Freezers in power cuts

[grenfell]

But you cant wrap a 6ft x 4ft f/f in blankets easily yes I have a routine in long power cuts, defrosting and cooking etc.

Ah , never said it would be easy , or for that matter pretty. My parents had a large chest freezer that was probably 6x4 and the blankets were tied on , weighted down with bricks and propped up with bits of wood. It probably helped that the freezer was in the unheated outhouse .

[delard]

Hi,

If the contents of the freezer gets too warm for too long then you will need to eat it rather then allowing it to refreeze once the power is back.

Here are some notes on that ;

http://www.favoritefreezerfoods.com/refreeze-food.html

- Delard

[ro2935]

But you cant wrap a 6ft x 4ft f/f in blankets easily yes I have a routine in long power cuts, defrosting and cooking etc.

We used large bed throws and duvets during ice storms in Canada. power could be off for 5 days at a time, icecream is a good indicator of how well the inside of your freezer is doing the softer the icecream the more compromised the contents of your freezer, Try not to open the fridge and freezer, if you have spaces in the freezer fill with water bottles no room for bottles fill plastic bags with water knot/seal and place inside a second bag, seal that as well. put that into the freezer the bags will mould into the available space. I do this when ever I take food out of the freezer between shoping trips

[ForgeCorvus]

If you have to leave (evac or Bug Out) and there is a chance of power cuts you should do a 'Katrina setup' on your freezer.

Take a load of bin bags and double-bag stuff up, try and keep meat, dairy and veg seperate and the bundles small (less chance of accidently ripping when you handle them )
Repack the freezer and put a bowl of ice cubes in at the top (chest freezer) or at the front of a shelf (upright)

If you come home and the freezer is off, you can tell how defrosted it is by looking at the ice cubes

If the freezer is on and the cubes are fairly seperate then the power wasn't off or wasn't off for long.

If the freezer is on and the cubes are melted together then the power was off for a while and you'd better throw the meat and dairy away

If the freezer is on and there just one lump on ice in the bowl then everything has defrosted and refrozen, chuck it all

Because its all double-bagged you don't have to get a new freezer and you don't get covered in gunk

Never done it myself, but I though I'd pass on this common sense idea

[cpslashm]

Not totally relevant but to cut the electricity bill keep the radiator at the back dust-free. Also take a crowbar to the fitted units surrounding the fridge or freezer to give the radiator some breathing space.

[unsure]

i have a big freezer , we got it when the kids were at home . know theres only me and the wife , we have lined the bottom 1/3 rd with small juice bottles filled with water , if the power is off for an lenth of time , we plan on pulling it all out and place the bottle at the top but i must add thats a last resort idea as a lot of the cold would be lost and only after the geny has run out of fuel .

[triffid]

Just thinking outside the box...... are you entitled to compensation for your Christmas being inconvenienced?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25590636
if so perhaps 'the compo' might kick start a generator fund?
(read the bit about £75 compo for losing power, for any period of time, on Christmas day)


I too remember the 70's miners strikes & resulting power cuts. A friends (parents) had tropical fish which obviously needed electricity for both heating and oxygen. Don't know what they did re oxygen (bubbling air through tank) but they did have the 'preppedness' to have some pre-cut pieces of polystyrene foam which they fitted all around the tank. If your freezer is accessible perhaps you could do something similar?