkeeper Seely
March 25, 2012 at 4:26 pm
This is a brilliant idea.
MichaelM
March 25, 2012 at 5:24 pm
Yes, you can use a temperature control with an upright freezer or fridge. However this would not work well, because the cold goes out every time you open the door, and the temperature swings would be too great to maintain a reasonable temperature. Using a chest freezer or fridge is key in order to keep the cold inside where you want it to be.
john
March 25, 2012 at 6:49 pm
Hello John,
An excellent conversion. We have a glass freezer from an old bar we are looking to use as a fridge. We are interested in your project.
I would like to know how your power consumption measurements were done.
Ethan
March 27, 2012 at 1:20 pm
See my post about household electricity for measurement information.
john
March 27, 2012 at 3:03 pm
Still using the converted fridge in my primitive cabin, best thing I have put in there, “besides a flush toliet” with gravity flow water. It does work great, it uses very little current, the generator powers up just a second when compressor kicks in, then back to idle when it runs. I use a honda 2000.
Thanks for all the ideas.
brent
April 30, 2012 at 7:25 pm
Will this work on a 19.7 Cubic Foot Chest Freezer?
William
May 1, 2012 at 6:18 pm
Yes, this will work with any size of chest freezer, though smaller chest freezers are more efficient.
john
May 1, 2012 at 6:21 pm
Thanks John I look forward to trying this out on my freezers.
William
May 2, 2012 at 6:58 pm
8 watts avg is only 16ah draw/day at 12 volts- hard to believe when the novakool and frost king that are superinsulated chest-type rfg/freezer and smaller capacity are using in the neighborhood of 40ah/day – i would check your figures.
dave
May 29, 2012 at 6:25 am
John-
Is it possible to splice the temperature switch off the wires going into the freezer lid and mount it internally?
Brian
May 30, 2012 at 8:21 pm
Yes, some people cut a hole in the lid and put the switch there, taking care to not cut the coils (which are usually in the sides). The switch does get warm, so my preference is to have it located away from the frame.
john
May 30, 2012 at 8:43 pm
Hi John – I was hoping you could help me out. I purchased the cheap controller off Ebay and I have my extension cord sitting here stripped but the wiring setup has become a big question. The controller is slightly different in the back and with the broken English and misspellings on the label I don’t know what goes where. I was hoping you might be able to decipher this and tell me which leads go where:
|1||2| |3||4||5| |6||7|
1 & 2: AC110V
3 & 4: Tcmp probe
4 & 5: Function control
6 & 7:Lodaing (and label shows them connected by an open switch)
Very much appreciate any guidance.
Ben
Ben
June 2, 2012 at 4:40 pm
I don’t have the wiring for the Ebay controller, but you can probably find it on this thread. Let me know the message # when you do, and I’ll post a direct link with instructions.
john
June 3, 2012 at 8:16 am
I figured it out. For anyone who gets the cheap controller off Ebay, set it up like this:
|1||2| |3||4||5| |6||7|
1 is the neutral
2 is the hot wire and jumper
3 & 4 are the temperature probe
5 is empty
6 gets the other end of the jumper
7 is the switched hot to the fridge/freezer
The instructions for setup that come with it are not great but you can figure it out. The only thing it doesn’t say, is that when you are done with your settings, turn the controller off and back on.
Ben
June 30, 2012 at 12:01 pm
I am just getting started in making a freezer into a refrigerator and would like to know how reliable the controller from ebay is compared to the love controller and how long will they last.
Sincerely
Thomas
Thomas
June 30, 2012 at 2:31 pm
I was wondering if any of this requires soldering. And +1 on the last question, I’d like to know if the cheap controller is worth it, otherwise I may get a controller from this guy: http://screwdecaf.cx/yatc.html
Thanks for the help.
Chameleon Guitars
July 5, 2012 at 4:11 pm
Ben,
Thank you for posting wiring instructions for the Ebay controller.
Thomas,
People on the homebrew forums report that it works fine for them.
Chamel,
You will need a screwdriver. There is no soldering though.
john
July 5, 2012 at 4:20 pm
Yea, I bought a BRINKS $5.00 timer with 48 on/off settings ( 1/2 hour incremented ) at Wal-Mart. I set my chest freezer to run for 1/2 every 6 hours. I just keep soda and water in there. IT WORKS!!! 34 to 42 degrees.
Mike Pastorelli
July 8, 2012 at 2:32 pm
I bought two of the EBay controllers so far. I am converting a chest freezer that draws 100 watts when running so it is well within the contact rating of the controller. The two controllers have identical stock #’s (shipped directly from China of course) but one is rated at 5 amps and the other at 10 amps. The second controller is going to be used to control a hot plate in my smoker so I can accurately make smoked sausage. There are several steps in the process and this gives me good control of them. However, the hotplate will draw about 10 amps so I am planning to put a relay in a project box to handle the load and use the contacts on the controller for only a control circuit for the relay.
Also, when making some kinds of sausages, they must be kept in 34-36 degree temps, which is too low for normal refrigerators so this idea is perfect for all around sausage making. Maybe I will make a few and sell them over on the sausage forums. :) (along with a liability disclaimer!!!)
