This how-to describes making a refrigerator that uses 1/10th the amount of energy of a traditional refrigerator. The website has a link to a PDF with all the building details. This would be a really great addition to any home running solar power, since the fridge is a major energy hog.
More about a DIY super-efficient refrigerator
I currently teach in Lehigh University’s Master’s of Technical Entrepreneurship program. I'm also an kit maker, author, father, tinkerer, and member of the MAKE Technical Advisory board.
Get the print and digital versions when you subscribe
Since it seems that most deep freezers are manual defrost, this mod will garner an added benefit, increased humidity. Auto-defrost in conventional combo-fridges creates a very dry interior environment that dehydrates produce. Produce should last longer in this mod. This is a common mod in the homebrew community.