Smallest Fermentation Fridge

RogueGoose85 said:

Just noticed that the Emerson I was mentioning, it's wide enough to do 2 3G BB also. Which is great for stove top full boils, splitting a batch for fruit additions etc.

I'm going to target today. I'll post results

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No good compressor really screwed me over. I'll be going with the avanti

Has anyone outfitted their avanti with a light bulb (or other) to keep fermentation temp. up if ambient temp is too low? If so, how'd ya go about it? It seems like you'd have to drill a hole in the side (and seal it) for the cord.

figgy said:

Has anyone outfitted their avanti with a light bulb (or other) to keep fermentation temp. up if ambient temp is too low? If so, how'd ya go about it? It seems like you'd have to drill a hole in the side (and seal it) for the cord.

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Not really sure about this or how well it would work. I am sure you could fit a decent size bulb in there, but you might be better off with one of those carboy heaters. Or possibly not even use the fridge at all, and just use a heat source instead if the outside ambiant temp is lower than what you would want to ferment in. Drilling a hole through the side and sealing it is an idea to run the cord, but you might be able to just shut the door on the cord as long as it's not too thick. I run my temp prob off my temp controller box and just shut the fridge door on the cord. It's a pretty small cord so the door is still able to shut. However, it doesn't completely seal by doing this so i cut some weather stipping at an angle to place on both sides the cord. That way when the door shuts on the cord, the angle produced in the door seal will have something to sit against (if that makes sense?). It doesn't allow it to seal completely, but it's sealed almost all the way and has been working great so far. One of these days i am going to cut a spot in the door so i can mount my temp controller in it and not have to shut the door on the temp probe cord anymore.

Reviving an old thread here...

Does the Avanti fit a standard ale pail (marked up to 5 gallons but actually holds 6.5 gallons) with an airlock? Blowoff?

Thanks.

ayoungrad said:

Reviving an old thread here...

Does the Avanti fit a standard ale pail (marked up to 5 gallons but actually holds 6.5 gallons) with an airlock? Blowoff?

Thanks.

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The Avanti 2.5 cu feet (or whatever it is)? It cannot fit a standard ale pail nor even a 5g better bottle. Actually, the latter will fit if empty and you hold the door closed, which gives you an idea of how close it is.

McGarnigle said:

The Avanti 2.5 cu feet (or whatever it is)? It cannot fit a standard ale pail nor even a 5g better bottle. Actually, the latter will fit if empty and you hold the door closed, which gives you an idea of how close it is.

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Even if I dremel out the shelves?

I have a Nucool that required me to dremel out the shelves but then my ale pail fit perfectly.

Now my Nucool is more Nulukewarm so I need a replacement.

I'm looking for something that is quiet enough to sit in my condo living room and fit an ale pail with airlock or blow-off.

If the Avanti doesn't fit an ale pail, anyone have any suggestions?

ayoungrad said:

Even if I dremel out the shelves?

I have a Nucool that required me to dremel out the shelves but then my ale pail fit perfectly.

Now my Nucool is more Nulukewarm so I need a replacement.

I'm looking for something that is quiet enough to sit in my condo living room and fit an ale pail with airlock or blow-off.

If the Avanti doesn't fit an ale pail, anyone have any suggestions?

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I plan to dremel mine and have read that 6.5g will fit then. But it won't fit until then. No idea about airlock vs. blowoff.

Sam's Club sells this one here in the islands for $113. I have 3.

One for beer ready to drink (holds 40 bottles)

one for conditioning

One for fermenting. I do 1.5 gallon batches and there is no probem fitting a 2 gallon bucket inside. I haven't tried but I think a 5 gal bucket would also fit, but the bigger 6.5 gallon buckets are to big.

I once had my "drinking" fridge turned to low and the beer froze, so I know I could lagar if I so desired.

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/shop/product.jsp?productId=prod1260093&iid=Category|TOPSELLER|Large%20Appliances|3.2%20cu.%20ft.%20GE%20Compact%20Refrigerator%20-%20Black

McGarnigle said:

I plan to dremel mine and have read that 6.5g will fit then. But it won't fit until then. No idea about airlock vs. blowoff.

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Have you used the dremel yet?

Can it fit an ale pail after this?

I just picked up a replacement NuCool 2.8 from craigslist for $35. They are not easy to come by. I'm psyched.

The Sanyo 4433 will hold a bucket fermenter, but you do have to cut out the door shelves. Got one off of Craigs List for $40. Oh, you won't have to bend down the freezer shelf for a bucket, not sure about a carboy yet.

Found this thread but not the answer I was looking for.

