Fermentation chamber: window ac vs minifridge

I'm planning on building a fermentation chamber to live in my garage, which can get above 90 degrees in the summer. I've seen plenty of examples of people building chambers with window unit ACs as the cooling source, but I've also seen one with a minifridge with its door removed and an insulated box built around it (though I lost the link to it). I've considered using a deep freeze, but I'm thinking I might want to expand the chamber in the future and be able to put a conical or two in it. Right now I just need it big enough for a bucket and a couple of carboys.

I think the window ac unit would be the best solution, but my wife is leaving her job and will be bringing home the tiny minifridge that we bought last summer. It's only 2 cubic feet I think, so it wouldnt really work as a kegerator. Any thoughts on using the minifridge, or should I just buy a window unit and keep bottles in the minifridge?

Any examples of similar builds would also be appreciated.

mugglesport said:

I'm planning on building a fermentation chamber to live in my garage, which can get above 90 degrees in the summer. I've seen plenty of examples of people building chambers with window unit ACs as the cooling source, but I've also seen one with a minifridge with its door removed and an insulated box built around it (though I lost the link to it). I've considered using a deep freeze, but I'm thinking I might want to expand the chamber in the future and be able to put a conical or two in it. Right now I just need it big enough for a bucket and a couple of carboys.

I think the window ac unit would be the best solution, but my wife is leaving her job and will be bringing home the tiny minifridge that we bought last summer. It's only 2 cubic feet I think, so it wouldnt really work as a kegerator. Any thoughts on using the minifridge, or should I just buy a window unit and keep bottles in the minifridge?

Any examples of similar builds would also be appreciated.

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If you want to use the mini fridge, you have a couple options:

1. You can gut it, and all the cooling coils and such out of it and buid a chamber to suit.

2. You can integrate the entire fridge into a chamber per your explanation.

Many use a window A/C unit because they have a higher BTU rating, can cool quicker, and are proabably suited for more extreme environments.

A couple thiings on them though:

1. Newer units can be difficult to wire controllers to.

2. They require more energy.

3. They are louder than a mini-fridge.

4. There will be an additional cost to you, and you siad you are getting a free, or at least already paid for unit.

I'm sure there are a ton more pros and cons, but that is what came off the top of my head in the 60 seconds it took to type this!

I say go mini-fridge, build it right, and it will serve you well.

FWIW, I just finished my mini-fridge fermentation chamber about a month ago, it uses a ~4cu mini fridge (not a cube, but a vounter height).

Oh wow, yours is the chamber I was talking about! Id love to see some more pics if you have them. What kind of insulation material is that?

The insulation material is r-max polyiso it has an "r" rating of 9.5 in the 1.5" thickness.

Here are some build pics:











...and you saw the finished product.

If you have any questions about the build in particular feel free to PM me.

Schnitz thats an awesome looking chamber, did you make a build thread? I like how you have have the front and side panels even. I think you could add same beaad board or other thin wood facing and really class that thing up for about 15 bucks. Not that it looks bad as is. you chould just hide the foil tape and insulation.

kegtoe said:

Schnitz thats an awesome looking chamber, did you make a build thread? I like how you have have the front and side panels even. I think you could add same beaad board or other thin wood facing and really class that thing up for about 15 bucks. Not that it looks bad as is. you chould just hide the foil tape and insulation.

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Yeah, I have thought about using whiteboard, or chalkboard on it, I do have a build thread on my blog. Click the follow me@BrokenGlassBrewery link in my sig, and you'll find it.

However, beadboard would class it up!

How come you chose to use a Love controller over a much simpler Johnson/Ranco unit? Was it cheaper? Does it work better? Was it based on appearance? Is it just that you are more used to the Love controllers?

I've been trying to figure out which way to go and the only real advantage of the Love controller that I see for my purposes is that the instalation may look cleaner.

my question is how to you get the carboys out when they are full and weight soo much?

I had a decent experience with the one I installed on my Kegerator.

The blue LED was a major selling point for me, silly, I know, but I think it looks really cool.

They are made for heating and refrigeration purposes

I wanted to direct wire it into my unit.

It is much smaller than a Ranco unit, low profileand small, takes little space to install it.

I already had experience with it from my kegerator build.

Ranco has "rank" in it, lol, just messin'.

Love controllers look nice and are easy to use.

That is my rationale.

Schnitzengiggle said:

However, beadboard would class it up!

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was that smiley face meant as sarcasm? i like the way my keezer turned out.

i currently contol with with a johnson controller but am thinking of buying a love controller. i think i might set in the front so it shows the temp. also the johnson is kind o big and bulky sitting behind the keezer.

