Fermentation Chamber Door

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steelcity

steelcity

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I am currently building a fermentation chamber using 2" thick foam board. I want to have a door on the front in order to open and load my carboys. The only issue is I'm not sure how to do this. I do not just want to try something and it not work. Also are there any issues with gases from fermentation due to being that it is an enclosed space.
 
flhb said:
Can you give more details on the ferm. chamber?
Click to expand...

Sure, the outside dimensions are 48" long x 24" wide x 36" tall. For the near future I plan on cooling based on the SOF design. In the future I plan on using a floor model ac to keep it cool in the summer. I was going to use 2"x6"s on the bottom for support and to mount casters on. For the outside I want to use 1/8" paneling. I was also thinking about using 2"x2"s to help support and protect the edges. That leaves me with the door. I have some 1"x3"s laying around that I can glue to the inside of the box to make a frame for the door. I was also going to use hinges so it would be able to be opened easily.
 
Really the only thing to keep in mind is that when you do install an AC that it will create a vacuum inside and it will make opening the door a bit difficult when its on, so make sure the door isnt flimsy or you may crack the door foam trying to open the door.
 
I recently built a ferm chamber by building an enclosure around a minifridge using plywood and 2" R10 insulation board.

Regarding the door: I used old door hinges and plywood cut to size. I have it so that insulation overlaps the doorway 1-2" on the inside. Then I cut a separate insulation board to the size of the plywood door that fits in that space separately. Weatherstrip surrounds the edges. So, to access chamber I open door then remove foam board.

http://imgur.com/a/u7DGo
 
I am also about to build a SoF chamber. My design is fundamentally the same as the original, but I converted to metric, and made a new cutting list to suit the size of the foam boards available here.

The 'top' lid goes 'on top of' the top edge of the side panels. It does not drop in between the side panels. This means I don't need to add a batten on the inside face of the side panels to support the lid.

I also shortened the side panels by 50mm (the thickness of the board) so there is a small 'ledge' at the bottom 'front' edge. The 'front door' sits on this ledge and again pushes on the vertical edge of the side panels, so a batten is not needed there either. I plan to hold the top and the front in place by embedding tiny magnets in the edge of the panels and gluing drawing pins at the right place for the magnets to grip.

Foam strips will be on the top and 'front' edges of the side panels, and the top and bottom edges of the front door. Also on the top edge of the 'back' panel and the baffle and fan panel. There will be no foam strip on the top panel.

I might also cut and hinge the top panel above the fan panel, so that I can open the ice chamber without having to remove the top panel completely.

So far, I have the boards and I have marked the dimensions I want. The next step is cutting and gluing.
 
Ok, so cutting is easy. Just use a craft knife to cut three or four times into the foam, going a little deeper each time. When the cut is quite deep you can break the foam along the cut.

However...

You have to be careful to cut at right angles to the surface of the board, otherwise you can't glue the pieces flat to the other pieces. Some of mine are a bit off, so we'll see how it goes together. I think I'll have to tape the joints to avoid air leaks.

No, I don't have a table saw.
 
A circular saw is another item on my list of things I don't have.

I also noticed that my foam boards are not actually flat, which makes things difficult too. Never mind. A bit of force and some foam carving will fix it. I'll probably get a small can of expanding foam to fill the gaps.

I have assembled the base, sides and back and left them overnight for the glue to dry. Today I will assemble the fan panel and baffle, but not until I get the gaps filled, which is easy at the moment as the inside corners are accessible.
 
ame said:
A circular saw is another item on my list of things I don't have.

I also noticed that my foam boards are not actually flat, which makes things difficult too. Never mind. A bit of force and some foam carving will fix it. I'll probably get a small can of expanding foam to fill the gaps.

I have assembled the base, sides and back and left them overnight for the glue to dry. Today I will assemble the fan panel and baffle, but not until I get the gaps filled, which is easy at the moment as the inside corners are accessible.
Click to expand...

