Armed Polite Society
Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: Balog on July 06, 2009, 11:41:48 PM
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As you may have seen in this thread, I'm going hunting for the first time this year. One sticky wicket is where to store the meat. Our apartment has no real good place to put a deep freeze, except our little porch/balcony thingy. The problem with that is it would be somewhat exposed to the elements. Any covering would be somewhat flimsy in nature, as our lease frowns on building a shed on the back deck. :)
So is there a make/model of freezer designed for or capable of being placed into a relatively open air situation?
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Dunno about a purpose built one, but my grandparents kept their deep freezer outside under the back carport for years. It finally succumbed to cancerous rust after more than 2 decades. No special treatment, but it wasn't actually in the elements, but not inside either.
Chris
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Dunno about a purpose built one, but my grandparents kept their deep freezer outside under the back carport for years. It finally succumbed to cancerous rust after more than 2 decades. No special treatment, but it wasn't actually in the elements, but not inside either.
Chris
Hmmm. We have a sort of half roof over the back deck. I suppose we could put the back side up against the wall so only the door was rained on....
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All over the great white north, chest freezers are left exposed to the elements, many lasting 30 to 50 years in them. I think you should be trying to find out which freezer is particularly vulnerable to the elements, so as not to buy it, rather than thinking you need an exceptionally good freezer to keep out in the elements.
Also, don't entirely discard the notion of of a small indoor freezer. An entire (average sized, white-tailed) deer, properly butchered, will fit into three common "office boxes" (maybe 16x18x20). You should be able to pick up a chest freezer that will fit that, with total size only equalling that of a small dresser, for less than 200 bucks.
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Hmmm, interesting. So if the proposed freezer was used, how would one go about inspecting it?
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Hmmm, interesting. So if the proposed freezer was used, how would one go about inspecting it?
Sit in it for about an hour. If you get hypothermia, it's in good shape.
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Where do you live? In a cooler climate it'll be fine, but in a warmer one (especially like the south) it'd have a real hard time during summer months.
It'll have a much harder time getting rid of that heat if it's 90 degrees outside, so the compressor will work harder and die faster.
A lot different from working in a climate controlled home.
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I live in WA state, so it's generally pretty mild.
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Where do you live? In a cooler climate it'll be fine, but in a warmer one (especially like the south) it'd have a real hard time during summer months.
It'll have a much harder time getting rid of that heat if it's 90 degrees outside, so the compressor will work harder and die faster.
A lot different from working in a climate controlled home.
Mabs, my grandparents live in NC (Goldsboro to be specific). The freezer will work harder, but it should still last longer than Balog on a tree stand. :D
Chris
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Oh, and btw, it doesn't take much freezer to store an average sized deer. I have a small chest freezer (one step up from the smallest) and I could probably fit 4-5 butchered deer in it.
Chris
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Invest in a pressure canner and store your meat in mason jars.
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Sit in it for about an hour. If you get hypothermia, it's in good shape.
WIN !!
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It's my understanding that a conventional freezer needs to be in an environment warmer than the set temperature inside the freezer.
There are units specifically engineered and sold to consumers as "Garage" freezers or "Outdoor" freezers.
DISCLAIMER – This is what my dad told me, and he's been keeping a fridge full of beer in the garage for decades. He recently upgraded to a Garage model so he can operate year-round. Again, this is hearsay. Take it for what it is.
ALSO Hunting being what it is, may I suggest finding a freezer, killing the deer, THEN buying the freezer. :lol:
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as a former Appliance sales-, and more importantly repair-person, my suggestion Would be a chest freezer like this one (http://"http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100598976&N=10000003+90361+503559"). that's just about the smallest, quality, chest freezer you can get. As others have said a properly butchered deer should fit just fine in a 5-7CuFt freezer.
Further more regardless of where you put it (in WA you should be fine with a covered outdoor installation) i advise you NOT to get an Upright freezer, or any chest frezer that is "Frost-free" (yes this strange, stupid creature exists), Defrost cycles are what causes most freezer burn. for this reason "frostfree" units are not recomended for longterm storage of food items Esp. meats. Upright freezers are also less energy efficient, every time you open the door the cold dry air inside swaps places with the warmer moist air of it's surroundings (this is why most uprights have defrost cycles), this means the compressor has to bring the temp of the newly arrived air back down below freezing , their side swiging doors cause them to consume more space, and they hold less food/meat than a chest freezer of the same "cavity size".
Anyway, my full advice is to head to your local Lowes, Home Depot, or similar (wal-mart has a few that are good deals) and look at the 5 and 7 Cubic Foot CHEST freezers and copy down the dimensions and then see where you could fit one, either inside or out (inside IS preferred). you might be surprised and find that a small chest unit fits nicely into an unused corner of your apartment.
