Temp-controlled fridge... freezer still work?

so here's a question someone might know... the eventual plan for the home brewery is to have two fridges. one for the kegerator, running all regular-like to keep the kegs cold and grains and hops in the freezer.

... and a second fridge for a temp-controlled fermentation fridge... if i put a johnson controller on regular fridge (with a freezer on top) to control the temp inside the fridge, will the freezer still work (as in, keep things frozen)? or does the JC keep the freezer from getting to freezer temps?

 

The freezer probably won't work, especially at ale temps. I lost my first fermentation fridge when my wife filled the freezer with food and I couldn't use the controller any more.

 

i plan on telling my wife that the brew fridges are hands off... but, now knowing what it means to be married, i figure that'll last for about three minutes... or until her first trip to COSTCO, whichever comes first.

 

I have two 17cf fridges in my brewery with controllers. One holds finished kegs and is set up like a typical fridge running around 40°F, and as a result the freezer is dependable. The other ranges from controlling fermentations (mid 60s) to cold crashing (low 30s) and the freezer can not be trusted to hold anything important in a frozen state. Indeed, I never put anything in that freezer...

Cheers!