Question about mini fridge

[clavalla]

So I acquired a mini fridge to use as a fermentation chamber, I removed the plastic panel in the door and it now will fit both size fermentation/bottling pails I have or my glass carboy. I screwed the weather stripping back onto the door but its has some tiny gaps so I will go to a home improvement store and pick up some half inch closed cell foam board for the door and spray insulation to close all the cracks to seal it up tight. The next step is a brew pi or stc-1000 to control this thing, just haven't decided.

I noticed though that on the temperature setting there is a push button just below the temp setting knob.(or where one used to be as you can see in the photo). I realize now it lined up with an extrusion on the plastic from the door that pushed the button in while the door was closed. What is the purpose of this button? My initial though is of an override so it doesn't run endlessly if the door is open?? Thanks for any input.

 

[deepcdan99]

Was or is there a light inside? Mine has the same thing that runs the light. But if not, I would believe you to be correct in that assumption. Makes sense anyway.

 

[clavalla]

No, light or place for a light..the compressor keeps running though after I open the door so I'm not sure how it would work...deciding if I should just tape it closed for good measure.

 

[kenny_d]

What size fridge is that? I'm browsing craigslist in my area and trying to find a nice small fridge for single vessel fermentation control.

 

[deepcdan99]

Most are ~4.4 cu feet. The ones I have looked at and the one I own. Fits two Cornys and the 5lb CO2 tank if u want it in there.

 

[RFBrewer]

What brand of mini fridge is ideal? I have a mini fridge but the ledge in the back takes up most of the space.

 

[deepcdan99]

Think mine is a Danby. It by no means is roomy, but it tightly fits the cornys and the CO2. I paid 100 bucks on sale at Home Depot. Good pics in link below.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002TKJTNI/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[clavalla]

I'm not too sure, I'm assuming 4.4 Cu. Ft. Its an old Absocold I got for free. After removing that plastic part from the door and rescrewing the weatherstripping back on it will fit all of my fermentation bucket sizes and carboy in there. One of the buckets is a taller thinner one from Northern Brewer and that fits in there no problem, then I have a fatter one from BSG that is tight but I can shut the door on it.

 

[kenny_d]

I picked up a Sanyo thats about 4.4 and it looks exactly lime yours. I removed the door panel and screwed the weather stripping back on as well. I have a midwest supplie bucket sitting in it and it is very spacious!

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[kenny_d]

One quick question - are you going to use the fridge with the foam exposed on the door? Mine seems to have some type of protective coating on it already so I'm going to assume its ok.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[clavalla]

Yes, the fridge ended up maintaining its temperatures very well as is and the foam is very hard, so I have decided I don't need to cover it up. At this point and because of the condition of the fridge I don't care that much about aesthetics.

Even at it's lowest setting I could not get the fridge to go above 44 degrees, so I built a STC-1000 3 days ago for it and got a mini ceramic heater ( it's like 4x3x6 and it sits on the back ledge perfectly) to put in it, I haven't had much time to observe how well it is going to work inside yet though. I also got a stainless steel thermowell to out the STC temp probe in, I'll drill a hole in to my bucket lid and fit a grommet to it that will be a snug fit. I still have to tie up and secure all the wires coming in and that, I'm hoping to brew another batch next weekend if the weather is nice and try out the chamber for the first time.

 

[kenny_d]

What thermowell did you order? Does the temp probe fit nicely? Ill be ordering a stc1000 by the end of the month.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[clavalla]

I got this one from brewers hardware https://www.brewershardware.com/12-Stainless-Steel-Thermowell-TWS12.html the probe fits in there perfectly and it's accurate just sitting in there.
Other people have had accurate results just attaching to the side with insulation over it so it's not reading ambient temperature, I just decided to go with thermowell

Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[kenny_d]

Thanks for all the info! Post pictures of your final setup once you get to that point and I'll do the same.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[clavalla]

after coming home today and the inside of the chamber had got up to 80 I've decided I need to go with a heat source that warms slower to combat overshooting temps.
I think I'll get some heat tape or something. I also need to decide where I want to drill in the side to run wires in for neatness, so they aren't coming in the front.

Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[kenny_d]

Im going with a light bulb heater myself. I was thinking about going in from the back since everything is fairly exposed on mine and it would look best.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[kenny_d]

Did you ever find a good heat source? My STC1000 will be here tuesday!

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[clavalla]

I am trying the light bulb right now, just put a pale ale in an hour or so ago. I'll see how well it holds and works. I need to develop a cover or something for it so the light doesn't damage the beer, I put the light cover up against the back of the fridge yesterday testing it so not much light escAped and came back 30 min later to a funny smell and the plastic melted off the back wall in a spot lol. I think I will look at a heating pad for cheap taped to the wall or the heating wire for reptile terrariums.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[kenny_d]

Unfortunately my STC1000 has been delayed a few days becuase of the snow we just got in the DC area hows the light buld working for you without the cover? They do make ceramic aquarium heaters that utilize a light bulb socket. Thats what I was going to look in to if the light bulb doesn't work the way I want. I removed some computer fans from some old electronics that im going to use to circulate air within the fridge as well.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[clavalla]

For right now it seems to be working. I minimized heating and cooling cycling to much at the beginning by pitching to within 3 degrees of where I was going to ferment at. I just sat the light and it's little metal cover thing inside the ice tray thing on top so if the light comes on it's not a direct light on the beer. I'm not sure if that makes a difference or not. I got one of the cheap shop lights at lowes, it's just a cord with light fixture at the end and a clamp thing to attach it to thing, I just took that off.

I have yet to see heat even cycle on so far, the cooling just kicks in every now and then to keep it at 17.2 centigrade.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[clavalla]

I'm happy with it so far, thermowell for the probe works great. Just need to tweak the gromet with some sealant. When I push on the lid I can hear some air escaping around it, I hadn't seen air coming out of the air lock so I was worried for a while until I inspected and found the air leaking. Haha, you can see where the plastic melted in the back from where I first out the light bulb.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[kenny_d]

Glad to hear its working well for you! I can't wait to get my STC in and start testing it out. My fridge is sitting out in the garage so the heater will definitley have a role on cooler days. Nice burn btw!

 

[kenny_d]

 

[kenny_d]

Finally got my controller in the mail and got a few minutes to set it up! It seems to be about 1.1c high so I went ahead and adjusted that. My entire setup cost me 55$! As you can see I went with the bare minimum for the controller. I will definitely buy a low watt reptile heater to use as my heating element because I don't see that bulb and container working well for long.

 

[kenny_d]

Got an oatmeal cream stout bubbling away!

 

[clavalla]

Nice, I just ordered a sweet stout from norther brewer, where did you get the oatmeal kit at, I love oatmeal/sweet stouts!


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[kenny_d]

I modeled my recipe after the Tallgrass Buffalo Sweat Stout on NB but replaced 2# of the 2-row with wheat (mixup at the lhbs) but thought it sounded good so I'm rolling with it. I just moved from Kansas and absolutely loved Tallgrass and their beer.

 

[OkashiiBrew]

I don't use a heater. I just keep the rig in a room that is warmer than my usual fermenting temp. If the whole thing is way too cold starting out, I leave the door open for an hour or two to get it within 2 to 3 degrees of my lowest temp for the yeast I am using. After the yeast wakes up the cooling cycle keeps it in check.

 

[kenny_d]

I keep mine in my garage where the temperature isn't controlled. That's why I need the heating element to warm it up if the temperature drops too much. When summer gets here I may not need it but I'm keeping it in there just in case.