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You've gotten some good info so far.
Unless you plan to get a few deer a 5-7 foot chest will be the cheapest and plenty of room. If that is really all you plan on using it for. I always seem to run out of room in my big commercial upright.
If your summer temps are fairly mild you shouldn't have to many problems with it. You can add a small 120 volt computer case fan to it to help remove heat from the compressor if needed.
It's refrigerators that give you problems in an unheated garage. When the temp drops around freezing, the cold control get satisfied. The fresh food compartment is ok but the unit doesn't run enough to keep the freezer frozen, there is a little heater that can be put in to help that also. Until temps drop more and everything freezes.
Hope that helps a little.
jim
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It's refrigerators that give you problems in an unheated garage. When the temp drops around freezing, the cold control get satisfied. The fresh food compartment is ok but the unit doesn't run enough to keep the freezer frozen...
So, to clarify, freezers will be okay in sub-zero temps, but refrigerators and refrigerator/freezers won't operate correctly?
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Any thoughts on buying used? I hate paying retail.
Also, about how much space would be needed for a deer and an elk?
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Any thoughts on buying used? I hate paying retail.
Also, about how much space would be needed for a deer and an elk?
Considering the rate of forclosures right now, people are probably selling anything they can when it comes time to move. You can probably get a used one for cheap, just make sure they plug it in and run it before you come look at it.
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If buying used, make sure it doesn't smell like dead hooker.
Chris
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So, to clarify, freezers will be okay in sub-zero temps, but refrigerators and refrigerator/freezers won't operate correctly?
None of them work okay in sub-zero temps. It's just that it doesn't matter if you have a freezer or refrigerator it will all be frozen.
They do make small compressor heaters, mainly seen on heat pumps but also used on some of the purpose built garage units. Think of the compressor like your car engine. That oil can get mighty thick in zub-zero temps.
jim
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Thanks
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None of them work okay in sub-zero temps. It's just that it doesn't matter if you have a freezer or refrigerator it will all be frozen.
They do make small compressor heaters, mainly seen on heat pumps but also used on some of the purpose built garage units. Think of the compressor like your car engine. That oil can get mighty thick in zub-zero temps.
jim
If the temps are below zero for a consistent extended period, one could probably turn it off and let nature freeze your food for you.
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Oh, and another option is to check any appliance places if they have scratch-n-dent or an outlet center nearby.
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Balog, this won’t apply in your case, since ones with this problem tend to be bigger units, but.
Beware of freezers that are being sold because “dad/granddad died and we don’t have room for/want it” there’s a high possibility that the deceased kept wild game/fish stored in it, or that at some point it was left unplugged and empty but with the lid closed (do this and Mold and mildew grow grown inside the walls of the freezer). It's even worse if some absent minded/lazy relative unplugged it, had the power turned off, etc without unloading it!! :O
You’ve no idea of the stench those conditions can produce till you experience it first hand, and it’s usually impossible to remove the smell since it’s IN the insulation.
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Wow, thanks for the tip Detritus. Would it not be noticeable at the time of purchase, but then come up later?
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I have a 7.0 cubic foot Holiday (made in China) chest freezer I bought 4.5 years ago from Lowes. http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=73849-33112-LCM070LC&lpage=none
The last two years I have owned it, it has lived out in my garage. Temps range from 104F to -17F in Iowa. Haven't had a problem with it.
I can fill it with 3-4 deer and half a pig, with room to spare.
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So, to clarify, freezers will be okay in sub-zero temps, but refrigerators and refrigerator/freezers won't operate correctly?
Correct. If nothing else - you mentioned your father stores beer in the fridge. In the middle of winter(at least in my area), the fridge won't operate at all, but the contents will still freeze. Not a good thing for a fridge section. A true 'Garage Fridge' is more of a 'Climate Control System'. Seperate systems for the freezer/refridgeration unit, including the capability of heating to maintain the temperature above freezing in the fridge section.
Above ~40 - operate as normal, if not in an area with AC, 120F+, heavy duty AC unit might be good.
~40-32 - you need seperate cooling for the freezer and fridge sections. Otherwise the fridge freezes... Electric heating strips would also work, but be inefficient.
1-32 - Still need a circuit for the freezer, heater for the fridge section
Below 0 - need a heater for the fridge. Freezer won't turn on.
My freezer has a heating element to heat the compressor to operating temperature if necessary, so between ~0-32F it actually uses MORE electricity than at slightly higher temps. But it still runs less often, so I figure the energy use remains about constant, my food remains cold, and I'm happy. I have a fairly large unit, so keeping it in the garage is a big space saver. It's out of the sun and rain. I DO have it elevated a couple inches just in case of flood.
