The last time I had a 3 day power outage I lost all my frozen food. I'm
thinking of getting a small freezer and "stocking" it with jugs of
water. When we have an outage I will put all my frozen food in it. How
long should the food stay frozen without power? The freezer will be
located in the basement which is usually about 60°F.


---MIKE---
In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
(44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')

---MIKE--- wrote:
The last time I had a 3 day power outage I lost all my frozen food. I'm
thinking of getting a small freezer and "stocking" it with jugs of
water. When we have an outage I will put all my frozen food in it. How
long should the food stay frozen without power? The freezer will be
located in the basement which is usually about 60°F.

Depends on how good the freezer insulation is and whether it's ever
opened and how much is in it to begin with. If you open it to stock it
_after_ the power is out, not nearly as long as if it were stocked
originally as it'll warm up quite significantly while doing that.

--

---MIKE--- wrote:
The last time I had a 3 day power outage I lost all my frozen food. I'm
thinking of getting a small freezer and "stocking" it with jugs of
water. When we have an outage I will put all my frozen food in it. How
long should the food stay frozen without power? The freezer will be
located in the basement which is usually about 60°F.


---MIKE---
In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
(44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')

Unless your existing freezer (the one in the fridge?) is always full of
steaks or shrimp or something, your solution doesn't sound real
cost-effective. The upfront costs and monthly power costs would easily
exceed a load of food. (assuming the outage isn't due to a major
disaster, and food, power, and ice will be in short supply for a long
time.) But in NH, aren't your long-term outages usually in winter
anyway? A cooler on the back porch wouldn't work?

What I do is keep several of those 'blue ice' reusable packs stuffed in
the corners of the existing freezer, and either just don't open the
freezer door during a failure, or if I know the power will be out for an
extended period, move the ice packs and expensive food to a cooler with
less air volume to keep cold.

--
aem sends...

---MIKE--- wrote:
The last time I had a 3 day power outage I lost all my frozen food. I'm
thinking of getting a small freezer and "stocking" it with jugs of
water. When we have an outage I will put all my frozen food in it. How
long should the food stay frozen without power? The freezer will be
located in the basement which is usually about 60°F.


---MIKE---
In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
(44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')


IF (big if) you suspect bad things consider a good cooler and dry ice.

Lou

---MIKE--- wrote:
The last time I had a 3 day power outage I lost all my frozen food. I'm
thinking of getting a small freezer and "stocking" it with jugs of
water. When we have an outage I will put all my frozen food in it. How
long should the food stay frozen without power? The freezer will be
located in the basement which is usually about 60°F.


---MIKE---
In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
(44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')


My solution was to get a portable generator wired in with a transfer box
when needed. Losing frozen food was only one problem - there was lack
of water due to being on a well and in the winter, a couple of days
without heat made house uncomfortable.

aemeijers wrote:
---MIKE--- wrote:

The last time I had a 3 day power outage I lost all my frozen food. I'm
thinking of getting a small freezer and "stocking" it with jugs of
water. When we have an outage I will put all my frozen food in it. How
long should the food stay frozen without power? The freezer will be
located in the basement which is usually about 60°F.

---MIKE---

In the White Mountains of New Hampshire

(44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')

Unless your existing freezer (the one in the fridge?) is always full of
steaks or shrimp or something, your solution doesn't sound real
cost-effective. The upfront costs and monthly power costs would easily
exceed a load of food. (assuming the outage isn't due to a major
disaster, and food, power, and ice will be in short supply for a long
time.) But in NH, aren't your long-term outages usually in winter
anyway? A cooler on the back porch wouldn't work?

What I do is keep several of those 'blue ice' reusable packs stuffed in
the corners of the existing freezer, and either just don't open the
freezer door during a failure, or if I know the power will be out for an
extended period, move the ice packs and expensive food to a cooler with
less air volume to keep cold.

--
aem sends...

On Sun, 21 Sep 2008 08:31:49 -0400,
(---MIKE---) wrote:

The last time I had a 3 day power outage I lost all my frozen food. I'm
thinking of getting a small freezer and "stocking" it with jugs of
water. When we have an outage I will put all my frozen food in it. How
long should the food stay frozen without power? The freezer will be
located in the basement which is usually about 60°F.


---MIKE---
In the White Mountains of New Hampshire
(44° 15' N - Elevation 1580')


Not enough information, but the frozen food will last longer if the
food is not moved and the doors kept tightly closed during the entire
time of the outtage. When we have a power outtage I put a chair in
front of the refigerator as a reminder. For frequent power outtages
lasting longer than 12 hours, get a generator.