Chest Freezer Temperature Fluctuations

[Quattro Pete]

I've got a small 5 cu ft. Frigidaire chest freezer in an attached unheated garage. It's about 6 years old. After the move, it sat unused for the last 4 months, so after I started using it again, I thought I'd monitor its temperature a little, especially that it was below freezing in the garage, even though according to the owner's manual, this freezer was designed to operate even when it's below 32F outside.

I put two remote temp sensors, one near the bottom, one near the top. The freezer is about half full.

Bottom temperature fluctuates between -15F and +2F.
Top temperature fluctuates between +6F and +18F.

Overall, there is about 20 degree difference between top and bottom at any given time.

This is with thermostat knob set to around 80%. If I crank it up more, the temperature fluctuations become even more extreme.

The seal seems to be in good shape. I did the dollar bill test and don't see any problems.

I've read that there shouldn't be more than about 10 degree difference between top and bottom of a properly working chest freezer. Also, the temps shouldn't be this high near the top, but maybe it's because the freezer isn't full? Anyway, is it time to look for a new freezer?

Thanks!

 

[Hall]

Fill it with more stuff, even if it means going and buying bags of ice. I'd put those on the upper shelves too. The fact that it gets down to -15º F says it's working.

 

[hemitom]

I think being in an unheated garage that sits around freezing or less is part of the problem
we just moved my daughters freezer out of our garage and the temps were more stable in the summer than in the winter.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Basic consumer refrigeration equipment runs ON/OFF controls - meaning it turns the compressor on full blast until it reaches a low set point, then it turns off and the temperature climbs until it hits a high temp setpoint and the compressor turns on and it starts again.

20F seems like a pretty large spread - but it could be overshooting because its already cold outside, or it has minimum on time.

I agree that filling it will most likely help - will stabilize the interior temps better. Will help with the top to bottom issues also - but freezers are always going to be cooler at the bottom - heat rises.

I converted a cheap 5 Cu ft freezer to a drink fridge using a remote bulb temperature controller. In theory you could do that and keep it a freezer - just use the remote bulb to control your setpoints.

 

[Lubener]

My guess is the door gasket leaks since the top is much warmer than the bottom.

 

[doitmyself]

I agree with the opinions above regarding possible causes, especially the sub freezing garage temps..

For fun, I would try to arrange the contents not to be level. Stack things up high on one side, low on the opposite. There's no logic to this trial other than to see if this might affect the temperature stratification.

My workplace walk in freezer/cooler with winterized outdoor compressors quit working below -14F. An old style flood light bulb was enough to remedy the problem.

 

[alarmguy]

That temperature swing is out of line. Im guessing maybe some freon leaked and only part of the coils are getting cold enough starting from the bottom up. Yeah, time for a new one.

We have an approx 9 month old 5 Cubic Foot Vissani from Home Depot. Temperature control is spot on. Swing is 5 degrees or slightly less.

We keep it around 0f -
Summer it will swing between -5f to 0f
Winter it will swing between -1 to around 3f
It's in our garage, I never change the temperature setting as there is no need.
Garage will get up to 95+ in summer and as low as the 30s winter.

We went nuts looking at all the brands, drove ourselves crazy and ended up with the HD one for features and sale price. This is my wife's toy she loves cooking and having the room to buy stuff on sale, with enough room at home so she doesn't have to constantly pack the kitchen side by side freezer.
Very happy with it. The light in the door is handy too. I put a digital thermometer in it.

Not that it matters but she (and I) liked the word "garage ready" on the Vissani ONLY because for some brands we saw complaints about keeping a low enough temperature in a garage. NOT that I think it makes a difference UNLESS those reviews are correct but those words to us in the way it is marketed by Vissani imply enough cooling power when the garage hits 95+ degrees.

I can say, it always held the temperature. Actually that is why the summer temperature is slightly colder at the same setting. I never have to move the temp setting. Thermostat would naturally be thrown off a tiny bit, thinking the freezer is slightly warmer than it is so at the same setting it will get a couple degrees colder then the winter. There is more "room" on the Thermostat to make it a little colder, Cant remember exactly but specks might be to -10 degrees. Hope this makes sense I edited it a few times, need more coffee this morning. I think at the time we got it on sale for $169 USD
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Vissani...Light-in-White-Garage-Ready-HMCF5W5/325590180

 

[mk378]

only part of the coils are getting cold enough starting from the bottom up.

There are no coils in the bottom. It gets plenty cold there since cold air falls. The only evaporator coils are from the top edge down to about 6 inches down on the inside walls.

 

[alarmguy]

There are no coils in the bottom. It gets plenty cold there since cold air falls. The only evaporator coils are from the top edge down to about 6 inches down on the inside walls.

This is not correct for the Vissani coils go to the bottom. It was apparent when starting it new, you could see the frost lines from the piping from top to bottom. Maybe that is why it is called garage ready. More cooling power.

 

[Quattro Pete]

So, filling the freezer with more content so that it's nearly full didn't really help. The top of the freezer temps still oscillate between -7F and +13F several times a day, averaging around +6F overall.

 

[facility1]

make sure you have a rack or whatever on the bottom and stack contents a inch or two away from the side ,creating better flow around sides and bottom ,don't stack up to the lid also.

 

[fat biker]

How accurate are your thermometers?
Brand, model?

 

[Quattro Pete]

How accurate are your thermometers?
Brand, model?

They're the GoveeLife ones: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DZCT6GD1

But it's really less about accuracy, and more about the fluctuations that I'm seeing. I guess it corresponds to the compressor turning on and off, like was mentioned earlier. Just wasn't sure if that much fluctuation was normal...

Top of freezer:

Bottom of freezer: