Refrigerator tweak

I just setup a dedicated beer fridge and I was wondering is there a way to override (shut down) cooling the empty freezer compartment. When chilling kegs it runs at freeze temp. I'd use it as a freezer except when its a fermentor cooler I doubt it will cool low enough

What do people do with the freezer?

photogscott said:

I just setup a dedicated beer fridge and I was wondering is there a way to override (shut down) cooling the empty freezer compartment. When chilling kegs it runs at freeze temp. I'd use it as a freezer except when its a fermentor cooler I doubt it will cool low enough

What do people do with the freezer?

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I've never taken a fridge apart, but I can only see two methods that the fridge/freezer could work on. Neither are worth mentioning, as the work to 'shut down' the freezer wouldn't be worth it either way.

I suggest you use it to keep beer chilled, and store hops and yeast in the freezer, and get a separate fridge/chest freezer to run as a fermenter chiller.

I have my kegerator (2/3 fridge, 1/3 freezer) set at around 10C/50F and my freezer still freezes. I wouldn't keep food or anything in there but I'm sure for the hops and grain I keep in there it will be fine.

As to shutting it off it depends on the unit I guess. The one I have has about 3 times as much cooling surface area (a guess on that one judging by how the plates are in there) in the freezer compared to the fridge so it's only running when the fridge thermostat tells it to, ie no seperate control for the freezer.

The only way I could see shutting it down would to somehow disonnecting the gas lines to the freezer which would require degassing and regassing, not worth it IMO.

Can something be done with the thermostat to tell the unit not to cool the freezer compartment? Just trying to save as much as possible on electricity

I use mine for rodent proof storage. Even if it isn't frozen, keeping grain and hops cold is good. Keeping critters out is very good.

Some refrigerators have separate controls for the freezer. If your's doesn't, there isn't much you can do.

put your barware in there after its been dried. I love a cool brew in a frosty glass

shafferpilot said:

put your barware in there after its been dried. I love a cool brew in a frosty glass

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Hey thats better than just an empty cold compartment! Glasses are going in tonight.

Most fridges have seperate controls for freezer and the newer ones save electricity by circulating cold air from the freezer to the fridge. Trying to shut down the freezer would be a very bad idea in that case. I would just turn the temp up as high as it will go on the freezer setting and use it for mugs or storage as mentioned.

I have access to two fridges right now to turn into a beer fridge. One is a full size fridge and the other an undercounter unit. Trying to debate the pros and cons of both right now.

I agree with Mike
The control on most referigerators is just a damper. Adjust your refrigerator to maximum cold with the damper and the maximum amount of cold air will drain into the refrigerator.

shafferpilot said:

I love a cool brew in a frosty glass

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Try putting your glasses in the fridge instead of the freezer. A frozen mug kills head retention and super cools the beer, making it less flavorful.

the freezer has the cooling coil in it, it sends some cool air into the cooling compartment the cooling thermostat controls the compressor. the freezer knob controls a flapper and decides how much cold air is kept in the freezer, so when you turn the freezer colder you are letting less air into the cooling compartment which makes the compressor run longer to keep the cooling compartment cool. if you don't need the freezer just turn it to warmer, you will still be able to frost mugs, the only reason to have to keep your freezer section colder is things like ice creem have high suger and are harder to freeze.

i hope this helps, it's been a while since i've repaired them but i did for 9 years.

What do people do with the freezer?

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I store hops and steaks in it