How does a chest freezer work?

[Elliot]

Yes Barney, I have checked, and I included it in the original post: 2.8 Amps. That's 322 Watts.

Then Token posted:
"The specs on the box are maximum draw which is mandated by UL. Electrical fire safety and all that. Must list max to limit liability. Thing probably runs 150W after the startup peak."

For once, I may get something to work!

Next comes the propane-powered RV fridge.

[Elliot]

Update:

I bought the remote thermometer, and I have been running the freezer. First I ran it empty. Very quick temperature changes. Then I put 30 gallons of water in it and let that freeze real good. That's nowhere near full, but I figured it would serve as a bit of thermal mass. And of course, the freezer would not stay full all week on the Playa!

But.... Disconnected, it went from 10 F to 30 F in a heartbeat. Ambient temperature about 90 F in my barn. So it will need to run full time.

But by golly, we are going to have ice cream all week!

[gyre]

I have a freezer with coils.

Taylor remote freezer thermometer, etc.
I saw one for $20.

Remind me and I'll find it for you.
Greenhouse supply usually has the best prices.

Restaurant supply and industrial is another source.
Most remote thermometers suck.
I suggest an internal as well.

You can get max or minimum units cheap too.

Interestingly, the best ones are still mercury.

[stack]

I know off-grid folks turn chest freezers into refrigerators using one of these: http://www.leeners.com/beer-equipment-kegging.html (scroll down a bit).

Its a refrigerator thermostat that controls when the power of the freezer is turned on/off based on temp inside the freezer. May be you could set the temp so as to conserve some generator gas that way.

[Elliot]

Yes, that freezer-into-super-efficient-refrigerator conversion is widely reported to work quite well.

But the freezer already has a thermostat for regulating the level of freezing, so between that and the thermometer I already bought, I should be all set.