Very informative video,I bought a very large chest freezer from a kebab shop complete with holes in bottom foil,siliconed them up as best I could placed carpet in bottom and used a heavy duty Pvc pond liner, so far holding up well with the ink bird temp controller and a floating chlorine tablet dispenser 👍👍
@op14435 - sanding is required for any permanent coating applied to the interior of a chest freezer. A step by step guide to fiberglassing a chest freezer is in the works. Join my free facebook group for updates.
Thanks for video. Have bad chemical issues. Thinking maybe fiberglass! Don’t really want too much going into the freezer so thinking I will empty every week rather than filters etc. how would fiberglass work if you left drainage exposed?!?
Hi Danielle - I totally understand about chemical sensitivities - one of my friends in Austin had that issue. Lining a chest freezer in fiberglass is a big project. If you are new to doing fiberglass, there are many things that can go wrong and you'd be better off hiring a professional who is experienced. The cost could add up quickly. As an alternative, you might look into Line-X XS-350, which is a coating certified for use in potable water supplies. It has a smell for a week or two that dissipates. See the link in the video description comparing the four liner options for more info.
How much does the liner affect the cooling in the freezer itself? After watching a bunch of videos, I realized the liner would be the best option for me, since a lot of materials used to sealing the freezer are not available in my country (Costa Rica). Is the freezer gonna work extra hard to keep the water cold? Thanks for all the content, you made me think twice before taking the easy route and ruining my freezer.
You're welcome. The liner options that I recommend have no noticeable affect on the chest freezer's ability to chill the water because they do not have any insulative properties.
Hello, I bought your book. Glad I did. Great info. Question for you, you mentioned getting a pvc liner since it is more compatible with ozone. Any suggestions where? I found plenty of places that do vinyl. The one you suggest in your book is local to me and I’m just waiting for them to get back me.
Thanks for your feedback. Both vinyl and PVC are rated as having a "B-Good' compatibility with ozone. I ordered a PVC custom pond liner from here: polyfabrics.com/liners/pond-liners/
John Richter Thank you for the reply. Nice! That’s the company I contacted. Just waiting for a response from them. Got pump, ozone, timer and just need liner. The thin metal in the freezer I bought is sketchy. Lol
@@mfeltster - those metal interiors are not the greatest. Find a wet area floor mat to put on the floor - that will help protect it. Also, it's a good idea to support the outside bottom to keep it from sagging. that info should be in the book! :)
Hello, after seeing so many videos, I really enjoyed yours since it had an approach i found very interesting. I have received a freezer that is embossed aluminum from the inside! and I wanted some advice before I invest in the materials. I was thinking of using JB water weld to seal the corners an such, and then using the pond shield epoxy to cover the inside. And I’m assuming I won’t have to scrub it with sandpaper since it’s already scruffy material. Does this sound ok? Since my freezer is embossed aluminum from the inside!
What liner will be preferred if I want to make my chest freezer with salt water ? I recently bought chest freezer with aluminum interior and I want to cover it with something because I don't want to make a bath with metal.
Pond liners are the easiest and least expensive option. I have a free spreadsheet in the files section of my Facebook group that will help you figure out the right size. Check it out here: facebook.com/groups/chestfreezercoldplunge
@@JohnRichterAustin I wanted to get EPDM until I stumbled in this - ctmirror.org/category/ct-viewpoints/the-yale-bowl-and-yale-students-deserve-better-than-plastic-grass-and-toxic-infills/
My interior is bare metal New, can I get away with just using pond shield without sanding or am I better off using a liner? I want to go the pond shield route but don't like the idea of sanding and then spraying that thing you suggested. Hopefully I can by pass those two steps and go straight to covering the bare metal with pond shield..
Best practices are best practices for reason. If you leave out any of the steps to install Pond Shield, it will fail, and you will have wasted a bunch of time and money, and then you will have to start over, wasting more time and money. It is always less expensive to do it right the first time - believe me I've learned that lesson the hard way. See this post for the best practices and steps to install Pond Shield: ChestFreezerColdPlunge.com/Pond-Shield
Hey, John! I just applied jb waterweld to my chest freezer but I must have missed the part where you mention to sand the areas the epoxy is being applied to in order for it to stick. Do I need to redo the entire thing or what can I do to ensure this won't cause any issues before I add water? It is white plastic inside.
