Dead chest freezer, can it still be used as ferm chamber?

[elproducto]

So my trusty old chest freezer that is about 25 years old finally gave up the ghost. I had a temp controller with a 60 watt lightbulb in it, and it worked great for a ferm chamber. Now it runs, but won't cool down at all past 70 degrees.

Wondering if I can salvage it, and still use it as a fermentation chamber? Think I could just add some frozen water bottles or something?

Mostly for fermenting lagers at 50.

 

[broadbill]

I guess, but its a glorified bucket at this point (with some insulation though).

Since you already have a temp controller and all the rest, I wouldn't waste the space on something that doesn't work. I'd been buying another used freezer off of Craigslist and be replacing it.

Swapping water bottles is for the birds when you've gone the dedicated fermentation-chamber-from-a-freezer-route.

Just my 0.02

 

[kingmatt]

It would work better as a warm fermentation chamber for ales in the winter IMO. I have a chest freezer that konked out on me that I plan to put a small space heater connected to a temp control in for fermenting in my basement in the winter.

 

[Homercidal]

I'd use it in the winter, at least until a new CL freezer could be had for cheap.

It's looking like it's cold enough for me to use a small heater now. I'm guessing temps will stay below 65 for the most part until spring.