Brew Fridge

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periolus
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Brew Fridge

Post by periolus »

Hello!

I am looking for fridges on Freecycle, eBay etc. but wondered what I should be looking for? Has anyone got one they can get more than one fermenter in? Any tips on size, brands, how much space there should be between tube heater and bottom of fermenter etc?

OR - even better, does anyone have a fridge they want to get rid of? ; )

---EDIT----

Ah! The question I forgot! Do you simply plug the fridge into the temp controller's cooling circuit and the tube heater into the heating circuit? Or, do you have to wire the controller into the fridges internal wiring to bypass the thermostat? If THAT is the case, then has anyone done it that could help me when the time comes?
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Bimster
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Re: Brew Fridge

Post by Bimster »

I've got an old Beko under counter larder type fridge (no freezer box inside), that I bought second hand, which has enough room for one fermenter.

I've just used this for the first time and it was fantastic, especially with this weather.
periolus wrote:Ah! The question I forgot! Do you simply plug the fridge into the temp controller's cooling circuit and the tube heater into the heating circuit?
You plug the fridge into the cooling circuit and the tube heater into the heating circuit, configure your controller and Bob's your uncle.

Really good to know you can set the initial fermentation temperature and then raise it a couple of degrees celcius later on for a diacetyl rest.

Big thank you to Tim at Cedaronics for the STC 1000. Works a treat and well worth the money to remove the hassle of building the controller.
James

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periolus
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Re: Brew Fridge

Post by periolus »

Do you need floor-space for a gap between the heater and the FV, or does it just sit in front of it with the FV on the floor of the fridge?

Under-counter would be better, as they are more easily found second-hand and on Freecycle. Good stuff! Could I see your set-up some time?

Speak soon!

Barnaby
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Bimster
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Re: Brew Fridge

Post by Bimster »

I built a stand for one of the fridges wire shelves so it sits on the bump for the compressor and the stand.(if that makes any sense).

The tube heater is on the floor of the fridge, in front of the compressor bump with the fermenter above it, sitting on the wire shelf. The heater and fermenter do not touch.

I'll try and post a photo later which will remove the confusion my explanation above has probably caused. Anyhow, this is just the method I've used. Other people may have done something different.
James

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periolus
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Re: Brew Fridge

Post by periolus »

I think I can picture it! A photo would be great though. By the way, do you use the compressor delay on the STC-1000?

Looking for under-counter fridges now. Do you think there would be room for a 6.5 gallon carboy in yours? Or does your FV pretty much touch the top?
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Bimster
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Re: Brew Fridge

Post by Bimster »

My 30l plastic bucket FV fits in with a bubble airlock in situ.

Not sure about the 6.5l demi john as I don't know the dimensions. If you've got one and want to try it as well as measure my fridge for guidance, then no worries.
James

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Bimster
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Re: Brew Fridge

Post by Bimster »

Barnaby,

Photos attached of my fermentation fridge. I doubt it's big enough for a 6.5 gallon carboy.

The black cable is the STC sensor that is fed into the fridge via the drain hole. The cable for the tube heater is via a hole drilled in the back of the fridge.
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James

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mrlard
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Re: Brew Fridge

Post by mrlard »

Make sure you use the compressor delay or you will fook your fridge!

I tend to like wiring out the fridge thermostat aswell but this isn't always needed - but quite handy in this weather
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Bimster
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Re: Brew Fridge

Post by Bimster »

mrlard wrote:Make sure you use the compressor delay or you will fook your fridge!
Definitely a good idea, especially as that is one of the plus points of the STC 1000. I set mine to 3 mins, which seemed fine to me.
James

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periolus
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Re: Brew Fridge

Post by periolus »

I hope this isn't a dumb question, but what do you do about ice-boxes in fridges that you want to convert. Can you disconnect them? Can you remove them? Don't they have horrible coolant channels built into them a lot of the time?

Should I be looking for fridges without ice-boxes, or can they be dealt with. I ask because I have found a few that might be suitable and big enough for a 50L stock pot, but all have ice-boxes built-in.

Ta!

Barnaby
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