DIY Ferm Chamber vs Temp Control Fridge

Hey guys, well summer is already starting to get rolling here and I don't want to stop brewing just because I don't want to pay to air condition my entire house at fermentation temps.

I have a side by side freezer/fridge in my garage that has overflow from the main fridge, but I can easily clear it out for fermenting over the summer. Can I just plug that fridge into this temp controller and slip the probe into the door? I guess this could open up lagering to me as well?

My question: Will this hurt my fridge compressor in the long run switching it on and off externally like this? IE. Will I have any trouble plugging it back into the wall during the winter months to be a regular cold storage fridge? If so I might be looking to build a simple, cheap fermentation chamber.

Thanks a lot guys.

It shouldn't hurt it if you don't try to maintain wildly constant air temps in the fridge. A deadband of a couple of degrees should cycle your fridge pretty infrequently.

edit to add: Why bother unplugging it in the winter? Just set the controller back to fridge temps.

MMW said:

It shouldn't hurt it if you don't try to maintain wildly constant air temps in the fridge. A deadband of a couple of degrees should cycle your fridge pretty infrequently.

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Thanks, yeah it says it drops it 4 degrees when it hits the target temp then shuts off. So its not spot on.

MMW said:

edit to add: Why bother unplugging it in the winter? Just set the controller back to fridge temps.

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Well that's a great point Thanks a lot!

Glad I could help

For some of us... finding a way to keep the fermenter warm in the winter is an issue. Even bringing it up to lagering temperature can be a challenge. I brew in my barn.