Defrosting an Old Freezer - Thoughts?

[etrain16]

Okay folks, I've got an old standing freezer out in the garage. The thing is probably older than me. It's old enough that it doesn't defrost itself, meaning it has years and years of ice built up, taking up space and probably sapping the efficiency of the freezer. The thought of taking everything out and letting it just melt away seems pretty messy and may take, in my estimation, a long time. I don't want to risk all the food melting either and I don't know that coolers could keep the food cold enough during that time.

So, have any of you messed with defrosting a seriously frosted freezer before? I think I finally need to do this, but I'd love to hear some suggestions/pointers before I start sometime down the road. I do understand it can be dangerous to try and chip away the ice as you can risk puncturing something important. I've also heard that heat guns, etc. may also not be a good idea.

One question is - how do you deal with the water as things melt? It's in the garage and I don't want to end up with a ton of water all over the garage floor.

Anyway, suggestions/recommendations would be appreciated - not just for the defrosting, but for keeping the food frozen during the process.

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[Stomper]

Assuming there's not a drain-hole in the bottom of the box, use duct tape and a small bit of sheet plastic to make a "spillway" across the bottom edge of the box bunching the other end into a bucket, then use a hair dryer or HF heatgun to melt the ice.

You won't have a massive rush of water so much that you can't swap out buckets and have it emptied while you continue with the heatgun.... don't use an open flame torch.

 

[Alexx1401]

I have done it the way Stomper said, heat gun. Have also put a small 200 watt heater in one with towels in the bottom while I did other stuff. Would just ring the towels out in a bucket. Always just use a couple coolers for the food. If you think it may take a while put the food in the coolers, plenty of ice on top, then sprinkle rock salt across the top. It will make the temp fall way below freezing in the cooler for quite a while.

 

[etrain16]

Assuming there's not a drain-hole in the bottom of the box, use duct tap and a small bit of sheet plastic to make a "spillway" across the bottom edge of the box bunching the other end into a bucket, then use a hair dryer or HF heatgun to melt the ice.

You won't have a massive rush of water so much that you can't swap out buckets and have it emptied while you continue with the heatgun.... don't use an open flame torch.

Great suggestion - I didn't consider making a channel. That will certainly help. And I'll stick with the heat gun, save the torch for cleaning out my gas tank

I have done it the way Stomper said, heat gun. Have also put a small 200 watt heater in one with towels in the bottom while I did other stuff. Would just ring the towels out in a bucket. Always just use a couple coolers for the food. If you think it may take a while put the food in the coolers, plenty of ice on top, then sprinkle rock salt across the top. It will make the temp fall way below freezing in the cooler for quite a while.

Good idea with the salt, didn't even cross my mind. I had also thought about maybe some dry ice? Haven't used it before, but was wondering if that would work well.

 

[Alexx1401]

Great suggestion - I didn't consider making a channel. That will certainly help. And I'll stick with the heat gun, save the torch for cleaning out my gas tank



Good idea with the salt, didn't even criss my mind. I had also thought about maybe some dry ice? Haven't used it before, but was wondering if that would work well.

Yes dry ice works real well but you normally have to buy it by the pound. Not cheap. The salt on ice is how we used to make homemade ice cream when I was a kid. Have not seen one of those old ice cream makers in many decades now. One time some buddies were going fishing. Had cooler full of beer and ice. At one stop one wanted to throw salt on the ice to "chill beer". I told him don't do that, he unknown to the rest did it anyway. When they got to the lake the damn beer was frozen.

 

[Stomper]

Yes dry ice works real well but you normally have to buy it by the pound. Not cheap. The salt on ice is how we used to make homemade ice cream when I was a kid. Have not seen one of those old ice cream makers in many decades now. One time some buddies were going fishing. Had cooler full of beer and ice. At one stop one wanted to throw salt on the ice to "chill beer". I told him don't do that, he unknown to the rest did it anyway. When they got to the lake the damn beer was frozen.

Musta been Hams, "the beer (flavored water) so refreshing".

 

[jbett98]

Be careful of any refrigerant coils that might be present inside the box. I would use a stout wooden spatula and a heat gun. Once you get it clear of ice and dried out, don't load any food back in, just let it run while empty until it drops to your original temp settings.

 

[Stomper]

Be careful of any refrigerant coils that might be present inside the box. I would use a stout wooden spatula and a heat gun. Once you get it clear of ice and dried out, don't load any food back in, just let it run while empty until it drops to your original temp settings.

@etrain16 isnt dumb, he's an electrician..... LOL.

 

[Alexx1401]

Musta been Hams, "the beer (flavored water) so refreshing".

When I was a kid we did not have Coors here. Now and then some would drive over to ID and fill a car trunk with Coors,big big deal. I got invited a "Coors party" one night. First one I tried I asked them "if we didn't have horse sh$t in WA would you drive to another state to buy it?". They got real offended

 

[filsonhand]

Stomper is spot on for defrosting the beast. The good part about not having auto defrost cycles is less temp fluctuations to product, which means longer life But you got do this every so often

 

[jbett98]

@etrain16 isnt dumb, he's an electrician..... LOL.

