can I keep my freezer and convert my refrigerator?

[fixxxer0]

I've been looking into two state controllers for possibly converting my existing refrigerator to a fermentation chamber but I'm not sure if what I'm planning will work...

I have a split fridge with the top freezer and bottom fridge and there's the duct port between the two.there are manual dials for temperature control on the freezer and fridge portion.

Would I be able to use an on/off type of controller with the refrigerator plugged into that to control the refrigerator temperature and still keep a functioning frozen upper fridge section?

Alternatively would I be able to somehow cut into the wiring on the back of the compressor and keep freezer function that way?

It seems like most everything I see on the conversion posts I've read has the divider cut out.

 

[kh54s10]

I don't think so. The systems are not separate. So when the controller turns off the fridge to let the temperature rise the freezer would be off also.

 

[Dan]

Take this with a grain of, no maybe half; let's make that a quarter grain of salt. In the top freezer, bottom refrigerators I've had, the freezer is always at freezing. The bottom of the fridge is fridge temp. I think, well let’s make this worth a 1/8 grain of salt. A fan kicked on that pushed the freezing cold air from the top to regulate the bottom of the fridge.

If that is true, I wonder if you could put the temp probe in the bottom of the fridge and rewire the fan to the temp controller to turn on and push the cold air down until the bottom temp probe is happy. Fermenting temp. Then the fan would turn off.

I really am not sure but it sort of makes sense. … I think?

 

[DSorenson]

It might be possible, honestly that is going to be a lot of work... I cannot even fathom what it would take to separate the two systems...

 

[fixxxer0]

The more I think about it the less feasible it seems.

Since it does have a fan... I think the differential of say a now 70 degree fridge and 5 degree freezer might be too much and cause constant running.

I think I might just plug the whole fridge in and only use the bottom fridge half. This way when I'm not fermenting I'll still have a perfectly functioning unmodified refrigerator


Do you think that would work?

 

[501irishred]

The short answer is yes you absolutely can convert the refrigerator section to fermentation chamber and keep the freezer in tact. You will need an external controller to run a fan (existing or added), not the compressor. I can post a picture and explain a little more when I get home tonight.


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[fixxxer0]

The short answer is yes you absolutely can convert the refrigerator section to fermentation chamber and keep the freezer in tact. You will need an external controller to run a fan (existing or added), not the compressor. I can post a picture and explain a little more when I get home tonight.


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

Uh oh getting excited now haha...

Patiently waiting for more details. Have you done this personally?

 

[501irishred]

Yes and no. I converted a True GDM-52 (single compartment refrigerator). In my case, I had to segment it into two compartments then add a fan between them. Yours will be the same concept, but part of it is already done for you.


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[501irishred]

Ok, now that I've got a real keyboard I'll try this again. The majority of freezer/fridge combo's work the same way. The freezer thermostat calls (operates) the compressor, and the the fridge "thermostat" opens or closes a damper that air flow in from the freezer section/+ side of the evaporator coil. The evaporator fan (located behind the back panel of the freezer) is situated to blow the majority of the air across the coil and into the freezer, but also pushes air into the secondary duct into the fridge.
The simplest way to achieve your end goal would be to locate the secondary duct that runs from the freezer to the fridge, install a fan in that same path, and finally fabricate a weighted damper that stays shut with the amount of force from evap fan but opens with the force of your fan.
Here's mine, but as I said, I had to devise and improvise a little more for my situation.

As you can see, I divide the space. The upper section is cooled directly by the refrigeration unit.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=184381&stc=1&d=1394250669


The bottom area is fermentation, and is simply controlled by a small fan that brings air in from the upper chamber.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=184389&stc=1&d=1394251178

I've created an air duct (the silver box upper left) with a weighted damper (the triangle piece on the right side of box is simply small pieces of sheet metal taped to the lid. Just added weight till evap fans didn't kick it open). The blue fan is simply a circulation fan and runs 24/7.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=184393&stc=1&d=1394251696

I also added a heater. (created from a heater from an old outdoor ATM)
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=184395&stc=1&d=1394251867

I've added controls for both top and bottom section, but I could have just used the onboard control for the top section (your freezer).
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=184400&stc=1&d=1394252311