Putting a freezer outside?

I thought the issues regarding freezers defrosting was more an issue for combined fridge/freezers due to the differeing temp requirements in each compartment whereas the OP is putting a standard chest freezer out there with only one temp requirement?

eg. http://groups.google.co.uk/group/uk.d-i-y/browse_thread/thread/ff1e7264be3965cb/23aa2409f2eb516d?hl=en&lnk=st&q=chest+freezer+garage#23aa2409f2eb516d

"Winter Freezer Syndrome" is a problem you mainly get when you have a fridge-freezer with just one thermostat - in the fridge part. When the temperature goes below the level the fridge is set to, the 'cooling' turns itself off and the freezer goes off with it and defrosts. Diverting a bit from the OP's enquiry, you need to be really careful of this as your food could be defrosting and refreezing without you knowing as the temperature goes up and down day and night during the winter. I know this from bitter (no pun intended) experience when I had to chuck an entire freezer of food out just before Christmas. And then we didn't get our bins emptied for four weeks because of the bank holidays but that's another story!

Fridge-freezers with two thermostats should be OK as would a stand alone freezer.

Hi Folks,

Lots of people put fridges and freezers in garages, sheds and the likes and it's not advisable as it will almost certainly lead to problems. I wrote an article on the subject as the question comes up often which you can read from this link which explains why this is. I think the quote from above is from that.

Older machines had thicker and better insulation and so tended to be okay, or chest freezers were, but once the bean counters started to cut costs that got reduced and, in effect, most are suitable only for use in a "normal" ambient temperature now which is considered to be around 10°C to 30°C. Go outside that and you are asking for trouble with condensation, which will lead to insulation failure and a scrap machine as well as extended running times or the machine just wont switch on which will lead to ruined food.

Also modern insulation has to be CFC free which makes the insulating properties lower than an old machine, don't ask me why I just know it's not as efficient, so getting a machine that will operate, especially in very low ambients of less than about 5°C is nigh on impossible without a huge increase in cost.

If you are taking about having it out in the open, exposed to the elements, then that's just a flat "NO!", it will break, very quickly.

HTH

K.

I have a new upright freezer in an out building, will put a thermometer in the room to keep an eye on things