SCORE
(repost from the board crash earlier last week)
While at one of my sites, contractors were re-roofing and tearing off 2 to 3 inch PolyStyrene panels, many 5 X 5 or larger.
I snagged 6 of them and threw my chiller togather on Friday.
MAN what a difference.
It has been well over 100 degrees here for the last week my my carboy is a steady 65.
Even with the heat, I change ice only once a day, and only a single gallon jug at that.
The 2 inch seems to be much more efficent than the 1 inch, go figure.
I have changed the "standard design" to use Bungee Cords as fasteners. I assemble the cooler, and strap bungee cords around it to hold it togather. I have re-enforced the corners with some aluminum angle stock to prevent abusing the edges and it works well. The dowels seems to be an iffy fastening system since they do not offer support to keep the edges tight, which is a concern to me. Particularly since my salvaged pieces are not exactly square and flat.
I also changed the ice compartment to a single large area and made the air inlet high up in the assembly and the exhaust outlet in the very botton on the theory that the warmer air is on the top of the cooler and the cooler air on the bottom. By grabbing air from the top and moving it out on the bottom, I believe it improves circulation.
I will take and post some pics later today.
If anyone lives in the Sacramento area dn wants a virtually unlimited supply of the 2 inch stock just give me a shout.
Cheers,
knewshound