The other thing you can if the edges aren't completely flat is add some duct tape. That is why I added duct tape around the edges of the foam board door--- to make the fit very tight.
 
So I have the foam cut and the box completed (and its relatively square). One issue that I found was that the boards were bowed. To deal with this issue I decided to just glue the lid to the top and I am also going to cut out an access panel to change the ice. To hold it together I used glue. I then caulked the seams on the inside. I also used foil tape on the inside and outside seams. As of now it is functional and in the next couple of days I will work on the cosmetic aspects. When it is done I will try to post some pics.
 
All right. My boards are not flat, and my edges are not square, but it looks like a fermentation chamber. I sealed the gaps with acrylic sealant and I'll put more foam tape around the edges. My plan to use magnets to hold the door panels on is not going to work, so instead I am going to try childproof clips that are designed to hold drawers closed. They cost $1 each and I'll need maybe 10. I think they will hold the panels in place and put enough force on the foam tape to compress it and make a good seal. Then I can add my cooling fan and heating tape.
 
ame said:
All right. My boards are not flat, and my edges are not square, but it looks like a fermentation chamber. I sealed the gaps with acrylic sealant and I'll put more foam tape around the edges. My plan to use magnets to hold the door panels on is not going to work, so instead I am going to try childproof clips that are designed to hold drawers closed. They cost $1 each and I'll need maybe 10. I think they will hold the panels in place and put enough force on the foam tape to compress it and make a good seal. Then I can add my cooling fan and heating tape.
Click to expand...

What type of heating tape were you going to use?
Also what were you using for a temp control unit?
 
The heating tape I have is for wrapping around water pipes so that they don't freeze. It's about 3m long and should consume around 30W. I will attach it to the wall of the chamber.

For temperature control I am making my own BrewPi controller.
 
I think my childproof drawer clips will work. The front is clipped on, so I will buy more clips for the top. The fan is in place, and I have some clips for the heating tape. I had better start freezing some water bottles.
 
Well, it does work! But the clips are a little bulky. I have had another idea where I will glue cardboard flaps to the side of the chamber and have them fold over the front and top, like the lid of a cardboard box. The leverage of the lid will push the top and front onto the sides, compressing the seals, and they will also cover the joints to improve the overall seal quality. I can hold the flaps in place with magnets.

Anyway, my chamber works and I had BrewPi holding the temperature of 23 litres of water nicely with two 2 litre frozen ice bottles.
 
An idea for door closures it to attach thin strips of sheet steel around the edges of the opening and then purchase magnetic door strip and attach to the door. Just like a refrigerator door. It seals well. Good Luck
 
ame said:
Well, it does work! But the clips are a little bulky. I have had another idea where I will glue cardboard flaps to the side of the chamber and have them fold over the front and top, like the lid of a cardboard box. The leverage of the lid will push the top and front onto the sides, compressing the seals, and they will also cover the joints to improve the overall seal quality. I can hold the flaps in place with magnets.

Anyway, my chamber works and I had BrewPi holding the temperature of 23 litres of water nicely with two 2 litre frozen ice bottles.
Click to expand...

Pics
 
OK, so I got most of the chamber completed the issue I ran into now is the fan. I installed a computer fan for the air flow, but I do not think it will be powerful enough to cool the chamber. The fan I have now is the Insignia 120mm case cooling fan from best buy. Is there another fan I could use that creates more air flow.

Thanks
 
You should try it first and see. I bought a cheap 5V 80mm fan from China. It seemed a little weak but it does move the air. I installed it and tried it out- no problem.

Remember, heating or cooling the beer takes a long time because of the thermal mass of the liquid. Blasting the vessel with searing heat or icy cold air won't make it change temperature super-fast. Just a little, continuously over a long time is what you want.

Oh, I used a 5V fan so that it could be driven by a plug-in USB power supply, which are cheap and ubiquitous.
 

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