Fermentation Chamber Setup

[barnesyfc]

There are plenty of plans for fermentation chambers; ranging from separate refrigerators with special thermoregulators to the pink Styrofoam chillers with ice bottle chambers. I was wondering if anyone has used the Styrofoam boxes …but used a refrigerator or keezer as the source for supplying cold air. As with every homebrewer, money, space and money are an issue. I do think that I could possibly convince my better half to allow me to add a collar to the family freezer, or drill a hole in the side of the basement fridge, and add some sort of duct with a fan to blow air into my Styrofoam box. This would eliminate preparing and changing ice bottles, and it would only be temporary. I was wondering if this will work, and more importantly if anyone has experience using this system? I hope I have presented my idea correctly.
Thanks in advance.

 

[McKBrew]

Yes. I think this is what you are looking for.

 

[barnesyfc]

Unfortunately I am unable to post a diagram, but I don’t think that I explained my idea correctly.

My idea was to have a keezer connected to an insulated Styrofoam box, (although I was thinking that it could also be a rectangular cooler, large enough to hold a carboy). It would be connected with two insulated PVC lines, representing air into the box and air back out to the keezer. I was wondering if instead of drilling through the side a freezer or fridge you made two holes in the wood collar around the freezer. Attached a fan and thermometer, and that would regulate the temperature inside the box, without the need for changing ice bottles.
The advantage is that this setup is temporary (easily remove the connectors and plug holes…and the collar allows for more storage space for the family food supply…at least that will be my selling point to my wife.
Anyhow, I have questions about insulating the lines from the keezer to the “box”.
Would PVC with foam work? What size pipe? Strain on the freezer? and a few simple wiring questions.
But I was hoping that someone else had a similar setup.
I hope this clarifies my question.

 

[wehumble]

I built a system like that with flexible insulated duct from Home Depot. I think it's 4" diameter. I cut two holes in the side of my kegerator and ran the duct from there to my foam box with a computer fan to circulate the air. It works like a charm; I just fermented a hefeweizen at 62 deg and it held perfect the whole time.

I'm on my way to work right now, but I'll try to post a couple of pics when I get home.

 

[Foosinho]

Take a look here. This seems to be what you are describing.

 

[airmek]

I was wondering if instead of drilling through the side a freezer or fridge you made two holes in the wood collar around the freezer.

Definitly DO NOT drill thru the side of your freezer. Cutting a hole that size you will most likely cut thru refrigerant lines, thus destroying the freezer.

Make a collar then route your pvc pipe thru that.

 

[brauhausjoe]

This is weird, I just ordered the part to do this very thing.:rockin:

And I thought I had an original idea.... It might be a while before I am done, but I'll keep the thread posted.

I was going to run all the pipes through the collar and have opposite blowing fans in the tubes as well as 2 fans in the chamber to circulate the air. the Keezer and the Chamber would have separate temperature controllers. I was also going to place a heating element in the chamber, but I am not sure how it would effect the keezer?

 

[barnesyfc]

Wehumble, I'd enjoy seeing photos.

What about tapping into the side of a fridge. Would that be easier?