Fermentation Chamber Build - Haier Beverage Cooler

[tofuguy]

I have been brewing for 2.5 years now. First year was extract, then moved into all grain. And a couple months ago i made a keezer. I have been building a recipe list lately, and would like to have better consistency so a fermentation chamber was my best option in my novice opinion. I also enjoy these projects. I was browsing Craig's List last weekend and found a beverage cooler listed for $40. It did not have a power cord, so testing it's functionality was out of the question, so I got it for $20.

After 30 minutes... I added a power cord and found the thermostat was bad and after bypassing it, I was able to get the compressor running and chilling the unit.

So this was not perfect size for a fermentation chamber, so I had to add a collar similar to a keezer. I added reinforcement brackets since I do not have gravity working in my favor like a keezer. I used 8x pro loctite construction adhesive to attach the collar to the cooler. This stuff is the best for these applications. Just remember to silicon the collar to the cooler afterwards for sealing.

I then wrapped the collar in tin tape to seal the wood and reflect the heat.

I followed it up with a a tile top. I had excess tile from a kitchen diy backsplash from a couple years ago. I used the same tile on my keezer collar. So I wanted a cohesive design.

Added 4 outlets to the inside of the cooler for peripherals and led light to the inside to light up the progress.

I will be adding a 120mm computer fan to circulate the air.

I have an ITC-1000 and reptile ceramic heat bulb on order. Once those come in, I will finish this build up. Stay tuned.

Cooler $20
Wood $4
Hardware $25
ITC-1000 $15
Heater $8
Electrical $15
LED Lamp $20
Fan $0 - used
Tile $0 - leftover
12V Power Supply $5

Total cost $112.

View attachment 1448668911896.jpg

View attachment 1448669078469.jpg

View attachment 1448669110747.jpg

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

Very nice, it always confuses me when people say they cant do fermentation control because they cant find space but have 3 buckets fermenting or aging in their closet...this thing is tiny and would fit in the corner of any closet.

 

[tofuguy]

Exactly. I wanted to keep this thing small and cheap. My goal was $100. But I splurged for the LED light. This thing is 33 inches tall and 19.5 inches wide. You can tuck this thing away rather easy. For me it will be in the basement next to my keezer.

 

[tofuguy]

The chamber is fully functional now. Still have a little cable routing to complete. I really like the cohesiveness between the keezer and chamber.

View attachment 1448939763347.jpg

View attachment 1448939777360.jpg

 

[tofuguy]

Just upgraded to a Brewpi setup thanks to Fuzze's Thread this week. Running an inullgeral brew, a cream ale, one of my house recipes.

I used an original moto droid I had in a drawer to be my "LCD Display". So my Fermentation Chamber just doubled in cost to $218 ($106 for the Brewpi parts). Tried my best to cobble everything together at a bare bones cost. For example, I am using an old laptop charger plastic box as my project box for the Arduino and Relays.

Really enjoyed getting back into Linux, it has been 5 years since my last Linux box's motherboard died. Then marriage came and priorities changed.

View attachment 1453151296968.jpg

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

Ferm chambers dont get a whole lot more bling than that

 

[tofuguy]

Well 2 days into fermenting... Looks like I am going to need a thermowell. The beer temp is reacting within 5 minutes of supplying a thermo load. I'll pick one up for my next batch.

 

[tofuguy]

Here is the performance of a cold crash of a 5 gal batch. I cannot complain since I added the collar onto the cooler, I knew there would be some losses. Remember I only paid $20 for the cooler.

 

[jojacques]

Hi, thanks for this nice build! I am planning my build and threads like your give me great ideas.
Do you think the LEDs could "skunk" the beer during the fermentation? Do you keep the lights ON all the time or only for show?

 

[tofuguy]

Mainly for show... but I have left them on for a long weekend once... no issues for my taste.

 

[tofuguy]

Reviving my old thread as I wanted to log into for my personal records. I recently bought a Flex+ on Cyber Monday when they had the deal for ~$280. When I got it, right away I knew I was in trouble. The footprint on this thing is huge!! I initially set in my fermentation chamber (which is still kicking 4 years later!) and it does not fit. Feeling defeated, I set it on the shelve for the last 2 weeks.

This morning, I decided to take another shot with due care to see if I can Tetris this MFer and....

IT FITS!!! With a bit of "finesse", moving my Raspberry Pi and adjusting the butterfly valve and lid clamp. I was able to fit the Flex+ into my Haier Fridge which has a 2x6 collar attached to it with construction adhesive. I guess I will keep this thing after-all. Don't get me wrong this thing is snug in there with only a couple of millimeters of room to the door.