Transform a freezer into a fridge easily?

[Christophe]

For years, I have had a 200L bahut freezer that I no longer use (celibacy requires) ... So I wondered if it was possible to easily "transform" it into a refrigerator ...

In cold (hihi) I see 3 easily accessible solutions:

a) Feed it intermittently with an ON / OFF period to be determined (of the type 10 min per hour to start the tests) with a timed relay

b) Use a rheostat to lower the supply voltage and therefore the power of the compressor: the compressor will run less quickly so logically the cold will be less intense (but the electronic management card may not like this voltage drop too much .. .The rheostat should therefore be placed between the card and the motor ...)

c) Change the temperature detection probe (or the temperature set point) in order to modify the set temperature (if the management card allows a much warmer range, it is not certain) ...

The simplest is the a)

In case b) I have a doubt about the life of the compressor ...

The most complicated (but it is reasonable ... if the electronics are compatible) is the c)

That someone has already tried the thing? Opinions on 3 solutions?

Here is the "temperature" setting (very rough in my opinion) and the information sheet:

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[Gaston]

The 'a' is easy to do, but does not give a great stability of the indoor temperature (it will change the period depending on the outside temperature).

In my opinion, the 'b' will not work. I think the engine is synchronous and it is the frequency that should be changed to make it run slower. By the way, keeping the original thermostat, it will turn just longer.

The 'c' is a good idea, but perhaps complicated?

I would suggest an option 'd': the use of a thermostat socket with a remote probe (in this kind of there ou thereof).

Remains the question of the distribution of the temperature inside: if we set the thermostat to 5 °, it is likely that the walls will still fall below 0 ° when the compressor is running (it's already the in most refrigerators, but the evaporator does not cover all the walls). In my opinion, do not put products that fear frost (vegetables, fruits, ...)!

[Christophe]

Regarding the b) you mean asynchronous no?

The solution of the rheostat works with my solar pump (a garden gardena pump quite classic single-phase asyncrhone) and this since 4 or 5 years at about 1000h per year ... this against all the opinions (and the theory of drives for asynchronous machines ...)

She works towards 160V 50Hz so so quite reliable ...

I had studied the subject from 2008: electrical-electronic-computer / controller-to-power-speed-to-asynchronous-motor-t5240.html

Agree with the limits of a) and interesting your solution d) I think it's the "best" in terms of ease and efficiency!

[izentrop]

Hello,
I did it with a recovered cabinet freezer and it works fine.
The insulation being thicker than that of a fridge, it can only consume less.
He had a temperature regulation problem. She went down too low, even to a minimum.

I bought a simple electronic thermostat. It acts heating and air conditioning by moving straps, set in air conditioning.
the probe (thermistor noted "sensor" on the circuit) was unsoldered and offset by a 1 m sindex wire and positioned 2/3 of the height of the cabinet.
A thermometer in a water container to check.
it can go down to less than 2 ° set to minimum.

Set for 4 ° stabilized and measured with an energy meter, I get 475 Wh / day, which is quite honorable. Blows it serves me as extra fridge when we invite the world

I lost the cache

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sensor bottom left

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[chatelot16]

the right solution is to change the thermostat, or replace it if the original thermostat is not suitable

the refrigeration compressor will be on vacation! he will shoot much less often and will not complain!

the problem will be the management of condensation: a freezer is frost, and sometimes it must be emptied to defrost: the freezer converted into refrigeration will simply condense water that will sink to the bottom: plan evacuation

leave a hole always open would make a draft and a loss of energy: shows how is your freezer to choose the solution

it reminds me of a remark about the average refrigerator with freezer: it's bad: the compressor is a low temperature for the freezer that is almost never used for anything: it should build optimized refrigerator without freezer: the compressor would only the temperature of the refrigerator and would not waste energy to make ice ... and when we want ice cream we use the freezer and not the refrigerator

[Gaston]

the problem will be the management of condensation: a freezer is frost, and sometimes it must be emptied to defrost: the freezer converted into refrigeration will simply condense water that will sink to the bottom: plan evacuation

leave a hole always open would make a draft and a loss of energy: shows how is your freezer to choose the solution

Mine has a hole with a plug at the bottom ...

If that of Christophe is similar, it must be enough to remove the cap from time to time ... but it will be necessary to be careful that the food does not bathe in 1mm of water (put a grid on the bottom?)

[Macro]

find an electronic T ° regulator of the heliwell type or other Chinese production which is programmable with defrost cycles and even restart times ... it costs a few euros ... on the other hand, the water will actually flow on the ground and not on an evaporation device as on a "positive" fridge ...

[chatelot16]

the solution for the evacuation of water is finally simple: just a pipe with a siphon: it lets out the water and no draft ... a siphon do make small puppets ...

put at the bottom of the freezer a grating so that the water can go out without wetting what is laid on it

[Flytox]

My fridge works with an external regulation (Chinoiserie 25 €) replacing the original system 3 times more expensive and not reliable and since 2 or 3 years. Wiring possible in heating or cooling.

What is good is that the probe is at the end of a wire of about one meter. One can thus choose the most opportune place side freezer or side fridge. Just drill the bottom of the fridge to pass the probe and seal with a little polystyrene for example.
Disadvantage of assembly with the probe in the air as below, as soon as you open the fridge, the temperature rises in a few seconds to 8 or 9 ° C, so the fridge starts each time. Another disadvantage is a hysteresis of 2 ° C, may be a bit too big. (Although it may be as good or better than the original one )

Even if you want to make changes, to homogenize the temperature, it will be interesting to mount a mini fan like the cooling of the PCs to mix the cold air and avoid the big temperature differences / frost plates and related regulation problems.

ventil.jpg (261.44 Kio) Accessed 52320 times

[izentrop]

Disadvantage of assembly with the probe in the air as below, as soon as you open the fridge, the temperature rises in a few seconds to 8 or 9 ° C, so the fridge starts each time. Another disadvantage is a hysteresis of 2 ° C, may be a bit too big. (Although it may be as good or better than the original one)

I put the probe in a piece of sheath and all stuck on the wall with a piece of adhesive and it does not trigger any more when you open the door. With a little more insulation, we must increase the hysteresis.

Forced ventilation is not necessarily interesting because some foods prefer cooler temperatures such as butter, egg, cream, soft cheese, fruits and vegetables ...

A module that adjusts the low cost hysteresis https://www.google.fr/search?q=w1209
The notice https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/ ... GVqMXd2SWM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6blCrNm-5s