On Sun, 6 Feb 2011 07:24:37 -0800, "Bill" wrote:

"Steve B" wrote in message
I got a free freezer, which I was going to gut and use for a
fermentation chamber for beer. It's insulated, and would work with a
thermostatic timer hooked to a heat lamp.

When I got it home, it looked so nice, I plugged it in. It dropped
20 F. in fifteen minutes. Compressor was humming along. I thought
I would just leave it run and come back in the morning and see how
it did. Good thing I stayed another ten minutes. At twenty
minutes, it started a melodic hum hum about every ten seconds. All
of the coils on the back of the freezer and compressor would move
with the hum hum. It is a Sanyo, a small upright, about 4.5 feet
tall and 2 ft. square in the other dimensions. It has the grid
shelves that the refrigerant flows through. A black array of tubing
on the back.

I unplugged it, and figured I would try it again tomorrow, but
wanted to ask here if anyone here can tell me what this might be.
It was free, and if I take all the shelves out, it will make an
acceptable compartment to maintain a 70 degree plus or minus
atmosphere for fermenting. I just don't want to trash it if it is
something little, and I can get it fixed and maybe make a few bucks
on it.

Ran fine and cooled for fifteen minutes. At twenty, started hum hum
and shudderhum shudderhum.


New refrigerators and freezers use a LOT less electricity than older
models.

With that said, I bought a new refrigerator which paid for itself in 5
years with reduced electricity savings. I would never use an old
refrigerator/freezer. Best to get a new one.

Hmm, keep replacing your refrigerator every five years and in 20 years or so
they'll be paying *you* to run the refrigerator! ;-)