If it has cured hard, then let it be. However, if you want that chest freezer to last long term, install a liner. That is not plastic, it is white enamel over a metal wall, and we have plenty of reports of surface rust when no liner is used- some in as little as two weeks. See this post for more info about the recommended liner options: chestfreezercoldplunge.com/4-liners/
What direction you go in depends on your budget and what kind of material you have inside your chest freezer. I have learned a *lot* since I made this video. Join my free Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/chestfreezercoldplunge or if you want to save a lot of time, you can buy my ebook at www.chestfreezercoldplunge.com
I used JB Water Weld to seal and then painted it with Pond Shield. This worked really well (since February). But I have found a very think layer of water has got into the bottom panel (seems to be stuck there). Has anyone found this? Not sure if its could be dangerous?
Any leaks could damage your chest freezer. Find out where it failed and patch it. First, drain it and put it in the sun for 7-10 days to bake out the moisture.
Safety is of vital importance when converting a chest freezer, and this topic has been discussed in depth on my Facebook group Chest Freezer Cold Plunge. Yes, you can electrocute yourself if you get into the chest freezer while it is still plugged in, and the seams have started to leak water inside the walls. That moisture creates a connection which puts an electrical current into the water. If you unplug the chest freezer EVERY time before you get in, this will not be a problem. If you correctly seal the seams, this will not be a problem. Appliance repair-people and electricians have said that there is nothing to worry about regarding a capacitor.
@@JohnRichterAustin thank you for a quick and detailed response, I appreciate it! I'll check out the Facebook page very soon. So the capacitor discharge or a short circuit is not possible while the freezer is unplugged?
@@Vladgg26 - when the chest freezer is unplugged, you must still have the power cord AWAY from the power outlet, and make sure that there are no other appliances, tools, or electrical devices anywhere near the chest freezer. If you do that, there is almost zero chance of electrocution. I say *almost* zero because... lightening, or freak accidents are still possible. Capacitor discharge has been deemed by the experts as a non-issue.
JS - just to make sure that my definitions are correct: This video is about liners that go on the inside. A wrap is a decorative cover that goes on the outside. Neither one has any noticeable impact on the chest freezer cooling the inside or dissipating heat on the outside.
I am in the quality control process of making custom liner for chest freezers which will solve the number of problems with pond liners and at a lower price than using a professionally applied spray liner. If you're interested, visit my website and go to the contact tab. Fill out the form and let me know what brand/size of chest freezer you have. I will be reaching out to everyone with prices in the next two weeks.
@@JohnRichterAustin yes I know the video is clear about your discussion about liners inside and yes my question was about the blue and black wraps on the exterior. Ok so no issues with wrap on cold creation or heat distribution when wrapping the outside of the chest frezzer?! Really?!? That's awsome news. I'm in the middle of my first build conversion. 😀 and was wanting to wrap the exterior but had some reservations
@@js-cw5uv the exterior is painted, not wrapped. I used an acryllic spray paint on the lid because there is nothing in the that generates or dissipates heat. For the outside main chest freezer, I used blank epoxy appliance paint that is meant to go on freezers, fridges, etc. So it will be just fine with the heat generated by the chest freezer. I painted it only because after one of my early failed experiments, the outside was looking pretty bad. The paint has been in place now for about 3-1/2 years. I just touch it up this weekend. :)
Use a siphon or submersible utility pump. Look for my video on my YT channel that goes into more detail. Here is the pump I'm currently using (Amazon affiliate link): amzn.to/3zRPf9N
Thank you for the great info John! Planning to do JB Waterweld as well as a simple EPDM pond liner. Curious how often I'll need to replace them, but I suppose we'll just have to see!
You're welcome! If you have everything else set up correctly and do maintenance as needed, they should both last a very long time. The oldest chest freezer setup I know if right now is almost 6 years old.
Hi Stephen - this is a great question! We have a number of discussions about best practices for using pond liners in my Facebook Group. It's free to join. Check us out: facebook.com/groups/chestfreezercoldplunge
I used a DIY liner that I do not recommend. It did not mix very well and was deteriorated by the ozone. Best to use a professional spray liner like Line-X xs-350. But you need to make sure they prep everything correctly. There are details about this posted in my free Facebook group. facebook.com/groups/chestfreezercoldplunge
Are you asking if there are problems if you don't install a liner? Yes. Since I made this video I have had reports from countless thousands of people world wide reporting problems. See this article for more info: chestfreezercoldplunge.com/4-liners/ This one is related: ChestFreezerColdPlunge.com/sealing
@@JohnRichterAustin thx - i mean can the chest freezer break apart due to the large amount of water? Maybe it holds about 400 liters, but as it's not made for water/the full weight, but for some food. So i thought, can it break apart? Have you ever heard that something like that ever happened? Thank you!
@ScharfeSalami - them water can cause some chest freezers to bulge, but I have never heard of one breaking apart. Follow all of the best practices and it will be fine.
Thanks john!! I’ve gone the pond liner option. It’s for water in it that is cooling over night. First dip is tomorrow am and I cannot wait!
Very informative video,I bought a very large chest freezer from a kebab shop complete with holes in bottom foil,siliconed them up as best I could placed carpet in bottom and used a heavy duty Pvc pond liner, so far holding up well with the ink bird temp controller and a floating chlorine tablet dispenser 👍👍
Thank you for all of those good advices John!!
You're welcome!
If I use fiberglass liner, do I need to sand it or is the sanding only for pond liner?
@op14435 - sanding is required for any permanent coating applied to the interior of a chest freezer.
A step by step guide to fiberglassing a chest freezer is in the works.
Join my free facebook group for updates.
hey John thanks for your vids. I was wondering how you are liking the linex bedliner you mentioned?
Line-X is a great option - if it is done according to best practices. See this post for more info.
chestfreezercoldplunge.com/LX
Thanks for video. Have bad chemical issues. Thinking maybe fiberglass! Don’t really want too much going into the freezer so thinking I will empty every week rather than filters etc. how would fiberglass work if you left drainage exposed?!?
Hi Danielle - I totally understand about chemical sensitivities - one of my friends in Austin had that issue.
Lining a chest freezer in fiberglass is a big project. If you are new to doing fiberglass, there are many things that can go wrong and you'd be better off hiring a professional who is experienced. The cost could add up quickly. As an alternative, you might look into Line-X XS-350, which is a coating certified for use in potable water supplies. It has a smell for a week or two that dissipates. See the link in the video description comparing the four liner options for more info.
Hi john. Great videos. I have learned a lot from you as I’m building my cold plung chest freezer. Can you share the spray on liner you used please.
Brian Reynolds I am also interested in the product. Let me know what you used.
I 3rd that request
How much does the liner affect the cooling in the freezer itself? After watching a bunch of videos, I realized the liner would be the best option for me, since a lot of materials used to sealing the freezer are not available in my country (Costa Rica).
Is the freezer gonna work extra hard to keep the water cold?
Thanks for all the content, you made me think twice before taking the easy route and ruining my freezer.
You're welcome. The liner options that I recommend have no noticeable affect on the chest freezer's ability to chill the water because they do not have any insulative properties.
Love your videos btw got a question below for you when you get a second
John, You're awesome. Thanks for all the great info.
You're welcome!
Really good ideas and cautions, thanks, John. I'm just so far doing cold showering, but hope to graduate to the ice baths.
Cold showers are a great way to start. Gradual progress is a great way to continue. :)
Hello, I bought your book. Glad I did. Great info. Question for you, you mentioned getting a pvc liner since it is more compatible with ozone. Any suggestions where? I found plenty of places that do vinyl. The one you suggest in your book is local to me and I’m just waiting for them to get back me.
Thanks for your feedback.
Both vinyl and PVC are rated as having a "B-Good' compatibility with ozone. I ordered a PVC custom pond liner from here:
polyfabrics.com/liners/pond-liners/
John Richter Thank you for the reply. Nice! That’s the company I contacted. Just waiting for a response from them. Got pump, ozone, timer and just need liner. The thin metal in the freezer I bought is sketchy. Lol
@@mfeltster - those metal interiors are not the greatest. Find a wet area floor mat to put on the floor - that will help protect it. Also, it's a good idea to support the outside bottom to keep it from sagging. that info should be in the book! :)
John Richter yup it sure is. Already on it. Thanks.
