As I understand it, inversion factor means cold air stays low. That is why the open-top freezers in the supermarket keep stuff frozen.

Can I use a chest-type freezer for a refrigerator if I set the thermostat at, say, 40F ?

An upright freezer/refrigerator spills cold air out and downward when you open the door; then has to chill the warmer air that came in when you had the door open.

With limited generator time (as in Y2K ) to keep freezers/refrigerators frozen/cold a chest-type refrigerator seems the logical choice.

Pls comment.

-- RT (Rngfr49@yahoo.com), December 14, 1999

Answers

Yes, you can. I have a friend who builds reefers in this configuration. It also helps to tape a piece of visqueen plastic over the opening and cut slits in it. You can reach through the slit to get what you want yet it will keep air currents from disturbing the cold air. This works well on upright reefers/freezers too.

-- Don Kulha (dkulha@vom.com), December 14, 1999.

My solution for onservation of limited fuel resources was to buy a propane freezer -- a rather large unit -- which (I hope) will, in the event of outages, allow me to have a fully funtioning freezer for a while at least, and also use the existing electric refrigerator - freezers as "iceboxes": the plan being to freeze Coleman"blue ice" or water in 2 liter soda bottles, and rotate those every other day into the electric units to keep things cool. Zat sound workable?

-- SH (squirrel@huntr.com), December 14, 1999.

SH,

Modern electric refrigerators are designed to work well if you put the frozen blocks in the freezer compartment (assuming a top freezer). They have to be at the top of the refrigerator compartment -- not on the top shelf, but on the top of the compartment. That way the air will circulate within the 'fridge box past the frozen blocks.

-- Dean -- from (almost) Duh Moines (dtmiller@midiowa.net), December 14, 1999.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't you have to move the compressor and asstd piping also. Most are designed to run with the compressor verticle. Move it anything from vertical, and the lubricating oil in the freon et-al won't get to the pump/compressor. I remember not that long ago having an air conditioner (just a refrigerator without a big box) having to set horizontal for 4 hours before starting it up. It was right on the safety tag. Reasoning was oil had to get back to the compressor or you'll lock it up. I'd call a refrig repair guy and make sure before I'd take the chance. They're not cheap to replace.

-- Jim Miller (millerized@erols.com), December 15, 1999.