my chest freezer is going out.

Thermometer says 30 degrees and has for about a week. The corn on the bottom shelf looked terrible and was pitched. Most of the meat was thawed but looks ok, which I plan to cook and refreeze. Green chili's, some were partially thawed some completely thawed. Should we refreeze? Are they ok to eat? Color is good on them.

freezing

Best Answer

Derobert's inference that your freezer is fully broken is almost certainly correct. 30 F would be about the temperature you would expect inside as the frozen food thaws.

So for some period of time, what you have had, in effect, is a refrigerator, not a freezer.

The question is, for each individual food in the freezer, would it still be safe if held at refrigerator temperatures for a full week.

You can get good estimates for many foods from these sites:

I would discard foods that are beyond their good life, or foods that would not be palatable when frozen, thawed, and then refrozen.

In the specific case of the green chilis (I am guessing whole), Still Tasty says about one week, so you are on the border. You should use or re-freeze them quite quickly. On the other hand, they have already sat for a week, and suffered the degradation from one freezing cycle. As chilis are not normally terribly expensive, it may not be worth keeping them.

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Quick Answer about "my chest freezer is going out."

One cause is that the temperature control thermostat is not working properly, forcing the freezer to run constantly to try and meet the correct temperature. If this is the case, you can try resetting the thermostat or replacing it altogether.

What causes a chest freezer to stop working?

There may a leak and the system is low on refrigerant. There may be a restriction in the system due to a clogged drier-filter, there may be a clogged evaporator or condenser coil or a problem may have arisen with the compressor motor itself. All of these problems require an EPA-certified technician to repair.

How do you tell if your chest freezer is going out?

Your Freezer is Freezing Over One of the most obvious signs of how to tell if your freezer is going out is when it's so frozen that the door sticks or ice starts forming on the side where you'd have to literally chisel it off. If this happens you can defrost the freezer by un-plugging it.

What causes a freezer to go out?

If your freezer is not working, the first thing to check is if the shelves are packed too tightly. Overstuffed freezers can cause airflow blockage especially when the evaporator fan is blocked. If your freezer is not cold enough, we recommend clearing off your freezer shelves.

What is the lifespan of a chest freezer?

Chest freezers are expected to last between 15 and 20 years while upright freezers have a lifespan of 10 to 15 years.

Why your chest freezer feels warm

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