Lets Talk About Refrigerators.

Andy, I see the reasoning behind this. However I would need two chest freezers as I value the freezer more than the frig. Its going to get real interesting around here the next few weeks as we start testing all this stuff. I could not have done any of it without this forum and the people in it. KF

 

We lost a freezer last fall so we are canning more and more instead of freezing. A bit more work but so much more reliable. We have two R/V small fridges for back up and the one in the RV. Hope to have our cabin set up by this fall on the farm and will make it "off grid" completely. Will be close enough to a power supply to run an underground cable just for convenience. Getting soft in my older age--lol.

 

Canning lids my friend. Expensive and you need to store tons of them. Or you can buy Tattler reusable ones and they are expensive. We are also canning but cant really can everything and don't want all my eggs in one basket so to speak. Our combination of freezer and what we can puts a lot of food in long term storage. Nothing is simple is it?

http://www.reusablecanninglids.com/

 

Frigidare is crap unless you get a model with some sort of metal interior to insulation. some of their lower end models use plastic....so no way to these

 

Tattler lids aren't all they are cracked up to me. Yes the LID may well be life time, but the rubber ring isn't. My guess is a few uses, or some age on them (dry rot), on that thin sealing rubber, and the lid is useless. I have a box of them, and have used them, so this isn't a purely academic point of view. And replacement rings are MORE expensive than an equal set of new single piece traditional lids.

I bought LOTS of lids from Goodmans, best place on the internet I've found pricewise......you can get 60 dozen regular size ( 720 lids ) for 85 bucks, which costs $462 in Tattler land......take you 5.4 years just to break even.....assuming the Tattle rubbers would last that long ( my guess is NOT )

http://www.goodmans.net/d/603/ball-canning-lids-caps-bands.htm

 

Been thinking about trying to reuse lids. I believe if I very lightly smear Silicon Sealant on the seal and let it cure then it should easily provide a seal again. Will try it with the next batch and keep a very close eye on them for awhile. Anyone tried it?

 

Read where folks HAVE done it, though not me personally.

I think lids could be re-used, if times warranted it....as in no future re-supply was likely. Wash 'em good, and simply boil like we do now. You'd have to be real careful about removing them in the first place though, so you didn't warp or bend them. I think I'd skip the silicone and just go with the original rubber.

My guess on results is you'd have a little higher "failure to seal" initially, but if they DID seal, they'd be as good as originals.

 

Watch The silicone, not all is Non-Toxic , Silicone is for bathtubs only,, in my view, there are much better sealants , but each one is only good for it's use.

I agree with TNandy , Boil them so they soften & seal , watch on removal.

Sloth

 

EUREKA....I actually understood this and knew the answer before I got to the end of the post...There is hope...

Gafarmboy

 

Just another thought on the Frig thread...Why not use a solar powered freezer like the Sun Danzer and just freeze water to make ice and use an old fashion ICE BOX. That is the avenue that I will be taking.

 

Quite a few people around here use those sun danzer's and also propane refers. They seem to work good, however, they still need propane to make them work. What happens if you run out of propane and it is no longer avail ? I will take my elec fridge and chest freezer working on my solar any old time.

 

According to the ratings, these are the best of the best...(except for maybe some of the Danzers, etc) BUT these are full size, and can be with with freezers...hope this helps...rsbhunter
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Brand Model Volume
(ft3) Configuration Ice? KWH/
Year Federal
std. % Less
Energy
GE GTH18CBC**** 18.11 Top Freezer No 311 480 35%
GE GTH18CCC**** 18.11 Top Freezer No 311 480 35%
GE GTT18BBC**** 18.11 Top Freezer No 311 480 35%
Hotpoint HTH18GBC**** 18.11 Top Freezer No 311 480 35%
GE GTH18ABC**** 18.11 Top Freezer No 311 480 35%
Moffat MTH18GBC**** 18.11 Top Freezer No 311 480 35%
GE GTN18BBC**** 18.11 Top Freezer No 311 480 35%
GE GTK17JBC**** 16.5 Top Freezer No 300 463 35%
GE GTH17BBC**** 16.5 Top Freezer No 300 463 35%
Hotpoint HTH17BCC**** 16.5 Top Freezer No 300 463 35%
GE GTH17JBC**** 16.5 Top Freezer No 300 463 35%
GE GTH17DBC**** 16.5 Top Freezer No 300 463 35%
Hotpoint HTN17BBC**** 16.5 Top Freezer No 300 463 35%
Hotpoint HTH17GBC**** 16.5 Top Freezer No 300 463 35%
Moffat MTH17BBC**** 16.5 Top Freezer No 300 463 35%
Hotpoint HTH17CBC**** 16.5 Top Freezer No 300 463 35%
Hotpoint HTH17BBC**** 16.5 Top Freezer No 300 463 35%
GE GTH17GBC**** 16.5 Top Freezer No 300 463 35%
Hotpoint HTJ17CBC**** 16.5 Top Freezer No 300 463 35%
GE GTJ17BCC**** 16.5 Top Freezer No 300 463 35%
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The #s 311 and 300 are the Kwh/year energy use...

 

The biggest problem I see would be keeping the heat consistent.....not like you can set a wood stove like a propane or kerosene burner to a nice, consistent flame......BUT when you get one designed, sign me up !

 

I got the two kill a watt meters and have checked the freezer and am shocked. This is a 1994 Gibson chest freezer . The running amps are a measly .74 to to .8 amps!! is this possible? I have not caught it at start up yet. Total kwh so far in 22 hours is .91 Im guessing we will only be using about 1 kwh per day with this old unit. The frig is next.

 

I got 5.1 amps at start up and .74 to .81 running amps. 24 hours 1.06 kwh . The start up amps ramped up from 2.1 to 3.4 then 5.1 then it dropped to zero for about 20 seconds then started again at .81/.74 . Interesting results to say the least. KF

 

Looks Normal As of what my older units pull/do.
Measure all and record the numbers , Kw/Watts , start up amps / watts are close but since the meter is not the fastest at reading , your getting close. Power factors all, then mark each unit on the back for an idea later (when ya ferget) if you can run this unit on what size of inverter.

Sloth