Freezer won't freeze when it is freezing outside

[Renthorin]

Anyone else ever have this problem and have a solution?

We have a floor freezer in the garage where we keep lots of meat. This time of the year its performance drops way off. Things will begin to thaw inside in January.

My theory is because the garage is right around freezing - 40 degrees, the freezer thinks everything is cold inside so it never turns on.

I have tried pointing a hairdryer at the compressor and what I believe is the temp sensor....but this has poor results if any.

I have thought about wrapping the freezer in some kind of thermal blanket to keep it warm so it stays cold....if that makes sense.

Anyone else with an outdoor freezer have the problem and have suggestions for me?????

 

[wagon]

I don't have a suggestion for your freezer, but if you have money to spare, I saw one at Lowes Home Improvement, that must have been made with your situation in mind. It had a top and bottom like a regular kitchen refridgerator, but the smaller top portion was the fridge, and the bottom was the freezer, but I think the whole thing could be used as a freezer or fridge. Also, it was designed to heat the contents if the temperature got too cold in it's surroundings. So, I'm guessing that it would also work good as a freezer in those conditions. It wasn't cheap though, but on a plus side, it was made to look like diamond plate aluminum.
One thing you could ty, is to maybe make a box out of that styrofoam insulation they put on houses before siding them. Make the box big enough so that the fridge still has breathing room, and don't close it in completely. Make it big and tall enough so that you can actually step into it and get to the freezer. Maybe make a frame out of strapping or something.
If you try this, let me know how it works out. I have a problem with my fridge. My regular fridge that I have in the garage freezes things in the Winter, so I have to empty it. Maybe I'll try my own idea, and see if it keeps things just warm enough. I really don't want to lug it down to the basement every Winter, and back to the garage every Spring. It's heavy.

 

[Renthorin]

Your styrofoam box ide is something to try. My freezer doesn't have exposed coils so I am not sure where they are.....BUT.... in the summer the front of the freezer gets warm so I think they are there.

If I could find the thermostat (it is not inside) I would try to keep it warm or stick it in a cup of warm water and see if the unit turns on.

 

[gn4u2c]

Clean the coil and compressor fan area.

report back

 

[Renthorin]

there is a llittttttle door on the side that has the temp dial, a foot or so of copper tubing, and the compressor in it. Other than that the entire outside is smooth metal.

There is no traditional "radiator" on the back like the fridge in the house has.

I suppose it might be underneath the freezer but I have 2 deer and 150 pounds of assorted meat in there so I won't be tipping it anytime soon :-(

 

[The Blob]

Refrigerators and freezers basically rely on the outside air to be warmer than than the inside the appliance air for the refrigeration cycle to work properly. (I kind of understand why, but not well enough to explain it to anyone so you'll have to trust me.)

Bottom line is you have to either move the freezer to a warmer place or figure out how to make the place the freezer is at warmer. Wrapping it up might work if the compressor heat is enough to sufficiently warm inside the wrapping, but I wouldn't count on it.

 

[tjthorson]

Freezers rely on pressure drop across a coil to acheive a drop in temperature. Once it gets to freezing, the oil and freon do not move freely and the compressor housing can ice up and not cool effectively.

I had to install a small 30,000 BTU heater in my garage and keep it at 50 degrees all winter for this very reason.

Your only solution is to somehow warm up the surrounding air so that the freon can be compressed and move freely.

 

[turbosam6]

It won't wok because the refrigerant pressure is dropping due to the cold air and not allowing the refrigerant to change state, therefor it cannot absorb any heat, and the unit doesn't work. The good news is, theres a much easier solution. You will need a professional to do this, but its easy and works perfect. You need to install a "low ambient control", basically a fan cycling switch, which kills the condenser fan on a pressure drop, allowing it to warm back up and allowing the refrigerant to reach a high enough pressure. In simple terms, you trick it into thinking its warm out. Call a local refrigeration technician, and tell them the problem.