People just get impatient and even prying on the hidden coils can damage them. I ruined a good running freezer by being in a big hurry.

 

[filsonhand]

I've had to deal with the aftermath of a blowhole chipping ice with a screwdriver. Its one thing with 42oz of go juice in your home fridg-E-ator, its a lot more costly when there is 1000#s + of it behind that coil in a commercial or industrial setting

 

[Alexx1401]

People just get impatient and even prying on the hidden coils can damage them. I ruined a good running freezer by being in a big hurry.

I've seen a few stabbed with an ice pick by people in a hurry

 

[11Charlie]

The thing is probably older than me.

They had power back then?!!!!!




I would roll it outside and use a weed burner. Make quick work of it and then post pictures so we can all have a good time!!

 

[etrain16]

They had power back then?!!!!!




I would roll it outside and use a weed burner. Make quick work of it and then post pictures so we can all have a good time!!

Well, at least I won't have to drill a hole in the side of it

 

[41mag]

Our annual routine is to defrost both the chest & the upright freezer once a year. Our process:

UNPLUG FREEZER first

1) wait until a cold snap of as cold as you expect that winter; (usually hits by mid-February);

2) Plastic, wooden, even old milk crates or cardboard boxes right size, surrounded by tarp when full of frozen packages; OUT of direct sunlight

3) usually whole process takes only a few hours;

4) tub of hot water IN the freezer box for a short 10 minutes or so warms enough to expect 'glacier calving' of frost sheets off the sides;
picking with your gloved fingers should be enough; we've never needed heat gun;

5) be prepared to jettison really old/soggy/suspicious packages;

6) have some basic idea of indexing your goods for ease of location when repacked over the coming seasons;

We date label all our freeze stuff with Sharpie.

7) check your door seals integrity; sometimes they need replacing (usually an easy chore).

Sometimes we put boxes temporary in a wheel barrow or garden cart covered with tarp, for ease of movement & keeping out of the way.

Keep any boxes under a porch roof or similar, as it doesn't take much photon activity to begin the surface thawing. Most often our frozen packages remain rock-hard for at least several hours IF outdoor temp is anywhere below FREEZING temp.

Some years we have to jettison considerable of older garden produce that's just too ancient. It goes back in a trench in the garden area to be covered over as a sort of compost.

 

[osprey]

At the age of that freezer it is a good time to get a new one. A new will have better insulation, a better door seal and a more efficient compressor. This all combines to draw less power, saving you money in the long run. It will also give you piece of mind that it is not on borrowed time ready to crap out at any moment possibly ruining the contents.

 

[11Charlie]

Well, at least I won't have to drill a hole in the side of it

OMG I'm drinking coffee I should know better by now!!!

 

[etrain16]

Our annual routine is to defrost both the chest & the upright freezer once a year. Our process:

1) wait until a cold snap of as cold as you expect that winter; (usually hits by mid-February);

2) Plastic or cardboard boxes right size, surrounded by tarp when full of frozen packages; OUT of direct sunlight

3) usually whole process takes only a few hours;

4) tub of hot water IN the freezer box for a short 10 minutes or so warms enough to expect 'glacier calving' of frost sheets off the sides;
picking with your gloved fingers should be enough; we've never needed heat gun;

5) be prepared to jettison really old/soggy/suspicious packages;

6) have some basic idea of indexing your goods for ease of location when repacked over the coming seasons;

We date label all our freeze stuff with Sharpie.

7) check your door seals integrity; sometimes they need replacing (usually an easy chore).

Sometimes we put boxes temporary in a wheel barrow or garden cart covered with tarp, for ease of movement & keeping out of the way.

Keep any boxes under a porch roof or similar, as it doesn't take much photon activity to begin the surface thawing. Most often our frozen packages remain rock-hard for at least several hours IF outdoor temp is anywhere below FREEZING temp.

Some years we have to jettison considerable of older garden produce that's just too ancient. It goes back in a trench in the garden area to be covered over as a sort of compost.

Some great points. I was considering doing this in winter for the reason you mention - easier to keep the frozen stuff frozen. And definitely a good time to clear out old food - I know there is some stuff deep in the back that is overdue to be tossed.

 

[moose]

I had an old chest freezer that was close to what you describe. I decided that I'd at least take it outside and let it defrost and more importantly, dry out. The seals were crap, the walls were kind of bulging from the frost and there was a major mold colony feasting on the back.
It took a while to get my wife to stop putting things in it so I could defrost it and in the end, I told her to chuck, eat or manage to squeeze it into the refer's freezer. 3 months warning and she still gets pissed (for context, refer to my "I got this wife" thread).

Long story short though, it was a better idea to get a new one that had new seals, better insulation and more miserly of electricity.