Hello, after seeing so many videos, I really enjoyed yours since it had an approach i found very interesting. I have received a freezer that is embossed aluminum from the inside! and I wanted some advice before I invest in the materials. I was thinking of using JB water weld to seal the corners an such, and then using the pond shield epoxy to cover the inside. And I’m assuming I won’t have to scrub it with sandpaper since it’s already scruffy material. Does this sound ok? Since my freezer is embossed aluminum from the inside!
I appreciate your comments.
See this article on my website:
chestfreezercoldplunge.com/pond-shield/
What liner will be preferred if I want to make my chest freezer with salt water ?
I recently bought chest freezer with aluminum interior and I want to cover it with something because I don't want to make a bath with metal.
Pond liners are the easiest and least expensive option.
I have a free spreadsheet in the files section of my Facebook group that will help you figure out the right size.
Check it out here:
facebook.com/groups/chestfreezercoldplunge
@@JohnRichterAustin I wanted to get EPDM until I stumbled in this -
ctmirror.org/category/ct-viewpoints/the-yale-bowl-and-yale-students-deserve-better-than-plastic-grass-and-toxic-infills/
My interior is bare metal New, can I get away with just using pond shield without sanding or am I better off using a liner? I want to go the pond shield route but don't like the idea of sanding and then spraying that thing you suggested. Hopefully I can by pass those two steps and go straight to covering the bare metal with pond shield..
Best practices are best practices for reason. If you leave out any of the steps to install Pond Shield, it will fail, and you will have wasted a bunch of time and money, and then you will have to start over, wasting more time and money.
It is always less expensive to do it right the first time - believe me I've learned that lesson the hard way.
See this post for the best practices and steps to install Pond Shield:
ChestFreezerColdPlunge.com/Pond-Shield
Hey, John! I just applied jb waterweld to my chest freezer but I must have missed the part where you mention to sand the areas the epoxy is being applied to in order for it to stick. Do I need to redo the entire thing or what can I do to ensure this won't cause any issues before I add water? It is white plastic inside.
If it has cured hard, then let it be.
However, if you want that chest freezer to last long term, install a liner. That is not plastic, it is white enamel over a metal wall, and we have plenty of reports of surface rust when no liner is used- some in as little as two weeks.
See this post for more info about the recommended liner options:
chestfreezercoldplunge.com/4-liners/
If you pay to have it, professionally prepped and rhino lined, would you still need to seal the seams since the rhino lining is waterproof?
See this article:
chestfreezercoldplunge.com/lx/
Would you recommend spray liner or JB weld? Did you do the spray liner yourself?
What direction you go in depends on your budget and what kind of material you have inside your chest freezer. I have learned a *lot* since I made this video. Join my free Facebook group at facebook.com/groups/chestfreezercoldplunge or if you want to save a lot of time, you can buy my ebook at
www.chestfreezercoldplunge.com
YOUR A GENIUS AMIGO !!!!! " A TRUE GENTLEMEN & SCHOLAR " and there's damn few of us left 😂😁😄😆😅😀😁
Thank you, sir!
I used JB Water Weld to seal and then painted it with Pond Shield. This worked really well (since February). But I have found a very think layer of water has got into the bottom panel (seems to be stuck there). Has anyone found this? Not sure if its could be dangerous?
Any leaks could damage your chest freezer. Find out where it failed and patch it.
First, drain it and put it in the sun for 7-10 days to bake out the moisture.
Hello John, thank you for the video. What non toxic liner did you use and where do you recommend buying it?
Jose, please join my Facebook group: Chest Freezer Cold Plunge where this and many other questions have been answered.
Hey John! Is there any possibility of electrocuting yourself due to a leakage or a charged capacitor when the freezer is unplugged? Thank you!
Safety is of vital importance when converting a chest freezer, and this topic has been discussed in depth on my Facebook group Chest Freezer Cold Plunge.
Yes, you can electrocute yourself if you get into the chest freezer while it is still plugged in, and the seams have started to leak water inside the walls. That moisture creates a connection which puts an electrical current into the water.
If you unplug the chest freezer EVERY time before you get in, this will not be a problem.
If you correctly seal the seams, this will not be a problem.
Appliance repair-people and electricians have said that there is nothing to worry about regarding a capacitor.
@@JohnRichterAustin thank you for a quick and detailed response, I appreciate it! I'll check out the Facebook page very soon. So the capacitor discharge or a short circuit is not possible while the freezer is unplugged?