Thanks for the ideas!
Tom Witman
July 22, 2012 at 8:29 pm
There are sausage forums? Who knew?
FYI: Some people think that this type of conversion would be too stressful on a regular scroll compressor, but I have chatted with a friend who is very good in the field of refrigeration and he stated that as long as the compressor is not forced to cycle-on inside of 2 minutes, there is no reason for concern. I’m going to do it simply to keep drinks in a mobile trailer for outdoor events, running off an inverter. Thanks for all the ideas!
Timothy Cox
July 28, 2012 at 2:30 pm
Yea, there’s a forum for just about anything now! One thing that I haven’t seen mentioned but needs to be is the starting load for the compressors on the freezers. I DID see where some people in another thread were complaining that their controller was not turning off. Well, their contacts probably welded themselves shut since starting current is probably double what running current is and could even be more. That’s why I’ve used the internal contacts of the controller to just feed control voltage to an external 25 and 45 amp relays (on my two units). After all, these controllers ARE made in China under their very strict control……………… :(
Tom Witman
July 31, 2012 at 7:48 pm
Interesting thread, thanks.
I just did a dirt cheap stand-up freezer to fridge conversion that is still working (so far anyway lol) using an old fridge’s thermostat instead of a digital thermostat controller.
I haven’t had the best luck with 2nd hand fridges over the years. When I bought my house just outside a little rural town in Texas it came with a big workshop out back with a few fridges left behind by the previous owner (he supposedly repaired fridges & washer/dryers). They were pretty old & I burned through them fairly quick. Then I picked up a fairly new fridge & upright freezer from my parents when they remodeled their kitchen & pantry. Their fridge (along with it’s “Greenplug” energy saver plug-in doohickey thingie) was put into service & the freezer was put into storage in the workshop. The new fridge didn’t last long (after a little google-time I suspect the Greenplug might have killed it’s compressor).
Then I got the freezer out of storage & put it into service on an outlet timer as a temp fix. The outlet timer wasn’t the best fix since this is an upright freezer. The best working temperature range I could get with adjusting the timer was about 27* to 55*. Just cold/warm enough to cause a growing condensation freeze/thaw cycle that left ice/water on every surface.
Then after searching the web and learning about the freezer-to-fridge hack using a digital controller from ebay/amazon (while ideal, the wait for delivery of the components from ebay/amazon was too long) I began to wonder if any of my old dead fridge’s mechanical thermostats could be made to control the freezer. By shear luck both the freezer & fridge from my parents both had thermostats made by the same manufacture. Since I wanted to be able to switch the freezer back to a “freezer” in the future I decided not to remove the original freezer thermostat from it’s mounting point inside the unit. I just unplugged the wires from it, hung the used fridge thermostat from under the freezer thermostat mount, and then plugged the wires into the fridge thermostat. I straightened out the old fridge’s thermostat capillary tubing & hung the bulb from the back of one of the shelves.
To my surprise the cobbled together freezer/fridge hack has worked pretty good with basically just swapping the wires over to the used mech. fridge thermostat instead of spending money on (and waiting for) a digital thermostat controller. Of course the mech. thermostat isn’t anywhere near as accurate as a digital controller would be. So far the current mech. fridge thermostat setting has had a stop/start range of around 34* to 45*, but it’s not 100% exactly the same every time since it’s a mech unit.
David
August 14, 2012 at 6:31 am
Been using this freezer fridge for about 6 months. it’s a whole lot easier to buy a keg controller from ebay.http://www.ebay.com/itm/Temp-Control-Unit-Thermostat-Keg-Beer-Tap-Kegerator-/130767317151?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e7256e89f.
just plug in to wall and plug freezer into controller and it will stay real close to that setting. works great. also like to dry bottom and spray with a 5% bleach in a spray bottle to keep possible mold or smells away.
Also run this off of solar power very little demand compared to old standup frig.
solarscott
September 18, 2012 at 11:17 am
solar scott, I have thought about setting mine up for solar, what equip would it take to run this off of solar power? ( been using a honda 2000 gen when there, which works great )
brent
September 18, 2012 at 12:42 pm
Brent,
well i have a regular freezer and this frez/frig and a aquarium running all the time on solar, but i plugged in my kill a watt and the frez/frig showed 695 surge 120 running. so should be ok with a 1000 watt puresine inverter.
then as far as panels and batteries would depend on how sunny of a place you have. you could start with one panel with a charge controller and a deep cycle battery and add panels and batteries as needed. I like dealing with wholesalesolar myself.
solarscott
September 18, 2012 at 10:49 pm
Best Thread Ever!
Thanks!
I have been struggling for six months about which fridge (Propane, solar, generator) to buy for my off grid mini home, while using a fridge at the office
Ok guys, I’m diving into the deep end and buying the whole thing, complete with solar. I’m kind of excited, because until now, the whole house has been run on propane (lights and heat).
sam daven
March 5, 2013 at 10:00 am
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