Converting my dorm fridge to a fermentation chamber?

I'm thinking that my old dorm fridge will be a nice temp control option for fermenting, but the 6 gal Better Bottle won't fit without moving the "chiller" from the roof of the fridge. Does anybody know how to do this?

There is a line (presumably the coolant line) running into the metal chiller frame. The frame is attached to the fridge with just a few screws but I don't know what to do about the coolant line. Can it be capped? Can I cut and cap the lines and get the fridge recharged? Would it be cheaper just to buy something else?Other ideas?

I've been told that fridges are "closed" systems, therefore no way to recharged.

If you take the fridge apart, and carefully remove the cooling lines, you can build a new enclosure and route them as you please- there are a few threads on this forum that I've seen that deal with it.

Thanks, I'll look at taking it apart!

If the freezer thing is a sheet of bent metal, you can (carefully) bend the whole thing down so that it rests against the back, like this:

My dorm fridge had the chiller plate that doubled as the freezer floor, it was held in place with some plastic tabs, I released the tabs and carefully folded the chiller down so it did not kink the lines at the back and it now sits flush along the back of the fridge. I just finished building a 2x12 collar that will be used to expand it enough to ferment 10 gallons with no problems. I think I could take pics of the construction and post up a DIY if it might be useful to anyone.

Yup mine is just like Walkers up above!

Walker-san,
I did that with my Ferminatrix(tm) and the motor kept tripping. The compressor didn't have enough oomph to push the coolant up a vertical plate. I ended up grinding off the extra metal above the coolant plate (on the sides) and I moved the whole thing up.

I have to cram the cornies in there, but I can get two at a time.

B

azscoob said:

Yup mine is just like Walkers up above!

Click to expand...

+ 2.

I use a Johnson or Ranco controller now (can't remember which), and it works great. I'll soon be switching that controller to a keezer, and using an ebay aquarium controller to controll heating and cooling for fermentation.

Also, I found the dorm on the street, and it works great!

bad coffee said:

Walker-san,
I did that with my Ferminatrix(tm) and the motor kept tripping. The compressor didn't have enough oomph to push the coolant up a vertical plate.

Click to expand...

That sucks.... I wonder if you kinked the line when you bent it down?

Anyway.... back to the topic of a fermentation chamber....

What size is your fridge, Fishin-Jay? I know that the one I have will not hold a carboy because the diameter of the fermenter is large enough that it would have to sit up off the floor (above the hump covering the compressor) and that doesn't leave enough height to put a carboy or better bottle in there.

Kegs fit because they can sit all the way down on the floor (between the compressor hump and the door).

My fridge is a Kenmore, I can fit one carboy on the floor in front of the compressor hump, could fit 2 if it werent for that hump! thats why I will be adding the collar so I can ferment 10 gal in the summertime. the collar I built is 2'x3' and the depth from the door to the hump is 18"

Walker said:

I know that the one I have will not hold a carboy because the diameter of the fermenter is large enough that it would have to sit up off the floor (above the hump covering the compressor) and that doesn't leave enough height to put a carboy or better bottle in there.

Click to expand...

Had that problem also, but there was enough insulation in the back that I was able to cut away a curved portion and make a carboy fit. Flipped over my cooling unit. Ugly, but it works.

Anyone have advice, techniques and/or photos of how the door remodel was done on the dorm fridge? I have one and want to use it as a fermentation unit.