Fermentation chamber: frost-free necessary? Advised?

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drummermattie02

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I was wondering if anyone had advice regarding the necessity of using a frost free upright freezer as a fermentation chamber. Seems to me like the higher (than freezing) temperature required for fermentation might make using a non-frost free model perfectly OK. And, it would be nice to avoid the extra expense. Thanks!
 
Two things to consider before converting a non-frost-free upright:

  1. 95% probability you'll brick it if you attempt to bend the evaporator-lined shelves
  2. if you intend to lager and/or cold crash, the frost-free model is more efficient since it has a blower
 
The shelves in a frost free are easy to remove giving you the space you need for fermenters. I'd skip using an upright that isn't frost free unless you are comfortable bending the refrigeration tubes that are on the underside of the shelves. Those things can crimp or break pretty easy and you'll end up spending more money on repairs or another freezer than if you had chosen to use the frost free from the start.
 
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