For 1 hash channels add no hashes. For 2 hash channels add 1 hash. And so on. Otherwise the template will take you to the wrong channel.

User: I want to go to #wikipedia-or.
You: {{Freenode|wikipedia-or}}

User 2: I want to go to ##random_channel.
You: {{Freenode|#random_channel}}

For a template linking to the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, see Template:USIRC.