Dr_Deathweed
Well-Known Member
It has begun!
I am starting on my design that I have posted here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=54562 Today after playing with some wiring, I decided to officially start this project. I will be picking up some lumber as well as raiding some construction yards for some various odds and ends.
The goal: build a fermentation cabinet that will hold two carboys at individually regulated temperatures, hold 4 corny kegs in storage, have enough bookshelf space to hold all my text books, be small enough to fit in my tiny office, and try to keep the total bill under $200. Tall order, I know.....
I will try to post pictures and answer questions as I go, as well as post a complete materials list when I am done. I hope to have this finished by Sat or Sun, (or at least to the functional stage) so I can brew this weekend and test this out the right way
This is a test run of the electrical system I have planned:
Pretty much I am running 12V DC from a PC power supply through a relay, a digital home thermostat, and a Computer fan. The relay is also connected to the thermostat of the fridge, which will be set on the coolest setting. This way when the home thermostat (set to the temperature I want) flips to cool, it will turn on the compressor to the fridge unit, as well as the computer fan. I will ultimately hook up 2 fans, one on the cool side coils to circulate cool air in the fermentation chamber, and one on the hot side coils, since they will be inside the cabinet and may get a bit warm without some kind of air flow.
Here I have started tearing the fridge apart, and am dismayed to find that the hot side coils are wrapped around 3 sides of the fridge and not centrally located.
I will have to fins a way to fold these coils down to something that will fit inside my cabinet without crimping them.
I finally get the fridge apart:
and the rest of the carnage:
That was fun, but I hope to never do it again My next step will be to bend those hot side coils and to pick up the lumber and styrofoam to build the chiller part of my cabinet.
I am starting on my design that I have posted here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=54562 Today after playing with some wiring, I decided to officially start this project. I will be picking up some lumber as well as raiding some construction yards for some various odds and ends.
The goal: build a fermentation cabinet that will hold two carboys at individually regulated temperatures, hold 4 corny kegs in storage, have enough bookshelf space to hold all my text books, be small enough to fit in my tiny office, and try to keep the total bill under $200. Tall order, I know.....
I will try to post pictures and answer questions as I go, as well as post a complete materials list when I am done. I hope to have this finished by Sat or Sun, (or at least to the functional stage) so I can brew this weekend and test this out the right way
This is a test run of the electrical system I have planned:
Pretty much I am running 12V DC from a PC power supply through a relay, a digital home thermostat, and a Computer fan. The relay is also connected to the thermostat of the fridge, which will be set on the coolest setting. This way when the home thermostat (set to the temperature I want) flips to cool, it will turn on the compressor to the fridge unit, as well as the computer fan. I will ultimately hook up 2 fans, one on the cool side coils to circulate cool air in the fermentation chamber, and one on the hot side coils, since they will be inside the cabinet and may get a bit warm without some kind of air flow.
Here I have started tearing the fridge apart, and am dismayed to find that the hot side coils are wrapped around 3 sides of the fridge and not centrally located.
I will have to fins a way to fold these coils down to something that will fit inside my cabinet without crimping them.
I finally get the fridge apart:
and the rest of the carnage:
That was fun, but I hope to never do it again My next step will be to bend those hot side coils and to pick up the lumber and styrofoam to build the chiller part of my cabinet.