sanyo 4912 for fermentation control

**kappclark** · 05-04-2008, 04:53 PM

Has anyone used a Sanyo 4912 to control fermentation temp ?

Will a standard "Ale Pail" fit (including airlock ) ?

DaleJ · 05-05-2008, 12:25 AM

Yes, I use an Sanyo 4912 as my fermentation chamber.

You'll have to cut out all but the outer edge of the door panel. But then a pail or a carboy will fit, with room to spare height wise.

I use a Ranco dual stage digital controller on it. The cool side running the fridge, the hot side running a heating pad under the pail.

Fits in a closet. It's great.

**kappclark** · 05-05-2008, 01:29 PM

Good news - Thx for the post

Can I just remove the interior door panel and replace with styrofoam ?

Who sells the Ranco controller, and what temp do you use for ales (65 deg ?)

I was thinking I wld start at 65ish, then after the 1st week or so, drop the temp down to the 50's. I am thinking that controlling the fermentation environment will give me more consistent results .. maybe the geek in me since I am pretty pleased with how my beers are turning out

Funkenjaeger · 05-05-2008, 03:16 PM

Personally, considering the cost of a 4912, I'd be much more tempted to build an insulated fermentation cabinet and use one of those really cheap minifridges to keep it cool, then you could fit more than just one bucket/carboy in there. That, or get a used chest freezer.

But I guess that depends on how much space you have available, and whether you actually care about fermenting more than 5g in there at once.

**kappclark** · 05-05-2008, 04:08 PM

OK - I am game -- wondering best way to do that .. I know you can get those minifridges for next to nothing ...

any plans on HBT for such a beast ? Maybe the chest freezer is a better idea .. probably the same or less cost ...

I don't have THAT much room, unless I move to the basement ! (or do what EdWort did !)

Funkenjaeger · 05-05-2008, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kappclark

OK - I am game -- wondering best way to do that .. I know you can get those minifridges for next to nothing ...

any plans on HBT for such a beast ? Maybe the chest freezer is a better idea .. probably the same or less cost ...

Off the top of my head, I can envision a foam insulated cabinet with either:
a minifridge (with door removed) stuck against the side of it, with a new controller running the fridge compressor for temp control, or...
a minifridge sitting next to it, with a couple holes drilled in the door with some air ducts going to the fermentation cabinet with small fans in them - this way, run the fridge at regular temperature (even go ahead and store bottles of beer in it), and then use a controller to cycle the fans to run cold air from the fridge into the cabinet. This would basically be a refrigerated version of "son of fermentation chiller" type ice-cooled design.

I know I've seen at least one picture of someone doing the first option in a cabinet under their bar, though I'm not sure if it was for fermentation or for serving kegs.

**kappclark** · 05-05-2008, 06:08 PM

VERY interesting ... I wonder how cool the mini-fridge can get ... certainly 65 degrees shouldn't be a plm !

I will investigate son of fermentation chiller ...

Later,

ebeer · 05-06-2008, 03:27 PM

For me it's hard to beat the 4912. $199 standard price, $179 on sale, or possibly VERY cheap if you can find one at a garage sale or craigslist (I got one for $100 a few months ago). No building and no rotating ice. I believe my mini fridge said $29yr to operate...pretty cheap.

**kappclark** · 05-06-2008, 04:59 PM

That's a nice setup - I assume the 7.5 gal conical ...

question - how long do you keep in 4912 ? 2 weeks ? Also, after first week of active fermentation, do you lower temp ?

ebeer · 05-06-2008, 07:58 PM

Well with refrigeration and a temp controller, you can do whatever you want.

Like ferment an ale to FG, drop yeast, and crash cool. Transfer to a keg and carb it up. Or, lager at 50F to 75% completion and bump temp up (natural rise, heating pad, or similar) 10 degrees for a D-rest.

Point being you have ultimate control.