1" ferm chamber

So i finished cutting everything today for my son of ferm chamber. Got the thermostat wired up, so all i need to do is glue everything together and mount the electronics. After searching 3 different home improvement stores i had to go with doubling up on 1/2" insulation, only r value 3.2 a piece. Has anyone else had to improvise this part of this build? Did it turn out ok still? Ill be keeping the chamber inside, so i only need a 10-15 degree differnce from outside the chamber temps. Im leavinf enough room that i can add on another layer of insulation if it doesnt hold temps well. Just curious if anyone has done ok with only inch thick walls on these things.

Well here are the pictures.. seems to be holding temps mid 50s keeping the wort right at 66 per the stick on fermometer. Do i ambient higher than that? Or is it the beer temp thats important? Ill post in the fermentation forum. But here are the pics for the DIYers

For an update, this thing was able to easily hold temps in the low 60s, im changing out ice twice a day, every 12 hours, fort he first couple days. After krausen drops, every day is fine for this, or every 24 hours.

Looks great!

Yep, lookin' good!!!

I built something very similar to this out of foam board, and still use it for after the krausen drops if I need the freezer for a new batch. I learned the hard way that if freezing ice in tubs, put them inside another tub. The repeated freezing/thawing caused a tub of mine to crack, and i didn't notice it when I put it in the chamber. Got home from work to find my laminate floor ruined under the chamber So getcha some tubs to put those water bottles in for insurance.

Yes, it is the beer temps that are important, not the ambient air temps inside the chamber.

It's hard to tell, but that is a towel sitting underneath both of the jugs, it seems to have been sufficient so far... What were you able to put under ther size-wise?

EDIT

Just reread what you said. I imagine you had the other design of this with the ice chambers on bottom and the ferm chamber up top? you were just freezing like plastic tubs so that makes sense. I'll just look around and see what i can find that will fit in there.

I had one of these for a while. It worked ok, but I would totally recommend skipping this and going straight for a chest freezer or mini-fridge. Making the SOFC is just not worth it in the long run, unless you absolutely don't have space for even as small chest freezer.

Also another update on this things function.

I'm fermenting a Belgian with 1214, and keeping temps around 62-64 withouth a problem, even at the 48-72 after pitching hours after pitching! I'm impressed so far with this thing, and with the amount of money spent and the degree you can keep the temps down, well worth the weeken spent.

ronjonacron said:

It's hard to tell, but that is a towel sitting underneath both of the jugs, it seems to have been sufficient so far... What were you able to put under ther size-wise?

EDIT

Just reread what you said. I imagine you had the other design of this with the ice chambers on bottom and the ferm chamber up top? you were just freezing like plastic tubs so that makes sense. I'll just look around and see what i can find that will fit in there.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I have the "38DD Mother of Fermentation Chamber". I was freezing those shoebox sized tubs, and just put them inside an empty one to provide a bit of insurance.

I'm thinking you might could cut a gallon water/milk jug in half (top/bottom halfs, but cut as high as possible before the curvature of the jug makes it too small to hold your frozen bottles) and just stick your frozen bottles in the bottom half of those jugs, sorta like putting them in a bowl to catch water if you were to spring a leak.