Box store freezer modification

[MRD]

I'm considering buying this 2.5 Avanti upright freezer for our trawler and I'm wondering if anyone has any ideas or experience with blocking a portion of it off with insulation board to make that area a refrigerator. Is it even possible?

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Avanti-C...-Defrost-Chest-Freezer/105115413?athbdg=L1700

 

[Bmarler]

I don’t know if would work. I have a small chest freezer and I think it cools from all four sides. By the time you try to compartment off a section there won’t be any freezer room left.

 

[O C Diver]

I bought a freezer last fall, and as already mentioned the coils ran all the way around the sides near the bottom. I suppose you could buy one and plug it in to check it. About the only way I see it working would be to have the refrigerator as a removable section on top. It would also be important to know where the thermostat sensor was.

Ted

 

[koliver]

The fridge on my sailboat had the cold plates in the bottom, with a plexi panel sitting on the top of said plates. That kept the coldest part below the plexi and allowed the food stored above to remain thawed. It only worked well when the fridge was opened frequently. If left closed, the temp of the whole unit would be freezer temp, as there was nothing except leakage of cold out the top to prevent that part freezing.

My present fridge ( in a Norcold box) has a separate door on the freezer section, with the plates. The fridge part only gets its cooling from the underside of the freezer. Again, if the door is kept closed long enough, the lettuce will freeze.

 

[MRD]

Good ideas. Thanks to you all.

 

[SteveK]

I converted an installed ice box to freezer, works great. As the plates were at one end a Styrofoam wall makes one end into a fridge which we use for liquid refreshments when all freezer space is not needed.
I cannot see this working with store bought freezer.