Cold winter frozen kegs....Christmas lights?

[Dennis_W]

So i went out a few days ago to my detached/uninsulated garage and found that my kegs had turned to slush. I just got done building a single tier brew stand so I don't want to spend any money to keep the fridge warm in the winter months. I have no temp controller. What about plugging in some Christmas lights and just having them coiled around the bottom of the fridge? They wouldn't be on a timer or anything just on all the time.

Thoughts?

 

[duboman]

So i went out a few days ago to my detached/uninsulated garage and found that my kegs had turned to slush. I just got done building a single tier brew stand so I don't want to spend any money to keep the fridge warm in the winter months. I have no temp controller. What about plugging in some Christmas lights and just having them coiled around the bottom of the fridge? They wouldn't be on a timer or anything just on all the time.

Thoughts?

My thought is the lights won't produce nearly enough heat, how about a basement?

Can you get some heavy blankets to wrap the fridge or even relocate your fridge?

 

[Dennis_W]

That was my first thought...use the basement it stays pretty cold. I did a test and when switching out jugs of ice in my swamp cooler i can keep the water around 42.
Here is the problem with that today it 65 outside. Thursday the low is going to be 2! So today i can't keep my beer cold. and over the long run i can't keep a good constant temp in the basement.
I've seen people talk about using a regular 40watt bulb but I would have to go out and by parts for that... thought maybe quick and easy would be christmas lights.
I guess my main thing is that I really really don't want to buy a temp controller.

 

[duboman]

That was my first thought...use the basement it stays pretty cold. I did a test and when switching out jugs of ice in my swamp cooler i can keep the water around 42.
Here is the problem with that today it 65 outside. Thursday the low is going to be 2! So today i can't keep my beer cold. and over the long run i can't keep a good constant temp in the basement.
I've seen people talk about using a regular 40watt bulb but I would have to go out and by parts for that... thought maybe quick and easy would be christmas lights.
I guess my main thing is that I really really don't want to buy a temp controller.

I'm in Illinois also! The problem with the fridge outside it that it is not insulated enough to keep out the extreme cd so even a bulb or temp controller won't be enough to regulate the condenser of the fridge.

We ultimately just moved the fridge into the basement a couple years ago because nothing was working otherwise.

 

[Dennis_W]

right. I live in a very old house 100+ years so i don't even think that a fridge would fit down the stairs into the basement.
Crap! there's has to be something i can do. Maybe the best think is to fill a growler every so often and keep that in the fridge......(the fridge in my kitchen not the one in the garage)

 

[duboman]

right. I live in a very old house 100+ years so i don't even think that a fridge would fit down the stairs into the basement.
Crap! there's has to be something i can do. Maybe the best think is to fill a growler every so often and keep that in the fridge......(the fridge in my kitchen not the one in the garage)

Grab a tape measure and see if it will fit is my best recommendation

Sometimes if you take off the doors they will fit sideways although you might have to remove railings as well-good luck!

 

[davekippen]

If you put the lights IN the fridge it will work. I coiled up one strand and put them inside a small ceramic pot (upside down) in the fridge and it worked very well. Of course, you have to have the fridge off.

 

[Dennis_W]

why an upside down ceramic pot?

 

[davekippen]

I dont know why! I felt it would block the light and provide some kind of nice even heat. I thought that if you warmed up a pot or something it would work better than just the lights. I missed that day in engineering Its funny what runs through the mind sometimes.

 

[Dennis_W]

do you just leave them on 24/7 during the winter months?

 

[davekippen]

Well, now I have a temp controller so they kick on based on desired temp. I think you are going to need to do some experiments. I am guessing that if the fridge is sealed well, it will get too hot with those lights on all the time. You will want to throw a thermometer in there and keep a close eye on it until you know what the equalibrium temp will be. Of course, that will change with outside temp. There are lots of variables.

I say spend the $20 and build yourself a temp controller. I am not super handy but found it easy to put together and now I cant imagine NOT having a controlled ferm chamber. I actually upgraded from the xmass lights to 2 table lamps 2 brews ago - A Saison that needed to be at 80 for a week! Those 2 lamps kicked on when needed and it rocked some heat in there. Now I have a Maibock Lager sitting in there at 50.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/stc-1000-ebay-temperature-controller-build-330427/

There are also youtube videos that really helped.

 

[Dennis_W]

ok so last night I put a mechanics light 60w inside the fridge. i had it hanging from the top over night and when i checked the temp inside this morning it was around 46 at the top of the fridge and 28 around the bottom of the fridge. So i moved the light and layed i on the bottom. I'm hoping that since heat rises that the 48 degrees at the top will be more evenly distributed. Here is the problem....or maybe a good thing.
The fridge won't shut all the way, there is maybe a 1/8 gap. So there is more cold air getting in....BUT everyone also says that a light on all the time will be to hot. So maybe it's a good thing to have a little crack? I can always notch out the rubber sealer and i'm confident it would close all the way but i thought i'd ask before i did. thoughts?

 

[Dennis_W]

O and it was about 18 outside this morning

 

[davekippen]

Yeah it probably is a good thing to have a little open space to help offset the temp from the lights. I have read that sum guys put little fans in their "chambers" to circulate the air around to avoid the temp differential. One of those little clippy desk fans might work well.