Fermentation Chamber. I may be crazy.

[timpoulsen]

I know, maybe I'm nuts but just thinking about making a fermentation chamber. Temps here in Chiwaukee for quite a few months seem to provide us with something free to use that maybe we haven't thought about. I'm gonna try an experiment and build a Mongo Fermentation Chamber. Not my fault, I'm a biker in a club and they named me.

Starting with a properly sized 3/4" finish sided plywood box to hold twin Brew Buckets (or whatever anyone uses). Well glued and screwed and joints caulked. Front hinged door also same material with cutout and attached plexi window. Door closes on closed cell foam to make a fairly air leak tight enclosure. A panel in my double hung window with an air admittance valve outside as used in plumbing piped by schedule 40 to a flange in the box with hole and pancake computer fan screwed on the inside to bring in that cold outside air. Another flange on the side similar to bring in ambient house temp air. Then one more valve installed inside to exhaust the air. Now just control the fans with an STC-1000 and probe in the fermenter and set to your temp required. With the cold air we get for free, and ambient inside air to keep warm temps, we are only using minor voltage and amps from a wall wart to actually lager all we want without glycol systems, air conditioners, freezers, etc. Am I nuts or am I on to something?

 

[HausBrauerei_Harvey]

sounds like it would work to me. I wouldn't bother venting the exhaust though, that will just be result in more cold air being pulled inside your box. just dont stick your head in there right away and take a big breath when you open it up.

 

[aces-n-eights]

I think you're on to something. I might suggest building the box as you describe, but not have the opening into your house. Use a fan and vent controlling outdoor air into the box to cool and then use a 100 way light bulb (or similar) for heat. Seems slightly simpler and, arguably, the light bulb would draw about as much as your "warm air" fan. Position the box where the sun won't hit it - that can really raise temps inside a box even in freezing temps.

I may just give something like this a try up here in Alaska - no shortage of free, cool air.

Good idea, Mongo!

 

[madscientist451]

Add up all your costs and then compare it to buying a small chest freezer. I recently saw them on sale for $98. No it won't hold 2 brew buckets, but it will hold (2) 3 gallon better bottles and a short brew bucket or a 2.5 gallon glass carboy. You do have to add a temp control unit, but still, the freezers are so cheap right now, its not really worth putting too much effort into a fermentation chamber that isn't going to cut it in the long run.
I also use my chest freezer to cold crash or hold kegs, and can store several bushels of apples/pears other fruit when they I can get them cheap.