1.7 cf minifridge fermentation chamber

[JWS]

Posted this in the equipment section but didn't get much lookers and didn't get any response, so I'm asking here in a different way to see if anyone has experience with this.

I have a 1.7 cf mini fridge that I am looking to make into a fermentation chamber. Problem is I need it to get to lagering temps since my fridge in the garage is too warm to lager.

Has anyone used a 1.7cf for a chamber and had luck with keeping it at low temps?

 

[MalFet]

The size of the fridge doesn't really tell you much about its cooling capacity per se, though larger fridges tend to have larger compressors as well. How big is the compressor?

In any case, your limiting factor will be how well you can insulate your chamber and how hot your garage is. If your standard fridge can't keep up with the temps in your garage, it will be a tall order to make something out of insulation board that will.

 

[JWS]

That's actually one of the reasons why I am buildng the chamber is the fridge in the garage can't keep up. Buildng this will allow me to keep it inside in the basement in a storage closet. As long as I can hide it swmbo is fine with it in the house.

As for the compressor I don't know the actual size of it, the fridge is in a little cuby in the basement bedroom. I have taken a temp reading on it and am getting high 30s low 40s but the thermostat isn't up all the way.

 

[danderson42]

Where did you end up with this project? I need to do some summer brewing and thinking about the same thing, by just adding a 2" foam box to the fridge large enough for a bucket or carboy. If you went ahead with the 1.7 fridge how large a chamber did you build and what temps are you holding?

 

[JWS]

I built a chamber (minus fridge size) of about 24" across and just tall enough to get the bucket fermenter inside with the airlock on it (7 gallon bucket).

It works great. I use the aquarium temp controller in the DIY section that a lot of people have done. It holds perfectly for an fermentation temperature. I have actually began using it as a lagering chamber as well. I can get the temp down to about 34 degrees with the mini-fridge, but if you know anything about mini fridges, the freezer section begins to ice over if you have it cranked all the way up, which then affects the temperature reading.

Since I didn't disconnect the temperature sensor inside the fridge, once I set my temp regulator extremely low, then the fridge will overtake it with it's temperature controller. Since the happens the temp will fluctuate to about 40 once it starts icing over.

AFter all that the simple answer is yes this will work fine. I actually used 1.5" foam on it since all the 2x4's I used were actually 1.5" so everything matched up. If you are going to use this as a lager chamber as well, I would recommend splicing the wires for the fridge's thermometer and run them to your temp controller, that way it's internal gauge will not kick the fridge off after a certain while. But it you are only going to do Ale's it work perfectly.