DIY - Lager Fridge

Can anyone point me in the direction of an economical diy project for a lager fridge? Or am I better off just buying a freakin' refrigerator?

 

Depends on how much you want to lager at once. Some min fridges will fit a carboy. Then you make yourself a ebay temp control and your set.

 

I wouldn't mind being able to fit at least two 7.5 gallon Ale Pails, side-by-side, in the fermentation chamber. Since a bucket is about 12" diameter by 18" tall, I would look to build something in the 18" x 36" x 24" range. I'm not married to those dimensions, but it is just a starting point.

 

i am kind of doing the same thing. I'm picking up a chest freezer off of craigslist. I then purchased a temp controller and a CO2 manifold. Basically making a "keezer" without the faucets. I already have a kegerator, and who wants to go out to the garage to get the beer?

 

What would I search for on Ebay for the temp controller?
Do you have to rewire anything or does the fridge just plug into in?

 

Here is a whole LONG thread about it
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/ebay-aquarium-temp-controller-build-163849/

Just search ebay for aquarium temp controller and some should pop up. The fridge plugs into it so you dont need to rewire the thermostat.

 

also its going to be kind of hard to build onto a mini fridge and keep the whole thing at lager temps. They aren't made to cool that big of a space.. I could be wrong on that. If you want to do 2 at a time best bet might be a chest freezer.

 

I've looked into the fridges on Craigslist and they are a lot more than I want to spend to lager home brew.
I've seen people make fermentation chambers, and I could probably just make one without instructions, except I would at least need a parts list to point me in the right direction.

 

Yes you could easily make a fermentation chamber out of a mini fridge.. BUT you wont be able to lager in it if thats your goal. There are TONS of threads about making fermentation chambers

 

I see free fridges on CL at least once a month in my podunk town if not more often. heck thats how I scored my vintage Westinghouse TEAL Fridge.

-=Jason=-

 

ive got a small 5.X cubic foot Chest freezer that i added a 12" collar to. It fits 2 x 6.5 gal carboys no problem. and will get down to the temp i need if im gunna lager.

picked it up for $45 on Craigslist.

see similar items/prices on CL a few times a month.


and +1 for the Ebay Temp controller

 

DO NOT use an "apartment refrigerator". Those 3/4 size refrigerators with the separate freezer compartment on top. I got a working one for free and thought I would convert it to a temp controlled chamber. The coolant lines are taped and glued between the exterior metal siding and the interior insulating foam. It's been a huge pain in the butt to take apart. I hope I can get it apart with the whole mechanism still working, but if I can't I'll take it to the recycle center It was worth the learning experience because it was free, but I wouldn't do it again!

 

Got a old fridge for $20 on CL
Added a $30 inkbird controller
Done