Has anyone drilled a hole in this Avanti anywhere? I have two of these that I cut the door shelves so my 6 gal better bottles fit, with airlock. But I want to run a blowoff tube setup and there's really no room in there now. Was thinking of running the blowoff through the side wall but I have no idea what this thing is built like...superconductor construction is unknown to me. I would probably also try to get my temp probe and heat pad cord thru side holes if I could.....these sit in my garage and at this time of year, I need both heat and cooling....days in 80s and nights in 30s....temp at night had dropped to 60 in fridge once so that's when i went with heater pad. Now I hold them within 1 degree. I stacked the two fridges and have ranco controllers...one in each fridge, one set on cool and one set on heat. It works well for both.

the vissani 52 bottle wine chiller is what i have, $150 at home depot. it can get down to 45, i don't have a temp controller yet to see if i can get down to cold crashing temps but it can maintain fermenting temps no problem and can fit a 6.5 bottle/bucket with no mods at all. i'm hoping that cold crashing temps are doable (5 degrees isn't too much to ask of a temp controller right?)

MrManifesto said:

the vissani 52 bottle wine chiller is what i have, $150 at home depot. it can get down to 45, i don't have a temp controller yet to see if i can get down to cold crashing temps but it can maintain fermenting temps no problem and can fit a 6.5 bottle/bucket with no mods at all. i'm hoping that cold crashing temps are doable (5 degrees isn't too much to ask of a temp controller right?)

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More details on the wine chiller? Looking for model number or even a link. No modification at all for a 6.5?? Awesome!

I think I found it, clear door? That's nice looking. Are you using a 3 piece airlock on your 6.5 Carboy? Do you know if it fits the 6 g BB? Nice find, thanks.

RogueGoose85 said:

I think I found it, clear door? That's nice looking. Are you using a 3 piece airlock on your 6.5 Carboy? Do you know if it fits the 6 g BB? Nice find, thanks.

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yeah, clear door, i use the three piece airlock and it fits no sweat, no mods. it's pretty solid. like i said, i'm hoping that i can get it to cold crash but for a single vessel fermentation chamber, it's solid. i actually had to take my saison out because it was too cold! it's settings go from 1-7 (7 coldest) and at 4.5 my brew was at 58. it'll do the job.

oh i dunno about better bottles but it works on my glass carboy and that's like 6.5 or 7, WITH the airlock with space to spare.

im reading a lot of reviews that say it makes a loud popping noise after 4-5 months of use, did you experience this? Im in the market, and it seems its between this model with no modifications, or the avanti and cutting the door shelves off...same price

I might have heard it once, but it still works fine, so I'm not sweating it yet.

Home dDepot has a vissan wine fridge on sale for $148 just got one today and it perfectly holds my 6gallon carboy. I think I could probably do two 3G better bottles if I did a split batch.

I would like a fermentation fridge for one 6 gallon better bottle or two 3 gallon better bottles. Is anyone familiar with this fridge and is it big enough?

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i love how the vissani has a clear door. Going to buy it tonight. Thanks for the heads up on that one, The no mod is a huge selling point

Like I said I have the vissani. The door is tinted would this keep the beer from skunking from sun light or do I need to cover the door?

i wouldn't sweat it, unless it's in the blazing sun (which it shouldn't be anyway) i don't think it's a big deal. it's kinda nice, i like being able to look into my closet and see my carboy bubbling away hehe

Bumping an old thread... to those who bought the avanti model in this thread...

1) Have you used it as a kegerator? I did, and am having trouble hitting 38.
2) have you drilled in the sides of the fridge for any reason?

Cheers

Can someone help me with this? I'm looking for the smallest chest freezer that can hold two car boys for fermentation. Its just way to hot here in Cali and there's no way I can take up a bath tub or leave the AC on for two weeks straight. Please help oh and of coarse on the cheap.!!!!!!

Would you go for the 2.8 nucool or Vissan 50 bottle fridge if given the choice?

Does the Vissan have a digital thermostat? Would like actually just to keep a 5 gallon carboy (not 6.5) under control but if it fits a 6.5, that is nice too. The clear door is kind of a drawback. Any other options? Thanks

pjcampbell said:

Would you go for the 2.8 nucool or Vissan 50 bottle fridge if given the choice?

Does the Vissan have a digital thermostat? Would like actually just to keep a 5 gallon carboy (not 6.5) under control but if it fits a 6.5, that is nice too. The clear door is kind of a drawback. Any other options? Thanks

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I like the Nucool, but good luck finding it these days.

Vissani seems fine, though it is a compressor-based unit. If you don't want the clear door, why not just use a normal dorm fridge?

i think the issue was whether or not it'd fit a carboy with airlock without too much work or modifictions. 5 gallon is OK for me.

Would a chest freezer be better?

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thanks

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