Chillzer

[WortMonger]

Ok, short pre-story... chest freezer/fermentation chamber compressor died and my garage door also broke. I couldn't get it out the house door, so I decided to buy a 120vac window air conditioning unit and use that to cool the old freezer. Just got to test it out last night and today, and I must say I'm pretty happy so far. I can't wait to try it out on a keg fermenter though.

This last pic was right before I started writing this.

 

[Broken Crow]

Beautiful Creative Recycling! Let us know how it performs.

 

[WortMonger]

Oh I will, I can't wait to see it crash cool!

 

[NoCornOrRice]

I may do this. As I have all the components, including a dead keezer.

 

[Deadalus]

It's like a mini Coolbot.

 

[day_trippr]

I strongly recommend coupling the Inkbird temperature sensor to the fermentor with at least a one inch thick foam insulator on top. The bigger and better isolated thermal mass coupling the less that AC unit will short cycle...

Cheers!

 

[WortMonger]

I completely left out a very important part!!! Thank you for your comment day_trippr, I wouldn't have posted again until I was fermenting and using the thing.

This project has two temperature controllers. The Inkbird you saw already is to replace the ac thermostat. I have purchased another one to go in a fermenter to plug "this one" into. It will be on a way lower temperature setting.

I should also take the time to point out how I wired the ac. I bypassed the temperature control on the ac allowing the Inkbird to control the fan and compressor directly after watching this video on YouTube I watched other videos of people building cold storage rooms and walk in fridge or freezers, and they recommended two temperature controllers. So, I merged the ideas to have more control and allow for the over-cooling that happens in a smaller space. I lowered the cooling power and fan speed which also helps, and I plan on seeing the compressor cycles to every 10 minutes. Hopefully to help with the cycling that definitely happens in less than a minute. You turn this on it out goes where you want it fast, then quickly ramps back up. More after the other Inkbird arrives!!!

 

[WortMonger]

Newest addition: a pass-through Shank with duotight push-to-connect fittings, so I can keep my Chillzer as dry/clean as possible. I'm planning on adding a spunded "keg to be purged" outside the Chillzer. Eventually, I will add a second pass-through and hook up the liquid side as well. Then, come transfer time, everything is at the right pressure prior to counter pressure filling.

 

[passedpawn]

Ok that's pretty nifty there, great ingenuity. Slightly le Ghetto, but I like it a lot

Now I want to see how you fix your garage door!

 

[WortMonger]

House foundation has to be fixed first, and that's some mullah!

 

[passedpawn]

House foundation has to be fixed first, and that's some mullah!

Oh cmon, you can do that with some duck tape, a sawzall, and some block n tackle

 

[WortMonger]

I strongly recommend coupling the Inkbird temperature sensor to the fermentor with at least a one inch thick foam insulator on top. The bigger and better isolated thermal mass coupling the less that AC unit will short cycle...

Cheers!

This is what my final temperature control monitoring point is going to be. That long thermowell should work nicely to your point day_trippr. 12.75 gallons in a 15.5 gallon keg, and it hits all the way down to the 5 gallon mark. Woohoo! I'm pumped.

 

[WortMonger]

I'm going with a floating dip tube this time and see if that is any better with my pressurized fermentation set up.

 

[Climb]

I think you will be happier and have more success with the closed transfer if your purged serving kegs are at the same temperature as your fermentor. So if you have room, have your purged serving kegs inside the fermentation chamber and connect the output of the purged serving keg to the inside port of the pass-through shank. I'd connect the spunding valve to the outside port of the pass-through shank so that you can adjust the fermentation pressure without opening the fermentation chamber.

 

[WortMonger]

I think you will be happier and have more success with the closed transfer if your purged serving kegs are at the same temperature as your fermentor. So if you have room, have your purged serving kegs inside the fermentation chamber and connect the output of the purged serving keg to the inside port of the pass-through shank. I'd connect the spunding valve to the outside port of the pass-through shank so that you can adjust the fermentation pressure without opening the fermentation chamber.

No room for 2- 15.5 gallon Sankes in a 7.5 cuft freezer. I've been doing pressure ferments for quite a while and was a little ahead of my time writing an article on here way back when, Closed-system pressurized fermentation. You might have read it. I'm not worried about the psi difference since the receiving keg always has pressure lessened to allow the beer to flow. I'm just doing this to save a little gas. As for psi/temp difference while pressurized fermenting, I'm not sure and may move the spunding valve before my outside purging keg. Easy issues to work around if they give me troubles.

 

[WortMonger]

Wondering how cold I should set the Inkbird that has its sensor on the AC unit grill. This Inkbird is plugged into the Inkbird that's sensor is inside the fermenter. I have that one set to 55F for my test. I am trying 15F on the AC Inkbird, but if anyone knows how cold you can run an AC without it freezing up, I'd appreciate since knowledge.

 

[WortMonger]

It figured itself out at 25F. 22F is doable, but it takes forever, so I kept bumping up until it was at an easier temperature to reach without running for 10 minutes.

The compressor comes on every eight minutes, and only if the AC sensor reads above 32F. I set it to 61F, so I could witness the AC Inkbird get powered off by the fermenter sensor Inkbird. Now it's set to 55F, so I can watch it. I love it! I'm going to bed now and having dreams about it, but probably won't remember them in so tired. According to the Inkbird chart it took 2 hours to drop 15 gallons 8.4F (69.8F-61.4F)

Inkbird log sheet for people who like pictures like me.