Fermentation Chamber Build

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The_Dog_42

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I'm considering converting my current TV stand into a fermentation chamber when SWMBO allows me to buy a new TV stand.

I've got the design pretty much laid out (pic below) but have a couple of options for the cooling. Initially I was going to go with a 5000 BTU window AC with a Love controller but my friend just gave me a 1.7 cu ft mini fridge, which I was able to remove the cooling unit from.

So my current line of thought is to install this with a fan or two to blow over the coils and get the cold air flow circulating and see if it can keep up with the fermentation of few ales.

Question is, if during the fridge deconstruction one of the lines developed a slow leak, is there any health risk to me or my family? We plan on putting this in the living room. I know there isn't a fast leak or anything because I tested the unit outside for about 10 minutes and the coils developed frost/condensation.

Model of the Fermentation Chamber (the blue thing is a window AC):
2672-fermentation-chamber-model-front.jpg
 
I used a refrigerator to make both my kegerator and fermentation chamber. If you can find a fridge for cheap(or free) go on line and look for the Ranco ETC 111000. It will cost you about 65 for the temp. controller and all you need is the end from a new extension cord to wire it for power(they charge extra to wire it for you). Plug your fridge into it and put the sensor inside through a 1/4" hole and viola: a fermenter that will hold up to 20 gallons of fermenting wort at any temperature from -30 to +220 obviously limited by the cooling power of you fridge..
 
I used a refrigerator to make both my kegerator and fermentation chamber.

I would LOVE to have the space for that, but SWMBO says I can't have a guest room for the brewery...So I'm stuck trying to use the 31" x 18" space in the living room. "And what put there has to match the decor."
 
my chest freezer that I just converted to a keezer is only 23.5 x 23.5, a little larger then your 18" side but smaller then your 31" side. with a controller it worked great as a fermentation chamber. Now, it's about ready to house 4 kegs. It might be an easier option and you can always doll it up to match whatever you need it to.
 
I told my woman the refrigerators would get all the stuff out of the house and into the garage which is where I do all my brewing. Would that be an option?
 
I told my woman the refrigerators would get all the stuff out of the house and into the garage which is where I do all my brewing. Would that be an option?

Tried and failed...problem is with the 2 motorcycles already in the garage as well as my truck and tools and home brew equip, there's not a lot of room left to play with. She already "made" me buy a turkey fryer to move everything out of the house.
 
So I did something I should have done before posting here...I called the manufacturer of the fridge and asked if there was any exposure risk to running a mini-fridge with a pin hole leak.

There isn't any risk (which I expected but was still relieved to hear). I think once I get the go ahead from SWMBO, I'm going to try to convert a TV stand into a fermentation chamber...mostly because I want to know if I actually can. :)

So being new to HBT, is there anything I should do to close the thread or should I just let it "go gently into that good night"?
 
What u have a leak in the system and they told you it was safe? If it is leaking gas(r14a or watever the refridgerators use) it is most certainly not ok for you or your family. That is why there are laws against venting it into the atmosphere. and if it gets on your skin it does not feel good(trust me I know)
 
What u have a leak in the system and they told you it was safe? If it is leaking gas(r14a or watever the refridgerators use) it is most certainly not ok for you or your family. That is why there are laws against venting it into the atmosphere. and if it gets on your skin it does not feel good(trust me I know)

I don't know if I have a leak or not (if I do it's small enough to not affect the system after 10 min.), but I called the fridge manufacturer and they did say it was safe...I haven't tested for longer than 10 min and I haven't done anything inside. I wanted to know what the risks were prior to accepting them.
 
I would think if it's leaking coolent it will be useless for use as a fermentation chamber. It won't get cold after the coolent is gone.
 
I don't think the threads ever end..after you get done someone else may come along and have another question.

Ok. Thanks for the help.


I would think if it's leaking coolent it will be useless for use as a fermentation chamber. It won't get cold after the coolent is gone.

I definitely agree with you, rekoob. I'm going to do a long term cooling test if the general consensus is there isn't a health risk. I just don't want to start the test and find out later it was an absurdly bad idea.
 
Have you thought about the metal patch putty? It should take care of your pinhole leak just scuff the metal to create some texture for the putty to bond to. As long as you can keep it in the nominal temp range for ales you will be fine with a mini fridge.
 
Have you thought about the metal patch putty? It should take care of your pinhole leak just scuff the metal to create some texture for the putty to bond to. As long as you can keep it in the nominal temp range for ales you will be fine with a mini fridge.

Didn't even know the stuff existed. :eek: I assume I can get it from HD?
 
Oh yeah. They have like 5 kinds for different applications. You just need the one for metal. It's a two part stick and you just knead a little bit to combine the different layers. It's pretty cheap too. Hook 'em horns! By the way..
 
dog 42,
the only health risk is if there were to be hundreds of lbs of freon lost at one time with little or no ventilation, other than that it is the ozone depleating thing. As for as a small leak, once the freon is too low or gone and you seal your leak(pin hole) you still have to replace what was lost or close to it. In these size units you are only talking about ounces or close to a lb.
 
dog 42,
the only health risk is if there were to be hundreds of lbs of freon lost at one time with little or no ventilation, other than that it is the ozone depleating thing. As for as a small leak, once the freon is too low or gone and you seal your leak(pin hole) you still have to replace what was lost or close to it. In these size units you are only talking about ounces or close to a lb.

That's kinda the line of thinking I was on as well...and for the price of a free fridge, I probably won't worry about patching if I do see a leak but it's good to know I have options. (And I am really grateful for all the ideas and quick responses of everyone on here.)
 
Although this is not related to freon, it is to a fermentation chamber (chest freezer w/ temperature control). Don't stick your head inside. I have a batch of belgian quad bobbling away and I enjoy the smell of it fermenting, so I stuck my head close to the air lock and got light headed. I imagine there was enough CO2 produced to make it not good for breathing.
 
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