@@Vladgg26 - when the chest freezer is unplugged, you must still have the power cord AWAY from the power outlet, and make sure that there are no other appliances, tools, or electrical devices anywhere near the chest freezer.
If you do that, there is almost zero chance of electrocution. I say *almost* zero because... lightening, or freak accidents are still possible.
Capacitor discharge has been deemed by the experts as a non-issue.
@@JohnRichterAustin thank you again! Very informative
Let me know what you’ve done John. What spray liner are you using?
See this article for the most up to date info about liners:
chestfreezercoldplunge.com/4-liners/
What do you suggest putting under the freezer to provide support with all that weight?
Good question. Boards, shims, foam mats - anything dense enough to support the wide part of the floor between the feet.
Hey John , how does the wrap work? Does it affect overall performance Heating and Cooling does it bubble?
JS - just to make sure that my definitions are correct:
This video is about liners that go on the inside.
A wrap is a decorative cover that goes on the outside.
Neither one has any noticeable impact on the chest freezer cooling the inside or dissipating heat on the outside.
I am in the quality control process of making custom liner for chest freezers which will solve the number of problems with pond liners and at a lower price than using a professionally applied spray liner.
If you're interested, visit my website and go to the contact tab. Fill out the form and let me know what brand/size of chest freezer you have. I will be reaching out to everyone with prices in the next two weeks.
@@JohnRichterAustin yes I know the video is clear about your discussion about liners inside and yes my question was about the blue and black wraps on the exterior. Ok so no issues with wrap on cold creation or heat distribution when wrapping the outside of the chest frezzer?! Really?!? That's awsome news. I'm in the middle of my first build conversion. 😀 and was wanting to wrap the exterior but had some reservations
@@js-cw5uv the exterior is painted, not wrapped. I used an acryllic spray paint on the lid because there is nothing in the that generates or dissipates heat.
For the outside main chest freezer, I used blank epoxy appliance paint that is meant to go on freezers, fridges, etc. So it will be just fine with the heat generated by the chest freezer.
I painted it only because after one of my early failed experiments, the outside was looking pretty bad.
The paint has been in place now for about 3-1/2 years. I just touch it up this weekend. :)
If I add a liner, how do I drain it most efficiently?
Use a siphon or submersible utility pump. Look for my video on my YT channel that goes into more detail.
Here is the pump I'm currently using (Amazon affiliate link):
amzn.to/3zRPf9N
Thank you for the great info John! Planning to do JB Waterweld as well as a simple EPDM pond liner. Curious how often I'll need to replace them, but I suppose we'll just have to see!
You're welcome! If you have everything else set up correctly and do maintenance as needed, they should both last a very long time. The oldest chest freezer setup I know if right now is almost 6 years old.
I was considering the pond Liner. What is the best way to do so? To stick it to the walls?
Hi Stephen - this is a great question! We have a number of discussions about best practices for using pond liners in my Facebook Group.
It's free to join. Check us out:
facebook.com/groups/chestfreezercoldplunge
What spray liner did you use sir?
I used a DIY liner that I do not recommend. It did not mix very well and was deteriorated by the ozone.
Best to use a professional spray liner like Line-X xs-350. But you need to make sure they prep everything correctly.
There are details about this posted in my free Facebook group.
facebook.com/groups/chestfreezercoldplunge
Awesome thanks.
Does anyone know one whos have ever happend that the box broke because of the amount of water?
Are you asking if there are problems if you don't install a liner? Yes. Since I made this video I have had reports from countless thousands of people world wide reporting problems.
See this article for more info:
chestfreezercoldplunge.com/4-liners/
This one is related:
ChestFreezerColdPlunge.com/sealing
@@JohnRichterAustin thx - i mean can the chest freezer break apart due to the large amount of water? Maybe it holds about 400 liters, but as it's not made for water/the full weight, but for some food. So i thought, can it break apart? Have you ever heard that something like that ever happened? Thank you!
@ScharfeSalami - them water can cause some chest freezers to bulge, but I have never heard of one breaking apart.
Follow all of the best practices and it will be fine.
Ok 👌
Hey! How did this special liner work out? I ended up having to get a metal lined freezer and need to seal it. Would love your final recs. Thanks!