# walk in cooler ideas!!!!!!!!!!!!



## caskins269 (Jul 31, 2008)

I would like to know or see if anybody has used a refrigerator to make a walk in cooler?


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## totalcomfort (Jul 29, 2007)

Won,t work not enough btu's.I have heard of guys using big window units,but I would think they would freeze up all the time.I am a HVAC 20yrs


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## lkmn (Feb 28, 2006)

I have a refer to put quarters and such in, but not for a walk-in.

We also have a regular shed that is well insulated that we just put a window ac unit in and it works great.


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## caskins269 (Jul 31, 2008)

I guess I need to refrase this, I have an area in the corner of my garage. It is 3ft long and 4ft wide about 6ft tall. I would like to know if i place my refrigerator with the door off towards the inside with a tight seal in all corners and around the refrigerator opening, will it cool and keep a deer in it for at least 4-6days?


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## Bruce K (Jun 1, 2002)

No

now where near enough capacity .

Been in the trade for 22 yrs


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## daltongang (Jul 29, 2009)

the guys down the road bought an old refer box truck and parked the box behind the shed. holds like ten or eleven deer. they did build a track system to hang then from. i don't know what they payed but spread over the five of them they didn't get hurt


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## frankthe tank (Aug 27, 2009)

Take out your back straps out yourself, and get them on the BBQ in a day or so, don't let the butcher take these on you!

For home use on one or two deer, skin it, quarter it up or debone it and put it in a recycled fridge just for fresh meat-- the fridge will eventually smell like the butcher shop from the fresh wild smell of the meat and you won't want your beer in there,. When ready take it to the butcher or your own freezer and butcher it yourself.,

For a home base/camp operation where you have 5 or more deer.. Check food supply/restaurant auctions and restaurant supply companies, for walk in coolers/freezers they'll usually have the panels and compressor all packed up on skids ready to go to your place and easy to put together and wire. Many are suitable for the exterior of a garage and many units are practically brand new.

In October-Novemebr warm weather days we get the deer to the butcher asap. If it's after hours we de bone it that night bag it and take it in for sausage and pepperettes...when we have a couple bagged up from our groups individual archery tags.

good luck


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## Ducknfish (Sep 1, 2009)

if you look on the web you will find that there are several sites mainly beer and wine sites that cover this. the advise above is correct you will not have enough BTU's from the refrig. to cooler the space. I have seen it done with window AC unit though you have to do some rework on the t-stat because they are set not go below 60 degrees. I have a true walk in that is 6x8x8 and it has roughly 9000 BTU's in it and i keep it at 35 degrees. i was lucky and got the cooler and units for free and have friends that do refrigeration work only have $300 in it and the guys i hunt with pay the extra electrical bill for running it. Mine costs roughly $40 dollars a month with a little spike in the hottest part of the summer. For me this works well as we do all of own butchering so i can let the meat heng for a couple of days and drain taste is much better.


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## psychobubba (Jul 27, 2005)

THIS IS ONE i MADE 6 YEARS AGO AND STILL GOING STRONG OLD FRIDGE (FREON IT WONT FREEZE UP WHEN IT GET TO COLD OUT SIDE ) KEEPS MEAT 36 TO 40 DEGS ON THE HOTTEST DAYS ON .:wink:


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## bayuboy (Jul 27, 2009)

Bubba that is one heck of a setup there......


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## AiR_GuNNeR (Dec 20, 2006)

Here is my cooler. I wanted something that I could easily store away.
http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=765158&highlight=AiR_GuNNeR

As to the cooling unit, I took the cover off the air conditioner to get at the thermostat. You want to get a cheaper one that is non-digital. You should see a screw with some paint on it, (acting as loctite). That screw will mechanically adjust the contacts of the thermostat so it comes on at a lower temperature. In Michigan October heat, it keeps the cooler around 40-degrees. I could have used thicker material to insulate better, but this worked out fine.


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## jmeddy (Mar 4, 2006)

yes you can, I have done it twice. I take the refrid. unit out (NO SMALL TASK)& install it on the door of my walk in with the cooling coils mouted on the inside of the door & the compressor & fan/coils mtd on the outside of the door. As with the pic the other guy posted, I used 2" foam to line the cooler. 
Mine is 4.5' x 28"x 7'. Mike


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## pureadrenaline (Jan 21, 2008)

looks like you need alot of duct tape!!:teeth:


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## eflanders (Dec 8, 2007)

_As to the cooling unit, I took the cover off the air conditioner to get at the thermostat. You want to get a cheaper one that is non-digital. You should see a screw with some paint on it, (acting as loctite). That screw will mechanically adjust the contacts of the thermostat so it comes on at a lower temperature._ This will work as long as you don't try to run the unit for more than a few days or it will frost up and not hold temp.


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## bowhuntr311 (May 20, 2009)

A guy I know built a 10x12x10 Room out of cement block, Ran a track out over head, nocked out TWO holes for AC units. Bought 2 window units and did the same thing, adjusted the thermostats on them then rigged them up to timer switches like for christmas lights. They run 12 hours a piece to prevent freeze up. Keeps the room right around 35-40degrees Attached to the front of the cooler is another room with sinks and cutting tables. FRICKEN AWESOME. And of course he used it the first and second year then filled it up with junk for storage. ukey:


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## rccordrey (Nov 22, 2008)

Check out this website http://www.storeitcold.com/index.php. This might be what your looking for.


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## Maxtor (Jan 7, 2007)

rccordrey said:


> Check out this website http://www.storeitcold.com/index.php. This might be what your looking for.



Yup, these work good. A guy in my area is running a CoolBot on his A/C unit in the fridge and definitely does the job. I'll be looking into one in the summer as I'm making a hanging fridge in my garage for next deer season


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## bowslam (Feb 8, 2004)

Anyone been building walk-in coolers that they want to share experiences; Problems; Advice???


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## joesandi (Jun 5, 2006)

bowslam said:


> Anyone been building walk-in coolers that they want to share experiences; Problems; Advice???


look here. Built one myself.
http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=1317200


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