STC 1000 settings and suggestions for mold prevention.

Hey guys,

In the next couple days, I’m expecting to take delivery of a new 7.0cf chest freezer that I plan on using primarily for a fermentation chamber. I have a STC 1000 built and ready to go. I have a few questions before I get started.

I plan to use this freezer in an unheated, but insulated garage. Temperatures in my area is currently averaging 40-60 or so and getting better each week.

1. Which is the best way to prevent mold growth and to keep the funky smells out? It seems to me that the perfect ferm temps would also be the most ideal condition for mold and mildew growth also? Would a box of baking soda work?

2. My first batch to be able to use this freezer on will be a Kolsch using WLP029. From reading their site, it looks like 68 degrees would be a good target temp, so that said, what would you guys set the F1, F2, and F3 settings to?


Thanks,

 

I have a 9 cf chest freezer in my unheated garage with the following settings:

F1 - about 1/3 of the yeast's range above the low end. Your 68 deg. F is 20 deg. C.
F2 - .5
F3 - 10

The probe is on the outside of my bucket and insulated from the air with a piece of foam.

I keep a fan stirring the air at all time and have a container of baking soda and a container of calcium chloride to absorb water.

I use a 60 watt heater on the STC-1000 as well. My garage gets down to 35 deg. in the winter, and the heater is quite sufficient to keep the chamber temperature where I need it.

The settings for F2 & F3 keep the freezer from cycling on if the temperature overshoots slightly. It's a balancing act of heater overshoot causing the freezer starting, dropping the temperature enough to overshoot and start the heater. The longest freezer delay of F3=10 breaks that cycle.

 

I use an Eva-Dry E-500 http://www.amazon.com/Eva-dry-E-500-Renewable-Wireless-Dehumidifer/dp/B000H0XFD2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393860217 with a computer case fan velcroed to the back. When the color starts turning pink, I take it out, plug it in and recharge it. Everything stays dry...

 

What a great idea!

Cheers!

 

These work great.

 

+1 I also do this. I have done a few batches with it and just had to plug it in for the first time. Wroks great.