Putting a freezer outside?

traciekan · 5 May 2008 at 7:37PM

i want to put a chest freezer in the garden, to save money and we have no space indoors. have very handy dh who can build a shelter for it etc but any advice?

darich · 5 May 2008 at 7:48PM

It won't be designed for out door use and the electrics probably won't be insulated to the level required for outdoors. That's not to say what you're proposing is impossible!!

I think the shelter would have to be weatherproof/waterproof.
The freezer would probably have to be off the ground.
Lockable too??
Power supply to the outside?
Circuit breakers incase of accident?
Seperate fuse on the fuse board perhaps?

I'm no electrician so some or all of the above may be unnecessary but that's my tuppence worth!!

adaze · 5 May 2008 at 7:50PM

Sounds doable to me. Obvious hurdle is getting power to the shed. If you have a socket inside but on an external wall you could drill through behind that and add a spur to an outside socket (IP66?) but make sure you get one that is still sealed when an item is plugged in. Otherwise you'd need a sparky to fit an outside plug, and it would be notifable to BC. I would also recommend keeping the freezer off the floor, 100mm should be fine.

withabix · 5 May 2008 at 7:54PM

The damp conditions outside will corrode the compressor and electrical components - probably killing your freezer in a few weeks or months.

It will need to be SN category and not N. This will be on the label inside or on the back. N category are for normal room temperatures. SN are for use in garages etc. Your food will probably thaw.

Do you like electric shocks? Indoor electrical appliances aren't IP rated for outdour use normally.

My personal opinion is that this is a non starter, both in terms of killing your freezer and yourself.

FrugalFriend · 5 May 2008 at 9:21PM

A friend of mine has this done, they've a chest freezer in a shed out the back. As far as I know, it's worked perfectly for years, but theirs is a built shed. I'd say once the electrics are up to standard (ie. professionally fitted for outdoor use) and it's a dry room with no water penetrating, it would be fine.

shown73 · 5 May 2008 at 9:50PM

I've had our tumble dryer in the shed for many years, no problem. No doubt the electric supply would give the health and safety police apoplexy, but I used common sense, (remember that?), and it's been fine. I don't have a death wish, not many people do.

aliasojo · 5 May 2008 at 10:16PM

I agree with the points made by withabix.

Modern freezers cannot cope with external temperatures (so I was told by a freezer repairman). There are a few that may cope short term but their life will be shortened drastically. Most simply just will not work properly with internal temperature fluctuations etc and will not freeze properly or will over freeze.

My friend was unaware of these issues and bought one a year or so ago to put in her garage and she had problems and had to return it.

I suggest you phone whatever manufacturer you're thinking of opting for and asking them direct as not all stores are very accurate about the information they give out about this.

Kevstir · 6 May 2008 at 12:29AM

one other thing to point out, if its a frost free freezer then it wont work outside, my dad got a new fridge freezer and put the old one in the garage, as the old one was frost free it kept de-frosting when it got to cold outside, luckily he knew a guy that fixes them and he put him right, he swapped him for a non frost free full hight freezer and hasn't had a problem since.

this will explain it better than i every could

http://www.jimrooneyonthelevel.com/2006/1209.htm

Kev

Poppycat · 6 May 2008 at 12:35AM

We have a frost free up right freezer in the garage for a couple of months now, no problems so far. I wonder if it would be problematic during Winter we do have a rad in there but dont have it turned on.

http://www.frigidaire.co.uk/freezers/details/index.asp?ProductID=125

unhappybuuny79 · 6 May 2008 at 2:00PM

we have both a fridge and freezer in our garrage without any problems, they have been there over 2 years without any heating,mwe use them all the time, althoug now we do use the garrage as a workshop and the food area is cordoned off from the workshop area too so there is some form of heating in there at least..

adaze · 6 May 2008 at 2:10PM

I would imagine that the operating range of a fridge/ freezer would start about 5 degrees C, you should be able to acheive this by insulating your shed....

In fact that isn't true, just found this...

In a cold location the freezer may begin to defrost or even completely defrost. Most fridge freezers will only operate satisfactorily in an ambient temperature down to plus 10 degrees C although some need a minimum of plus 18 degrees C. This may seem strange but the fridge thermostat governs the operation of the freezer and if the ambient temperature drops to either of the figures above the fridge will switch off. That will not be a problem for the fridge which should be cool enough to keep its contents safe but it will mean that the freezer will cease to work and that will create a problem.

Take note of the Climate Class of the appliance which will tell you the temperature range that the appliance is suitable for use in. The classes are as follows:
N – ambient temperatures between +16 to +32 degrees C
SN - ambient temperatures between +10 to +32 degrees C
ST - ambient temperatures between +18 to +38 degrees C
Also note the higher temperatures which should be taken into account if the appliance is somewhere that is likely to get hot in the summer.

Putting a freezer outside?

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