Brew Bucket owners - What Mini Fridge are you using ?

[UTflyer]

Interestingly enough, when I search the Sam's club website for "Tramontina Beverage Cooler", I get This Frigidaire, which looks exactly the same, has the same 4.4 Cu ft/126-can capacity, and the same 32-60F temperature range. I suspect it is the same model with a different label on the front.

If that is correct, it will definitely fit a brew bucket or a ball-lock keg.

Were you able to confirm if this Frigidare is the same as the Tramontina?

 

[microbusbrewery]

Were you able to confirm if this Frigidare is the same as the Tramontina?

I went to my local Sam's Club in West Jordan, UT about a week ago. They still had a couple of Tramontinas and they had the Frigidaire right next to it. Visually they looked exactly the same. Same dimensions, same door handle, same controls. It looked like the only thing different was the branding.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Since the Tramontinas are no longer available, I am looking at the Haier 150 or a Danby 120.
Can anyone confirm if the Danby 120 will fit a BrewBucket?

Will either of them fit a ball-lock corny keg?

The Danby I use fits a SS BrewBucket (of course must remove the shelves). However, check closely as the Danby beverage center will set itself to 52F if power is lost/restored. Not ideal at all.

 

[Lax coach]

Were you able to confirm if this Frigidare is the same as the Tramontina?

I don't need another one, so I haven't bothered to look. but the post right below mine seems to confirm that it is the case.

 

[UTflyer]

I went to my local Sam's Club in West Jordan, UT about a week ago. They still had a couple of Tramontinas and they had the Frigidaire right next to it. Visually they looked exactly the same. Same dimensions, same door handle, same controls. It looked like the only thing different was the branding.

Thanks! I'll have to make a trip to my local Sam's and see if they have them still.

 

[sicktght311]

Just have to be careful that you don't overrun the compressor. Presumably you've got your temperature probe measuring the wort and not the refrigerator, so when cold crashing, the compressor would run continuously regardless of how cold it is in the fridge. Since it is not a freezer, I'd be concerned about damage. To avoid this, I just set the fridge's thermostat to 32F (it holds it after a power cycle), and the ITC-308 to whatever temperature I want--let's say 35F.

This is less efficient, for sure, as the unit is not actively cooling the entire time the Inkbird's cooling cycle is on. So it will take longer to cold crash. Takes about 2.5 days to bring 5.5 gallons down from 65 to 35. But I'm not worried about wrecking the compressor.

When i cold crash, i take the ITC temp probe out of the fermenter's thermowell, and put it in a glass of water. That way the fridge drops to 35 degrees measured by the small glass of water, and then holds it there, and the fermenter's temp drops over the next 2 days. Works for me, and keeps the inside of the fridge from freezer trying to get a 65-70 degree 5 gallon mass of liquid to drop down to 35

 

[Joon75]

My two Haier Fridges. Work perfectly on Inkbird controllers. I have the compressors jumpered in the back so they are always on whenever the power is on (controlled by inkbird) and then i tuck a brew belt heater underneath plugged into the heating output of the inkbird. For the 7gal brewbucket i put the temp probe in the thermowell. For the 3.5 gal, i cover the temp probe in multiple paper towels folded up and then covered in tape attached to the side of the bucket

Looks good! I like the set up! Im in the process of purchasing one like yours. What do you mean you jumpered the compressor? Do I have to modify it? It won’t work with the inkbird on its own? Also an you lager with it?
Thanks!!

 

[sicktght311]

Looks good! I like the set up! Im in the process of purchasing one like yours. What do you mean you jumpered the compressor? Do I have to modify it? It won’t work with the inkbird on its own? Also an you lager with it?
Thanks!!

Most wine fridges have their own internal temperature control system, so you have to bypass that controller so the unit's compressor runs 24/7 when its plugged in. That way the inkbird ITC308 turns the fridge on and off as needed based on the reading of the temp probe. Wine fridges do have their own temperature controls, but for the most part they're not very accurate, and they're based on ambient temp so its not controlling the actual wort temp. I run the ITC308 into the thermowell of my fermenter so i'm accurately controlling the fermentation temperature.

Cold crashing and lagering are doable too since you are controlling the temp precisely. When i cold crash, i take the probe out of the thermowell, and put it in a small jar of water, then turn the temp control down to around 34-35. The fridge's ambient temp then stays around 34-35 and the wort temp inside the fermenter drops slowly over the course of a few days. If you left it in the thermowell of the fermenter, the beer would take much longer than the fridge to cool down, causing the fridge to run nonstop and ice up.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/haier-wine-fridge-fermentation-chamber.252316/
FOr reference, this is the page i used to modify the fridge

 

[Joon75]

Thanks for the info!! Unfortunately the deal for the Haier fell thru.

 

[3toes]

Sorry if this has been covered, but has anyone looked into a fridge for the 14 gal BrewBucket BME?

 

[RoguePixels]

Were you able to confirm if this Frigidare is the same as the Tramontina?

I now own both and can confirm they are the exact same fridge inside and out.