Is that blue one a love controller? i thougth all they did was red.

kegtoe said:

was that smiley face meant as sarcasm? i like the way my keezer turned out.

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No, not sarcasm. I was agreeing with you.

Since the walls in our bedroom are white, I think white beadboard would definitely jazz it up nicely. I guess I could even make the walls of the beadboard a little taller than the chamber frame so as to make a top that would fit flush.

Nice looking keezer, is it a 5cu?

Nice fermentation chamber build Schnitz. That might be in my near future as well being in Central TX.

When you were doing the swamp cooler (what I am currently doing), how often did you have to change water bottles out during the summer?

mine is a 7.2 cu ft. fits 3 cornies a 5lber co2 and a bucket for cold crashing lagering. Schnitz is that a love controller, or another brand?

trevor_b said:

Nice fermentation chamber build Schnitz. That might be in my near future as well being in Central TX.

When you were doing the swamp cooler (what I am currently doing), how often did you have to change water bottles out during the summer?

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Thanks, I was surprised at how nice it came out. I'm no carpenter, or electrician, but I am handy.

Twice a day during active fermentation, I would place 2-3, 20 oz frozen bottles in the cooler in the morning before I left for work, and as soon as I returned home. In the warmest months of the summer I would drape a t-shirt over them, and aim a sall fan on low setting at them (makes the ice melt quicker).

Worked fairly well, water temps would measure anywhere from mid 50's to low 60's, which means that during active fermentaton I was probably between mid 60-70's.

Inexpensive and effective, just requires attention. I am much happier with the set it and forget it method.

kegtoe said:

Schnitz is that a love controller, or another brand?

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It is a Love TS-2, they can be ordered in Red, Green or Blue LED for an additional $10. I wanted Blue so it was worth it to me to pay it.

I do get asked if it is a Love brand often, because peopple aren't aware that they can be ordered in different display colors.

Have you wired a fan in your chamber yet? How would one go about doing that? (the 12v to 110v thing is a mystery to me).

mugglesport said:

Have you wired a fan in your chamber yet? How would one go about doing that? (the 12v to 110v thing is a mystery to me).

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Find an old wall adapter that puts out 12VDC or even 6VDC. At 6 Volts, the fan will just spin slower. You can then splice or plug that wall adapter into the same circuit that turns on your fridge if you only want the fan to come on when the fridge runs.

mugglesport said:

Have you wired a fan in your chamber yet? How would one go about doing that? (the 12v to 110v thing is a mystery to me).

Click to expand...

I use 120v fans, they are a bit more expensive, but I don't have to deal with an additional power source, and I can wire it directly to the temp controller, and keep all the additional wiring in one harness.

I just purchased two fans from ebay, 120mm x 38mm, 110cfm,$15/fan.

Quite a bit more than a 12v fan, but I don't mind paying for convenience, and what I want for my brewery, within reason.

I just purchased a pump last night to,so I am stoked at that new addition. Lowest price I have seen on a March pump in a while ($121.99-free shipping), so I jumped on it.

Schnitzengiggle said:

I use 120v fans, they are a bit more expensive, but I don't have to deal with an additional power source, and I can wire it directly to the temp controller, and keep all the additional wiring in one harness.

I just purchased two fans from ebay, 120mm x 38mm, 110cfm,$15/fan.

Quite a bit more than a 12v fan, but I don't mind paying for convenience, and what I want for my brewery, within reason.

I just purchased a pump last night to,so I am stoked at that new addition. Lowest price I have seen on a March pump in a while ($121.99-free shipping), so I jumped on it.

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can you supply a link for the pump?

kegtoe said:

can you supply a link for the pump?

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There were only 2 left when I made the purchase, and it looks like they are gone. However, if you can get a pump for under 139.99 than I think you are doing well. The pumps have gone up from $109.99 last July to $139.99 today.

Here is a link to one for $129.99-free shipping:

http://cgi.ebay.com/March-809-PL-HS...437?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4158d968fd

Here is a link to one for $116.00-4.99 shipping, but has 13 bids on it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/March-809-PL-HS...153?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item45fa2f2d11

The lowest price beyond ebay that I have found is www.chuggerpumps.com they have the March 809 center inlets for $125.00 but shipping is about $12, but they way I see it $137 w/shipping is less than $139.99 w/shipping.

Basically the pump set up I am working on will run me a total of $233.99 with all of the fittings, I already have the hose. That doesn't include the toolbox, and switches, but that cost will be around $30. So around $250 total. Not bad IMO.

Here is a spreadsheet of the basic partslist:


Hope this is helpful!

Cheers!