Deep Freezer Minimum Temperature

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JHZR2

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We have a run of the mill Kenmore chest freezer, Bought it maybe in 2008 or 2009. Works fine.

But I have no idea how cold a deep freezer should get. We have always kept it midway and it has been fine.

Because of the potential loss of power, I turned it to max cold yesterday. I stuck the thermocouple that my Fluke 179 can read in there in some free space about 1/4 of the way down inside in the center.

Just went to read it and the freezer is only at -3.2F. My GE side by side refrigerator stays at 0F. -3 doesnt seem like a deep freeze. Shouldnt these things get colder?

What will yours do? What is optimal?

Is only getting to -3 a sign of too much frost?
 
Isn't that partially determined by the degree of insulation and ambient air temperature?

I've heard -10 to 0 is sufficient for a chest freezer. Those can also keep things cold longer (48 versus 24 hours) in the event of a power failure.
 
you seen Empire strikes back ? remember Han-Solo ? Remember the Carbon freeze ?? Yeah baby.. thats about where mines set at..
smile.gif
 
What I read is that 0 F is optimal for storing food and up to -10 F is optimal for freezing food. The faster is freezes, the better it is (less ice crystals, etc.). In reality, who would do this?

And, if your freezer is very full, it might take longer than 24 hours to get the adjusted temperature down to its final point.
 
(Not a chest freezer, but an upright)

I used to keep our frost-free standalone at -10F; but our food has been better quality when kept closer to 0F. Less freezer-burn.

Nice thing about a chest (or even upright) versus your standard fridge/freezer combo, is your dedicated freezer will (generally) keep it's temperature more stable since it's not opened as much. Better for long term storage.

0F is pretty standard. Both our walk-in freezer's at work cycle around that point. During defrost they do get up to 26F, though. Not really sure what temperature our residential upright gets to during it's defrost cycle.
 
ok great... Basement is cool, no real thermal equilibrium issues. Ill try to get it to sit right at 0, same as our regular freezer on the fridge, once this storm is over and we dont have a power loss concern.
 
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