Will chest freezer...

[DougMedic]

Doing my first brew and realize now how much air temperature fluctuates during the day. I have a chest freezer I can use as a temp controlled fermenter, my question is after the summer when I no longer need to use it, will the unit be capable of freezing again? I know I'll need to defrost the unit, and order a thermostat for it. My fiancé would prefer I don't ruin a perfectly good unit so I wanted to make sure. I'm sure it would be fine but obviously aren't too sure

Thanks and hopefully I can contribute to the threads

 

[j1n]

Yeah, why wouldn't it?

Pretty sure a temp controller just turns on/off the cooling and heating unit (if you add one) to the fermentation chamber (freezer).

 

[DougMedic]

Seems every time I've stored a fridge there has always been a leak when I go to use it again. Wondering if it was more susceptible to something like this if not kept down at the temps designed for. Just wanted to know if anyone's run into problems being as this is gonna be multi purpose throughout the year


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[Dryhops]

I would suspect that the freezer life would actually be improved. It runs warmer so it doesn't need to cycle as frequently. Fewer cycles means the compressor life would be a bit longer.

 

[DougMedic]

Thanks. I'm going to do it regardless. Wanted to clarify what I was getting into. Appreciate the info


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[BigFloyd]

Make an STC-1000 controller box and simply plug the freezer into that. No modifications needed. You wire it into a standard 2-plug outlet that you mount in some kind of project box (either homemade or bought at Radio Shack). One (cool) outlet is for the freezer/fridge. If your fermenter chamber is placed where it’s cold (like a garage in winter), you plug some kind of small heater into the warm outlet and then put that heater inside the freezer. Otherwise, just use the cold outlet.

Set the target temp (in Celsius) on the STC-1000. Set the tolerance (default is +/-0.5*C). When the temp (as read by the sensor) climbs 0.5*C above the target, it powers up the cool outlet and keeps it energized until the temp drops to the target and then turns it off. Likewise with the warm outlet if it gets 0.5*C too cool. You tape the sensor on the side of the fermenter and place some kind of insulation like bubble wrap over top of it so that it reads the bucket temp and not the air.


http://www.amazon.com/All-purpose-Temperature-Controller-STC-1000-sensor/dp/B00862G3TQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382149071&sr=8-1&keywords=stc-1000


https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f170/stc-1000-setup-beginners-433985/#post5538096

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/ebay-fish-tank-controller-build-using-wal-mart-parts-261506/


https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/ebay-aquarium-temp-controller-build-163849/



http://brewstands.com/fermentation-heater.html

 

[MaxStout]

A ferm chamber is one of those "how did I get along without it all that time" things. No more worrying about the room temp, no more changing ice in a swamp cooler. Just set the fermenter inside, attach the temp probe, set the temp, tolerance amount, compressor delay and let it run.

 

[signpost]

Some people don't like the STC-1000, because they don't like dealing with temps in celsius. If you would prefer to use a temp controller with fahrenheit, here's one that looks to be exactly the same machine as the one linked above (except fahrenheit instead of celsius).

edit: I forgot the link. Here it is:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F05UI8O/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[k1ngl1ves]

Some people don't like the STC-1000, because they don't like dealing with temps in celsius. If you would prefer to use a temp controller with fahrenheit, here's one that looks to be exactly the same machine as the one linked above (except fahrenheit instead of celsius).

edit: I forgot the link. Here it is:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F05UI8O/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

That one is only hot, or cold. Not both.

I laminated a Celsius/Fahrenheit chart and Velcro'd it to my freezer. Found it on the internet(Google). Lots of good stuff on there...

 

[MindenMan]

I use a 5 cu ft chest freezer for my fermenting box. I built a STC-1000 controller to controller to supply both heating and cooling as needed. For heat, I use an electric heating pad under my fermenter. I also have a 200 watt Lasko heater, but I can't trust it anymore to come on when needed. Heating pads are very gentle heat, and do not tend to overshoot the wort temperature as often as the Lasko once did.

 

[balrog]

I use a 5 cu ft chest freezer for my fermenting box. I built a STC-1000 controller to controller to supply both heating and cooling as needed. For heat, I use an electric heating pad under my fermenter. I also have a 200 watt Lasko heater, but I can't trust it anymore to come on when needed. Heating pads are very gentle heat, and do not tend to overshoot the wort temperature as often as the Lasko once did.

I'm wrestling this very decision now--heating pad or terrarium warmer vs Lasko. How much overshoot or ping-ponging did you get when you used the Lasko inside?

 

[MaxStout]

I use a FermWrap (about $30), and stick it to the side of my glass carboy with electrical tape. The heat is very gentle and I only get about 0.2 degrees C (0.36F) overshoot after the controller shuts it off. I'm measuring temps inside, with the STC-1000 probe inside a thermowell.

 

[MindenMan]

I use a 5 cu ft chest freezer for my fermenting box. I built a STC-1000 controller to controller to supply both heating and cooling as needed. For heat, I use an electric heating pad under my fermenter. I also have a 200 watt Lasko heater, but I can't trust it anymore to come on when needed. Heating pads are very gentle heat, and do not tend to overshoot the wort temperature as often as the Lasko once did.

 

[BigFloyd]

I'm cheap. I use a 40W bulb mounted inside a paint can for gentle heat.

 

[DougMedic]

Wow thanks for the responses. Since it's coming I to the summer I only need to worry about cooling it down as the temp won't drop that much at night. So I'll be ordering a thermostat come pay day and prob just use the bubble wrap around the probe on the side of the bucket. Seems the least intrusive since freezer will be dual purpose. Thanks again!


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[signpost]

That one is only hot, or cold. Not both.

I laminated a Celsius/Fahrenheit chart and Velcro'd it to my freezer. Found it on the internet(Google). Lots of good stuff on there...

Ah, thanks. I hadn't noticed that detail.

The Celsius/Fahrenheit thing isn't that big of a deal to me. But I figured if there was one that used the measurement I'm used to, I'd go for it.