So I just finished brewing my first AG batch yesterday, and had a few issues. I managed to "fix" it and get things back on track but I'm finding it very challenging to keep the temperature consistent during fermentation. I woke up this morning and the fermometer read 76, almost 77-78F. I immediately picked up the 6gal carboy (filled to 5 gal) and carefully carried it downstairs into the garage where I placed it on a thick towel on my work bench, wrapped it in thick bubble wrap and covered with a tshirt. It's around 69-70 now, although I hope it doesn't drop much more.
Needless to say, I want a fermentation chamber before I perform my next brew. Given cost and space constraint, I think I'm fine with a simple mini fridge/wine fridge that can at least hold a 6 gal carboy with cap/airlock/blowoff and a blowoff bucket.
I've read some stuff about making sure to get a compressor and not a thermoelectric wine cooler since the thermoelectric ones have a hard time cooling in higher ambient temps. I'd like something that mimics an actual fridge, albeit on a smaller scale. I found a Holiday FRW656 115 V 160 Hz locking fridge on craigslist for $150, and wondering if this will do the trick.
I found the manual online http://www.curtisint.com/html/custservice/manuals/HOL_FRW656_ENSP.PDF
And it lists a compressor so it should be what I'm looking for.
As for heating, I was thinking of rigging up a ceramic reptile bulb/lamp based on other suggestions in this forum and hooking the whole thing up to a dual stage Ranco temp controller.
What do you guys think? Does this seem like a good setup? Should I go with an actual mini fridge instead of wine fridge (like a Haier or Sanyo?)
Note: I'm not looking to put much construction effort into building an enclosure. For one I don't have the tools, and 2...I prefer buying something that's made professionally and not be me and can be tweaked/modified.
Thanks guys, love this forum and the feedback I've been getting since I joined.
Cheers,
Julian
Needless to say, I want a fermentation chamber before I perform my next brew. Given cost and space constraint, I think I'm fine with a simple mini fridge/wine fridge that can at least hold a 6 gal carboy with cap/airlock/blowoff and a blowoff bucket.
I've read some stuff about making sure to get a compressor and not a thermoelectric wine cooler since the thermoelectric ones have a hard time cooling in higher ambient temps. I'd like something that mimics an actual fridge, albeit on a smaller scale. I found a Holiday FRW656 115 V 160 Hz locking fridge on craigslist for $150, and wondering if this will do the trick.
I found the manual online http://www.curtisint.com/html/custservice/manuals/HOL_FRW656_ENSP.PDF
And it lists a compressor so it should be what I'm looking for.
As for heating, I was thinking of rigging up a ceramic reptile bulb/lamp based on other suggestions in this forum and hooking the whole thing up to a dual stage Ranco temp controller.
What do you guys think? Does this seem like a good setup? Should I go with an actual mini fridge instead of wine fridge (like a Haier or Sanyo?)
Note: I'm not looking to put much construction effort into building an enclosure. For one I don't have the tools, and 2...I prefer buying something that's made professionally and not be me and can be tweaked/modified.
Thanks guys, love this forum and the feedback I've been getting since I joined.
Cheers,
Julian