20200112_141416

• RoguePixels
• Jan 12, 2020

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• RoguePixels
• Jan 12, 2020

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

These are very nice. What happens if the main power goes out and then returns? What is the temp of the fridge?

 

[RoguePixels]

These are very nice. What happens if the main power goes out and then returns? What is the temp of the fridge?

Should kick back on but I'm not concerned with power. I've got both fridges run through a gfci outlet on it's own 30amp breaker. Each fridge has it's own seed mat inside the fridge for heat control, run through the back of the fridge and into inkbird controllers. The last beer I cold crashed, I brought down to 35F and held it there for a week before kegging. Really happy with how it turned out.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

How was the inkbird tied into the fridge? I ask as the Danby Beverage Centers I have reset themselves to 52F if the power is lost. I'd really like to remedy this problem.

 

[ba-brewer]

The version of Tramontina bev fridge I have will turn on to the last setting used. I believe there might of been some earlier version that did not.

 

[Tobor_8thMan]

Very nice. Where purchased?

 

[RoguePixels]

Very nice. Where purchased?

Sam's club.

 

[Daren Szak]

Sorry if this has been covered, but has anyone looked into a fridge for the 14 gal BrewBucket BME?

I use these older True beverage fridges. Perfect for 14 gal Brewbucket. I got these for a cheap price so they work well.

 

[RoguePixels]

I now own both and can confirm they are the exact same fridge inside and out.

20200112_141416

• RoguePixels
• Jan 12, 2020

20200112_141400

• RoguePixels
• Jan 12, 2020

UPDATE: While playing with settings I realize now the two machines are not identical. Physically they are but the Frigidare's internal temp only goes down to 40F. When the power kicks off and back on it will hold the previous setting at 40 which is nice but if you plan to lager or cold crash lower than that, you might look at other options. For me it's not a big deal but I thought I'd mention it.

 

[garzlok]

UPDATE: Physically they are but the Frigidare's internal temp only goes down to 40F. When the power kicks off and back on it will hold the previous setting at 40. For me it's not a big deal but I thought I'd mention it.

I know I was planning to get the Frigidaire version (already have the Tramontina). If one follows the @microbusbrewery mod and bypass the internal thermostat, you should be able to get to 36-38F fairly easily. (I don't think the insulation is good enough to hold and maintain below 36F unless room temperature is cold enough to allow)

 

[Dlawrence529]

SilentMercy
Here is the 1/2 inch hole pic
with my Temp probe wire & the wire for my heater

hope this helps

Steve

View attachment 408506

Do you have any pictures of how your wires come out the back of the fridge? I just bought the new Frigidaire version of the Tramontina fridge. My drain hole turns 90 degrees to the evaporation pan. Did you blow through the back of the fridge or just ream out the opening on the inside of the fridge?

I don't believe I can snake the Temperature probe on my InkBird through the 90 degree bend

 

[JSHartlaub]

I opened up the turn in the 90* elbow with a drill bit and found it easier feeding the headphone plug end of the temp wire through the hole

 

[Dlawrence529]

I opened up the turn in the 90* elbow with a drill bit and found it easier feeding the headphone plug end of the temp wire through the hole

Thanks. Do you have an Inkbird? My temperature probe doesnt seem to be removable

 

[ba-brewer]

I seen where somebody made a hole thru the top into the fridge using the unused holes that are plugged to allow the door to open in the opposite direction. Supposedly there are no coolant line under those holes, but I would do some gentle probing to confirm that before drilling a hole.

 

[JSHartlaub]

Thanks. Do you have an Inkbird? My temperature probe doesnt seem to be removable

Yeah, inkbird 308

 

[Dlawrence529]

Yeah, inkbird 308

Thats odd. Maybe newer versions are hardwired

 

[clientsoup]

Has anyone tried to fit one of the Anvil 7.5 buckets in the beverage cooler style fridges? The handles on these don't fold down so there's a bit more width

Height - 19.5" to top of lid
Width - 16.5" handle to handle
Depth - 15.25" including valve

 

[garzlok]

I know I was planning to get the Frigidaire version (already have the Tramontina). If one follows the @microbusbrewery mod and bypass the internal thermostat, you should be able to get to 36-38F fairly easily. (I don't think the insulation is good enough to hold and maintain below 36F unless room temperature is cold enough to allow)

I just bought the Frigidaire version and I can confirm, modifying and bypassing the internal thermostat can achieve sub 40 temps. Just remember, if you do the mod, you can not plug into an always hot receptacle.

 

[clientsoup]

To add another datapoint here, I have the 7-gal Brew Bucket BME. I got a Vissani MVWC52B 52 Bottle Wine Cooler, and it fits without modification including a 3-piece airlock. My understanding is that the Magic Chef MCWC52BF is the exact same fridge.

I never tried to use the fridge thermostat, but by powering the compressor directly I was able to sustain 36F with approx 50% duty cycle. Sustaining 66F was approx 7% duty cycle.

 

[heckofagator]

Do the Tramantonia 4.4 bev centers at Sams and Walmart go in and out of stock? Or are they discontinued now? Both sites show OOS.