mmckenna1029
New Member
Hey, I have been wanting to try brewing lagers for a while but don't have the means. I also would like to dial in ale temps a little so I started looking for a minifridge on craigslist to make a chamber. I didn't find a mini fridge but I did find a really great deal.
Someone was giving away a brand new dometic 1402 cooling unit which is an absorption fridge meant for an rv. This is a brand new never installed unit that apparently he says he paid $1600 for but then decided to go another way. I don't know much about this type of unit and I am hoping it will work. Based on the research I've been able to do it looks like I will need a controller, a 120v heating element and cooling fins for the "fridge" section to get started.
I have no idea what I am going to do yet as this all came up really quick so I am very open to ideas. My first thought is a near freezing lager storage compartment, a lager fermenting compartment, (15 or so degrees warmer), and an ale compartment, (mid 60's). It will be in my basement which goes from 55 in the winter to 72 in the summer so the ale side shouldn't need to work hard in the summer and might actually need some heat in the winter.
As far as space I am thinking 6' high, 6' wide, and 2' deep but I haven't really figured out what I want to be able to store at capacity. I am really hoping for some insight from some fellow brewers that maybe understand the rv type unit.
Thanks for any thought!
Matt
Someone was giving away a brand new dometic 1402 cooling unit which is an absorption fridge meant for an rv. This is a brand new never installed unit that apparently he says he paid $1600 for but then decided to go another way. I don't know much about this type of unit and I am hoping it will work. Based on the research I've been able to do it looks like I will need a controller, a 120v heating element and cooling fins for the "fridge" section to get started.
I have no idea what I am going to do yet as this all came up really quick so I am very open to ideas. My first thought is a near freezing lager storage compartment, a lager fermenting compartment, (15 or so degrees warmer), and an ale compartment, (mid 60's). It will be in my basement which goes from 55 in the winter to 72 in the summer so the ale side shouldn't need to work hard in the summer and might actually need some heat in the winter.
As far as space I am thinking 6' high, 6' wide, and 2' deep but I haven't really figured out what I want to be able to store at capacity. I am really hoping for some insight from some fellow brewers that maybe understand the rv type unit.
Thanks for any thought!
Matt
