# Refrigerator in a garage, good idea or not?



## Doc

Does anyone else keep a 2nd refrigerator in the garage.  We have for quite some time.  We just had to replace the old one and was advised not to put the new one in the garage.  They said when it's below freezing newer fridges are set to shut off for some reason.  Sounds crazy to me.  We've had one in the garage for years without any issues.  Just wondering what everyone else does.


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## bczoom

I do and have for years (as well as freezers).  Never had an issue.



Doc said:


> We just had to replace the old one and was advised not to put the new one in the garage.  They said when it's below freezing newer fridges are set to shut off for some reason.


If it's below freezing, why would it be running anyway?


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## RNE228

I used to have one in the garage. The biggest issue I had was in the summer. Out here it gets so hot, the thing runs like crazy and eats up electricity... Kept the beer cold though


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## REDDOGTWO

We have a second fridge in the garage without a problem, do not know if this will help you but it is in Florida.

  Need it for the potatoes we take down as they do not keep, and for the oranges that we pick in the back yard.


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## Doc

bczoom said:


> If it's below freezing, why would it be running anyway?



I know, that's what I said.  Something about causing condensation inside the fridge.  Our old fridg never had any problems, but we've had milder winters since we moved here.


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## DaveNay

I used to have a fridge in the garage...but it wasn't for keeping drinks cool!

If you take an old fridge and hack in a light socket with a 3W or 5W bulb it will keep your cans of spray paint, lubricant, cleaners, etc from freezing all winter.

You can also jumper around the door switch so the built-in light stays on continuously.


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## jwstewar

We tried to do this when we first finished the pole barn. It worked great in the summer time, but not in the winter. This was in '05 & '06. Once it started getting cold, it wouldn't run. Stuff in the fridge part was cool, but not cold. Stuff in the freezer thawed. If I remember correctly, it has something to do with in old fridges they put the thermostat in the freezer and in the new ones it is in the fridge part. Needless to say, it didn't work. Once we finished the new house we took the 2nd fridge out of the barn and put it in the utility room of the house. Not as convenient out in the barn when I want some pop or water out in the barn in the summer time. We have an old deep freeze unit out in the barn. It works fine year round - though in the summer it costs quite a bit to run it because of the temp extreme. We have unplugged it now and don't use it. I will probably plug it back in and let it run for a while to keep it from seizing up on me.

I'm thinking about buying a small dorm fridge to keep in the barn for pop/water in the summer time.


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## thcri RIP

bczoom said:


> I do and have for years (as well as freezers).  Never had an issue.
> 
> 
> If it's below freezing, why would it be running anyway?




On some of the older refrigerators the thermostat is in the freezer compartment so thus they do run; not much though.  The big issue is the oil gets cold and lubrication in the compreesor is not good.  I have never heard of them just shutting down due to the ambient being so cold.


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## Pigtails

hmm,  you guys live in warmer climates then we do right? I was wondering about putting refrigs outside where we live. It was getting -25 for about 2 wks there this winter. I suppose I shouldn't try Mtn Toppers Kegerator out there huh?


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## Ice Queen

Funny that this thread should come up now, I was with my daughter in a kitchen shop while she was buying  a new dishwasher.  There was a notice posted up about keeping freezers in garages and sheds, they were not recommending it as they suggested the oil freezing up and the freezer packing up.  I always kept my old freezer in the garage (detached from the house and pretty cold in winter) and never had any trouble with it in the winter, apart from it used to end up like the leaning tower of Pisa as it had a water leak in the bottom which used to freeze up.  This was no problem as it would right itself when the weather got warmer and it thawed.  I never had any problems with it.  I have another old freezer in the goat shed and this, up till now, is behaving itself - perhaps this is only a problem with newer freezers?


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## Melensdad

I have both a refrigerator and a freezer in the garage.  Both are made specifically for that purpose.  A regular modern homr refrigerator, in my climate, will stop cooling when the temps in the garage approach ZERO.  There are units (go to SEARS website) that they make just for use in areas where the temps are cold.


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## Janelle12

I live in Texas. Right now it's summer. Last fall I put our fridge in the garage. Never had an issue. (temps rarely fall below freezing. Did twice last winter.) But today, the freezer contents are beginning to thaw. Why is this? The fridge's temp is reading at 54 degrees.


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## muleman RIP

Is the evaporator coil clean? They tend to work like a vacuum and suck up dirt and pet hair etc. Pull it away from the wall and take a flashlight and look under as well as the back side. If they can't freely move air they can't keep things cold.


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## Big Dog

I have 2 in my garage, not a problem! ........... it never gets colder than 62F in my garage ............


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## EastTexFrank

Janelle12 said:


> I live in Texas. Right now it's summer. Last fall I put our fridge in the garage. Never had an issue. (temps rarely fall below freezing. Did twice last winter.) But today, the freezer contents are beginning to thaw. Why is this? The fridge's temp is reading at 54 degrees.



54° isn't a safe temperature for a fridge.  I have a fridge and two freezers that sit outside.  I've never have much trouble with them.  Every year I drag them away from the wall and blow any leaves or debris out of there and I take off the cover and blow all the dust and cobwebs off the coil/radiator like thingy.


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## Catavenger

To hot where I live. My dad had one on his patio for beer but they are really a drain of electricity. Where I live the elec. company will pay you 30 bucks and haul away an old fridge.


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## luvs

my ex/pals owned a kegerator @ their shop. very spacious place, tho.


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## Janelle12

yes its clean. we moved it inside to be safe. its now cooling and freezing normally. next one we buy might be rated for indoor/outdoor use though


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## Snowtrac Nome

we leave our freezers out side and just unplug them in the winter up here in the arctic at a buck a kwh why run it during the winter


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