AC_Hacker's Hasty Freezer Conversion

[Daox]

From the blog, Mark asks:

What are the specs of the orignal freezer, cubic, model number etc. Thanks.

[AC_Hacker]

Originally Posted by Daox

From the blog, Mark asks: What are the specs of the orignal freezer, cubic, model number etc. Thanks.

I think it's pretty much THIS ONE.

You should be able to find the specs yourself.

There is absolutely nothing about this unit that makes it a very good candidate for a Freezerator conversion.

In fact it has very little going for it. The efficiency is not so hot and it does not have a built in defrost drain. The reason I got it is that on the day I was looking, I found it for $90 on Craig's List, and I could continue my experiment.

What I learned is that even a very poor performing freezer makes a very acceptable Freezerator... with certain reservations.

Whatever candidate you choose should have a built in defrost drain, because the Freezerator will run very humid, which is great for produce. But there is a constant drivel of condensation, and a defrost drain will let you easily direct the condensation.

Also pick one that has really good performance specs, because your new performance will be better than twice as good.

My ebay temperature controller works well, but my Arduino controller was better.

So, there you have it... Go forth and hack!

-AC

[Daox]

Thanks AC.

For those interested, here is the link to the Summit freezer:

FS60M | Summit Appliance

Here is the energy star tag for the freezer. It is supposed to use approximately 879 Wh/day. Using it has a fridge uses less than half the power (395 Wh/day).

[AC_Hacker]

Originally Posted by Daox

Here is the energy star tag for the freezer. It is supposed to use approximately 879 Wh/day. Using it has a fridge uses less than half the power (395 Wh/day).

Yep, that's the one. Really a badly designed freezer.

But it brilliantly illustrates the Freezerator principle of increasing efficiency by running a freezer at refrigerator temperatures.

If the deplorable summit can come in as a winner, just think what a well designed unit would do!

-AC

[jeff5may]

So how is the freezerator doing? Did you leave the chinese controller rigged to it? If so, has it given you any trouble?

I decided to get another Uno clone for my next creation. The main reason being is flexibility. I'm just not exactly sure what this new unit will end up like.

Grand total of $21.99, shipped in 3 days. Ebay seller is 16hertzelectronics. I couldn't resist the shwag package. I believe you can never have enough jumper wires.

I also got some more dallas temp sensors just like your pic. 5 pcs DS18B20 1 meter waterproof. $11.99 shipped, got here in 2 days.

I believe I will be assuming command of a 9000 btu portable a/c unit like the one you got for free. I wish there was a way to pull the code from the micros in these little units. It would make decoding things like switches and display drive components SO much easier.

[AC_Hacker]

Originally Posted by jeff5may

So how is the freezerator doing? Did you leave the chinese controller rigged to it? If so, has it given you any trouble?

The Freezerator is doing just great. The temperature controller is still cranking along just fine, no problem with the Chinese unit. The current from starting the little freezer compressor is not so much. The relay seems to be holding up just fine.

We had a power outage about 3 months ago, back in March, so my Kill-a-Watt zeroed out then.

The duration of measurement is now 2185 hours.

The Power used is 26.34 kW-h.

This makes out to be about 12.06 watts per hour, or about 289.32 watt-hours per day.

Here is a photo of my freezerator, exactly as it is in use today:

You can clearly see that it is heaped up with crusty bachelor debris. I include this photo, because the top of the unit is actually one of the condenser surfaces, and if all this crap was not there, the efficiency would be even better.

But 289.32 watt-hours per day is pretty good for a pretty inefficient freezer, that is being badly treated. Starting with a better freezer, and keeping the top and sides, and back clear would yield even better results. But this hummer is only costing me $11.62 per year to run, so I'm not too motivated.

However, as I have previously posted, condensation needs to be addressed. With a regular refrig or freezer the humidity freezes, which dries out the food, but also prevents condensation problems.

With the Freezerator, the humidity doesn't freeze, it drips... which has the benefit of keeping produce in good shape for a much longer period of time that usual.

But the condensation has to go somewhere. I have tried a drip tray, which helped fairly well, but it isn't entirely satisfactory.

The best solution is a drain tube at the lowest point on the bottom of the inside of the Freezerator, that can drain into a reservoir or better yet, outside.

The volume of the condensation isn't much, maybe a half or a quarter of a teaspoon a day (maybe even less)... but it is relentless.

If you're gonna build one of these things (I highly recommend it), build in the drain tube before you ever start it up, because after you start using it, it is a major hassle to remove the food, dry it out and make the mod.

* * *

The Arduino temperature controller (Teensy in my case) is much better because you can dial in your hysteresis exactly like you want it. The Chinese temp controller I got is in Centigrade, so the degree intervals are larger, and therefore the temp swings are a bit too big to really hit the sweet spot.

It is quite useful to be able to log temperature swings, because that really helps in fine tuning the beast.

So:

• Freezerator good
• Arduino (or equiv) good
• 1-wire temp sensor good
• Solid State Relay good
• Condensation drain tube very good

Best of luck & take many photos,

-AC

[ecomodded]

The little fridges are very inefficient for their size, you have done well on the little freezer mod / hack.

My 21 cu. ft insulated fridge has been on the kill a watt meter for 2,221 hrs. in the process it used 85.60 kwh.

Which converts to 20.3 kwh per 5 cu ft. in the 2221 hrs.

[AC_Hacker]

Originally Posted by ecomodded

The little fridges are very inefficient for their size, you have done well on the little freezer mod / hack.

My 21 cu. ft insulated fridge has been on the kill a watt meter for 2,221 hrs. in the process it used 85.60 kwh.

Which converts to 20.3 kwh per 5 cu ft. in the 2221 hrs.

I'm afraid that I don't understand what your calculations imply.

Could you explain?

-AC

[ecomodded]

Math says the insulated 21 cu. ft fridge is 24% more efficient by the cu. ft

Your freezer hack gave you nice gains , I imagine insulation would further the reduction.

[AC_Hacker]

Originally Posted by ecomodded

Math says the insulated 21 cu. ft fridge is 24% more efficient by the cu. ft...

OK, I understand that part.

So, how can this fact be beneficial to you in your real-world life?

That is the part that I do not understand?

-AC