Help with Fermentation Chamber Condensation

So I recently built a fermentation chamber out of a mini-fridge and I have noticed I have some semi-serious condensation issues coming from the freezer portion of my fridge. During the fridges normal cycling on and off, the metal freezer component (what the two fans are resting on) frosts and defrosts causing water to drip down into the pan in the picture. Every few days I have to dump the water out so that is doesn't run over and begi to mold in any cracks.

I was wondering if anybody has had similar problems or any advice on how I can correct this problem? Is the condensation from the freezer just something I have to accept? Or is there something I can do to address it? Would it be due to poor sealing of the chamber (the door has a curve on it that could be letting warm air in)? Can I remove that metal freezer partition or is that a required element to help cool the fridge? Would increased air flow help?

Any suggestions are more than welcome!

the better it is sealed the less condensation. This includes opening the door a lot. Try to get it sealed up as much as possible. Then pick up a bucket of damp rid and give that a shot too.

I had a TINY gap in the weather sealing of my keezer and had a lot of condensation issues. I would recommend making sure you have a solid seal and then throw in a dessicant. I can't remember what's called off the top of my head but I bought a little one that is made to plug into an electrical socket to dry out (pretty popular on homebrewfinds.com), although after remounting my keezer lid, I haven't had a bit of condensation.

Howzabout find a location in a low spot, where you will not violate any refrigerant lines and the like, and install a drain hole?
You could kick the front of the chamber up a few degrees where the water will run to the back, and out the drain hole.
Of course then, ya' gotta' have a container to catch it in, but it will save opening the door a lot.

gx1400 said:

I had a TINY gap in the weather sealing of my keezer and had a lot of condensation issues. I would recommend making sure you have a solid seal and then throw in a dessicant. I can't remember what's called off the top of my head but I bought a little one that is made to plug into an electrical socket to dry out (pretty popular on homebrewfinds.com), although after remounting my keezer lid, I haven't had a bit of condensation.

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"Evadry" is it?

Was wondering this myself. My chamber isn't up and running yet. Dunno if it'll harm the fridge or screw up the cooling of it but was thinkin about cutting the freezer out and using a compression fitting to reattach the lines. Haven't really looked into it yet because that is a bunch of steps ahead of me right now. Am looking forward to hearing your solution.

Stealthcruiser said:

"Evadry" is it?

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That is it. Was at work and couldn't get into personal email to check order.

+1 on DampRid. Keep a small amount in my fermentation chamber and it's always dry as a bone.

Cposten said:

Was wondering this myself. My chamber isn't up and running yet. Dunno if it'll harm the fridge or screw up the cooling of it but was thinkin about cutting the freezer out and using a compression fitting to reattach the lines. Haven't really looked into it yet because that is a bunch of steps ahead of me right now. Am looking forward to hearing your solution.

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You don't wanna' do that!
The compression fittings will give you problems on a refrigerant line I believe.

Cposten said:

Was wondering this myself. My chamber isn't up and running yet. Dunno if it'll harm the fridge or screw up the cooling of it but was thinkin about cutting the freezer out and using a compression fitting to reattach the lines. Haven't really looked into it yet because that is a bunch of steps ahead of me right now. Am looking forward to hearing your solution.

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1. As soon as you cut the lines you will loose all the freon in the lines and you'll need to have it refilled sometimes costing as much as a new fridge.

2. If you managed to find a place to recharge it on the cheap, compression fittings will not work on the cooling lines. The pressure in those lines are so great it would blow the compression fitting off and you'll be back at step one again.

If you have an abnormal amount of condensation building up in there then you have an air leak. Seal it up as tight as possible, eliminate all air leaks first. You should only notice some icing on the element but not enough to cause that much water as you describe when the freezer goes into defrost mode. Not only is it causing a water problem but your losing cooling from the fridge causing the compressor to cycle more decreasing it's life and using more electric than it needs.

If you don't know exactly where the air gaps are, you could use a fog machine inside the firdge, close the doors and watch for where the fog leeches out from.

Well I'm damn glad I didn't do it. Thanks for the heads up all, saved me a fiasco and research time.

I've had the same issues with a lot of condensation and found it was due to the fans being in the freezer section. The freezer could never freeze because the fans were always blowing warm air through it, plus my fan motors were putting out 120 degrees at the motor.. I've since replaced my "cooling" fan with a desk fan (the blue one) and kept the hot fans for heating.

I would move the fans out and down, just in front of your fridge and check the fan motor temps. Then buy something like damprid.

~Attached a pic of mine..