Choosing a fermentation chamber (choice of 2)

[jmshipe]

This past week, I picked up a really nice wine fridge off of CL that I planned to use as a fermentation chamber. It's a Haier BC112G (about 4 cu. ft.) which has been covered twice here on HBT already. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=446590

I also have another Haier wine fridge that I use for aging bottles of wine and beer. That one is a HVF020ABB - 2.9 cu. ft.

Interestingly, I can fit a 6.5 gal Better Bottle into both without any modification. It fits in front of the compressor bulge. My wife likes the idea of using the big one for bottle storage and repurposing the existing smaller unit as the ferm chamber.

Which would you choose and why? Is there a reason I need to add the shelf to the larger one or can I simply store the carboy on the floor of the unit in front of the compressor?

Smaller fridge

Larger fridge

 

[Pappers_]

If your fermenter fits in both and your spouse will be happier if you use one and not the other, the choice seems clear

I don't really know these units, but I guess the only other variable that occurs to me is that you can control the temperature as well in both. You could attached your digital controller to one and then the other, to make sure it works as you intend.

Oh, and when you fit your fermenter in, is there room for a blowoff tube?

Finally, your photos didn't show up. You have two options - upload them to HBT or link to them if they are already on the web. To upload, go to 'my account' in the drop down menu above, go to 'my profile', click on photos, your photo album, then upload photos. To link to photos already posted somewhere on the web, copy the photo's url and insert it in your post using the insert photo icon.

 

[jmshipe]

Thanks. Yea, there's definitely room for a jug of sanitizer in there. Although I still need to test-fit a bucket fermenter as I do that sometimes as well. I think you're right though. I'll test the setup in both and see how it goes.

The wife is definitely in favor of me using the smaller one, so I'll try and accommodate that. No guarantees, though :cross:

As for the pictures, it's pretty strange. They are hosted on Dropbox, and I see them when I hit the post, and the permissions on them are public. I'll upload pics from now on. Thanks

 

[Pappers_]

Thanks. Yea, there's definitely room for a jug of sanitizer in there. Although I still need to test-fit a bucket fermenter as I do that sometimes as well. I think you're right though. I'll test the setup in both and see how it goes.

The wife is definitely in favor of me using the smaller one, so I'll try and accommodate that. No guarantees, though :cross:

As for the pictures, it's pretty strange. They are hosted on Dropbox, and I see them when I hit the post, and the permissions on them are public. I'll upload pics from now on. Thanks

I don't think having photos in your Dropbox is the same as posting them on the web. Try uploading them here or putting them on Facebook, flickr or photobucket and then copy the URL.