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Freezer Without Power - Survival Time?
Frogdog
Member Posts: 2,994 ✭✭✭✭
Curious on your experiences with survival times for a freezer during power outage. Mine is a chest freezer, jam packed with deer. It’s in a garage (about 45 deg).
I see on the web, guidance says 48 hrs. However, I know we’ve gone longer than that, with everything remaining rock solid (even in warmer temps). Anyhow, curious on your experiences. I don’t want to lose this meat, but also don’t want to jump the gun on taking action, since I don’t have a generator, and would have to move it a good distance to an alternate location.
Thanks!
Comments
We just lost power for 32 hours. Our chest freezer is in the lower level at 65 degrees. I ran our generator 10 hours after the power loss for an hour. The next morning, 11 hours later, meat was still hard, but bread was soft & I ran the generator for several hours more. Besides the room temp., I'm sure the quality of the freezer will have something to do with it.
You could try adding insulation to the outside of the freezer. Drape a couple of comforters or down sleeping bags over it. I usually run a portable generator during the day and keep the freezer covered at night when the generator is off. Bob
If it doesnt get above 45 and you dont open the freezer I think you could go at least 3 days. Covering it is a good suggestion. Takes almost that long to defrost a big turkey outside the freezer.
Borrow a generator or go buy a small one. You don't need a large 10 hp generator to run an appliance. My little 1.8 hp 15 amp does just fine. Or get an inverter for a vehicle and run an extension cord.
Back in the major ice storm of the early 00's, I knew of some folks making the rounds among family and friends to successfully "recharge" the freeze for a few hours with their generators. So maybe reach out to someone with a generator, or do a short rental from Home Depot or one of the tool rental places? They said it doesn't take that long to maintain the freeze.
As mentioned , a small one will get you by short term for the freezer and a light or three. Sell a couple boxes of ammo and get one.
This article may be worth reading.
And, you may want to be sure that each freezer/fridge is on a dedicated electric line.
Neal
If you are buying a generator it doesnt cost a hell of a lot more to get one to run most of the whole house. I got a 7500 watt Champion dual fuel generator that runs everything except the hot water heater and electric range. I could run the hot water heater 4500 watt if I shut something else off. With an isolation switch, electrician hookup, I have less than $1000 invested. Maintainance and up keep is about the same for a big one or a small one and no need for cords.
I always find it rather amazing that I have coolers that insulate better than any compressor equipped refrigerator or freezer I have ever owned. I can keep ice in a cooler for up to 5 days no problem but my chest, upright, etc freezers/fridges only a couple days at the most.
If you want to add insulation to them, your best bet is to strap some styrofoam to the outside. I think a couple layers of the 2" rigid foam board insulation (for homes) would work well. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Owens-Corning-FOAMULAR-NGX-F-250-2-in-x-4-ft-x-8-ft-SSE-R-10-XPS-Rigid-Foam-Board-Insulation-52DDNGX/315197962 Be sure to cut it so that the seams overlap, and you will want to avoid opening the door as much as possible.
Outside of that, you really need a genset of some sort that will run the compressor to keep things frozen beyond a couple days when the power goes out.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
@JimmyJack when did you buy your Champion? I see them listed between 800 and change to over 1100 right now, was your electrician a friend? I'm very interested in getting one of these so any additional details would be appreciated. Also sorry if I'm high-jacking the thread, and I know the topic has been explored before here, but it has been awhile and any updated info on whole house gens from all ya all is welcome. I will start a new thread if needed.
ETA fixed a typo.
My bigger question to @JimmyJack is why he's heating hot water. Is it a boiler?
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
good article
I bought mine last year 2021 and I heat my house with a boiler. The water pump needs the power to circulate. tbe electrician tied the job in when the power lines went from overhead to underground, so it made it more reasonable. I just ran it 3 days straight and it worked great.
Well, thought I’d follow up on this. So I went 4 days and everything was frozen just about as solid as day 1. Hooked to a neighbors generator for a few hours a day for the fifth and sixth days. Then the power finally was restored.
Got my own generator ready to go for next time!
Power won't go out now for at least 5 yrs since you have a generator
Jimmyjack ,did he include a disconnect between the electric companies supply line and the generator?
Ha ha that's what happened to me. We lived in Jasper, TN back in the 90s and the power would go out quiet often. I bought a generator and only used it one time for less than an hour until we moved away in '97.
I've still got the thing sitting in my basement. I've moved it with me every where we've lived since '97. It hadn't been started in 13 years and I cranked it up about 4 years ago and it tried to start on the 2nd crank and I pulled the cord 2 more times and it fired up. Surprised me. I had drained the tank and carburetor bowl which is probably the only reason it started up so easy.
The neighbors would probably throw rocks at my house if I ever needed to use it since the thing is so loud.
Yes, You can only us one or the other, There is an isolation switch in the panel. Designed so you cant backfeed the power supply line and fry someone working on the system.
A freezer full of food vs $300-400 for a mid-grade generator--no comparison.
We have 3 generators-one 2500 amp small enough one person to lift, one 5500 amp electric start on wheels that one person can roll around, and one 9K generator/ portable welder combo. Before next winter, I intend to have a 7-10K unit running off my secondary LP tank and hooked directly to my house with a 3 way safety switch.
We've seen times when the power was off for 5-7 days.
Yea, if you look at the commercial price for venison, I would have lost about $6K in meat alone. I wasn’t thinking about the $, though. I was thinking about all those cold , early mornings, long drags, and marathon grinding sessions. That’s what pushed me over the edge to get the generators. I’m sure we’ll be back in hurricane land eventually, so probably will have more use to come for them.
I went with two Westinghouse 3600/4650 watt generators. They have great reviews and were $100 off at Amazon last week. Powerful enough to do everything I need, but small enough to move easily myself.
Glad to see you got set up. Also interesting to see that your freezer stayed good that long. I start getting nervous about freezers after 24 hours, I guess I'm good for well over that.
Mobuck explain what a three way safety switch does? I think my safety switch only allows me two options.
House in Pine Bluff has transfer switch set up and an 8750/6500 gas generator that handles whole house. I need the same set up here in Missouri. Haven't got around to it. At the moment I can roll my 3750 dual fuel out to the camper and stay in the camper. I have two 100 lbs bottles on stand by.
Big issue is water since I'm on a well and it's powered separately. I really need to convert it from direct wire to plug in so I can put a small generator in the pump house. Now would be the time to do it so we don't have to worry about snakes.
Transfer switches have two positions, Utility (which is normal), or emergency (which is for when you loose utility power). There are some manual switches that have a neutral position, ( no power supplied to the load). Having been in the generator business for 25 years I can tell you cheap & easiest way are not what you want to follow. Thru the years I have refused to sell items to customers that could not afford to do the job correctly. Here in NC if you connect a generator to a utility line, back feed, and a lineman is injured, you will be prosecuted.
Susie, I also have a well which has its on meter. Many communities here in the mountains also have a single well suppling several homes. The best solution I have found is to install a 7.5kw Generac generator with a 100 amp automatic transfer switch dedicated to the water pump. A 150 gallon propane tank will supply fuel for a long time for that single cylinder engine.