If you expect it to experience freezing temperatures a lot, I'd check the manuals to make sure it's got the compressor heater - many of the cheap chinese ones don't, and they'll specify not for use below freezing. Mine only says that for best efficiency it's best to keep it out of freezing temperatures - 'Energy usage may increase' or something.
BTW, I'm in North Dakota, so it gets even colder than Charby's.
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As you may have seen in this thread, I'm going hunting for the first time this year. One sticky wicket is where to store the meat. Our apartment has no real good place to put a deep freeze, except our little porch/balcony thingy. The problem with that is it would be somewhat exposed to the elements. Any covering would be somewhat flimsy in nature, as our lease frowns on building a shed on the back deck. :)
So is there a make/model of freezer designed for or capable of being placed into a relatively open air situation?
I know this is going to offend the sensibilities of the uptight HOA types on here, but a lot of folks up here in Alaska keep freezers outside year round especially out in the bush where they may have to have more than one. As long as you keep them up off the ground a little and and shelter them somewhat, you shouldn't have any problem. I've seen freezers that were constantly exposed to rain and snow work for years without any problems. The upside is that once temps drop down to 0* F or colder, you can unplug them and save on the power. When I lived up on the Yukon River and in the interior, I could shut down my freezer from about mid-Nov. through the end of Feb.
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Wow, thanks for the tip Detritus. Would it not be noticeable at the time of purchase, but then come up later?
Ok bear with me a minute here...
unit that's stored fish (unless the fish was in freezer bags), probably 90% of the time WILL smell of fish no matter what anyone does.
As for those aflicted by mildew, or teh smell of meat gone bad. A Seller that has a unit that is thusly afflicted, can to some extent hide the odors by washing the the interior with bleach, and baking soda paste to deodorize then prompty plugging it in, when the unit is running it the cold prevents mold/mildew from growing, and (i'm not sure of how this works, just know it happens) the lingering smells of fish and bad-meat are reduced. stops going racid at sub-zero maybe? the smell of bleach can mask loads of stuff as well.
the problem is, if or maybe i should say when a buyer comes along they're likely not going to unplug it, rush it home and get it plug back in and running before the unit thaws.
Oh and btw when transporting freezers/fridges if at all possible transport them upright, as in don't lay them over on their back/side. Or if you HAVE to do so to safely transport it, when you get it home let it sit in place for several hours (Pref. 12-24 if it was layed over an hour or more) before plugging it in. when layed over on a side or back some of the oil in the compressor can start to flow into the coils, and for various reasons it takes longer to get back INto the compressor than it did to get out. running the unit in that condition can wreck the compressor, and that's most of the cost of the unit.
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I was once given a mini fridge that didn't keep anything cold. Turned it upside down for a day, set it upright, ran like a champ and would freeze beer if it wasn't full.
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Guys...........what do you think was used before the age of air conditioned houses? Nothing, except movie theaters and high end restaurants, were air conditioned when I grew up in Miss and south TX back in the 50s. Refrigerators and freezers worked just fine then without air conditioning. Just buy a small chest freezer, Sears usually has them on sale for under 200 bucks. Any used one that freezes water will do just fine. Youngsters....geeezzz....chris3
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I was thinking more along the lines of it getting rained and snowed on....
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There's a used appliance store not to far from where I live. Over the years I've bought 2 fridges and freezer for out in the garage. The first fridge lasted 12 years before it gave up the ghost. The second fridge and freezer are still going strong. I think I've paid a total of $250 for all three.
Go used, especially for a "Garage" fridge.
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I live in WA state, so it's generally pretty mild.
Sounds good.
Mabs, my grandparents live in NC (Goldsboro to be specific). The freezer will work harder, but it should still last longer than Balog on a tree stand. :D
Chris
pwnd
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http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/wdc/100531247.html
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go to freecycle.org get a free freezer
this was one of the truest things i've ever read at least if you are a hunter like me
"ALSO Hunting being what it is, may I suggest finding a freezer, killing the deer, THEN buying the freezer."
i could harvest more deer with my f250 than i ever did with a gun or bow all i gotta do is stop hitting the brakes. dressing em out sucks though
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go to freecycle.org get a free freezer
this was one of the truest things i've ever read at least if you are a hunter like me
"ALSO Hunting being what it is, may I suggest finding a freezer, killing the deer, THEN buying the freezer."
i could harvest more deer with my f250 than i ever did with a gun or bow all i gotta do is stop hitting the brakes. dressing em out sucks though
Go faster....you'll field dress 'em
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worst infection in my life came from gutting a car killed deer reached in got scratched by broken ribs. arm was technicolor
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We've been using one of those smaller chest freezers about the size of a dishwasher. It works great and we've had it 12+ years. It's enough for the two of us and it doesn't take up much space in the basement. You can get quite a bit of stuff into it.