Low cost chiller

[diverdave]

Some months ago i saw a post on here about a small electronic doofer that would turn a freezer into a chiller. I bought one on ebay an Elitech ST1000 and it sat on the shelf in my workshop generally being ignored for the last 6 months. I am just away to start some building work, to make a new office so the freezer ended up in a corner of the workshop, this said electronic doofer on top of it.

Yesterday i shot a buck, so decided to see if the thingy would work, and, after much head scratching and a google search to see how the wiring was meant to go - the instructions with it are rubbish, i managed to get it working. It really is excellent and it is fast, dropping the temperature from 15 degrees to 5 in a very short time, perhaps 5 minutes i guess.

I am not planning to hang deer for long, more to keep them cool and fly safe for a day or two until i have time to butcher them. This unit basically turns the freezer on and off - with a safety delay of 3-10 minutes, keeping the temperature at a pre determined setting - i have chosen 5 degrees.

I am sure there is something i am missing, it is too easy, but as far as i can see and for short duration this appears to be ideal. We are not currently planning to put in a fan, though may if this would be a big help.

Total cost, under £15, time to wire up, and hour of head scratching and then 2 minutes.

Dave

 

[Dawnraider]

I know the feeling i've got one of those electronic doofer things,been sat on my shelf for 8 months now, it's waiting to go in a fridge that's now full of other junk in my shed, this one controls temp and humidity so i can make salami's, well that was the plan anyway,i'm sure your freezer will do the job fine for a few days,if your going to keep them any longer you may need to put a fan in there.

 

[diverdave]

Cheers Dawnraider.

Ok, i know a fan will move the air about. But why is it required? I have read that mould can start on the carcase without one over time. So how long would it be safe to leave them for before this is a concern. Why is this a problem as it would clearly not be a temperature thing. Is it a condensation thing? This is the only variable that i can think of. If the freezer would really benefit from one then i really dont see any problem fitting one. But is it required for simply stirring the air in the cabinet, or do we need a flow through of air?

This basic set up must be better than my previous way of dealing with deer overnight, and i think with a little tweaking it will be an excellent, simple low cost chiller, safe for a few days.

 

[RuralLondoner]

Really helpful, I might give this a go. Let us know how it goes.

j

 

[Dawnraider]

I'm no expert but i believe it keeps the condensation down so preventing mould forming,i know my old LEC fridge used to keep a roe well for 10-12 days but when the fan packed up it was 5-6 days, you could see droplets had formed on the hair, I don't think you would need a through flow of air though could get too dry,just keep an eye on the carcass, mould will start inside the chest cavity,try and keep that spread open will help.

 

[Bavarianbrit]

The chillers main function is to aid in the ripening (hanging) of the carcass, also keeps the flys off the meat, rigor mortis sets in 2 hours after death then the muscles will loosen up again after some days from natural enzyme activity so when hanging in a chiller it should be left there for say 4 to 5 days then the meat will have reached its best condition.
After shooting it leave the carcass in the open first to cool down naturally then pop it into the chiller to get it to cool slowly further down to plus 7 degrees C (it must not ever go below freezing as this will taint the meat).
Martin

 

[ELMER FUDD]

Used to hang a deer in the farm cellar which used to be used for storing cider so temperature never moves. The old girl on the farm used to insist that the bloom/mould was on the carcass before it was butchered. Used to be the same for hares which were hung until they were covered in mould before cooking and with the guts left in. Only tried it once, you try gutting a hare that is over a week old.

 

[Dawnraider]

Nothing wrong with a bit of mould as long as it's not black mould.

 

[badbob]

Ive got a gadget a shensang chinese thingy(, not used it yet)
to turn a freezer into a chiller. not sure how to set it up.

Now the weather is warming up its essential to have some sort of chiller,
an old fridge is ideal for us amateurs,

as to temperature it should be kept BELOW 7 degrees centigrade so 5 degrees gives a little leeway

to take in the vehicle I`ve built a large chiller box out of celotex insulation board,
line the bottom with freezer blocks...stays cool for 72 hours.

use a computer fan with a battery for the fan.

If you are travelling several hours you definitely need something like this.

 

[ELMER FUDD]

Nothing wrong with a bit of mould as long as it's not black mould.

That's it, Blue mould. Really makes the meat tender.