Fermentation Room

[2drunk2]

I've been checking craigs list regularly for cheap or free mini fridges that could accommodate a fermenting bucket or carboy, but then I remembered that I have a window AC unit sitting in my garage that hasn't been used in years. My first house was tiny, and this thing kept the entire house cold in the summer time. It's a beast.

My new house has this one room that is kind of odd. We call it our cold room, because in the winter it has a concrete floor and there aren't any ducts running to that room. So, we store beer in there in the winter time. One wall leads directly to the garage, which is also not heated or cooled. The only thing in there are shelves, cabinets and the electrical box.

I checked the internet, and sure enough there is a thing called the LUX WIN100. It simply plugs into an outlet and when the temp in the room gets down to the desired temp, it shuts off power to the AC. In the winter, you hook up a space heater and when the temp gets up to the desired temp, it shuts off the space heater.

I'm thinking of making an opening from the room to the garage, and using the $30 LUX WIN100 and the free old AC unit during the summer for a fermentation room. During the winter, I could use a space heater.

Has anyone used a LUX WIN100, or does anybody see an issue with my thinking here? I thought I'd check before I start cutting holes in walls.

 

[IslandLizard]

Do you need a fermentation room that big? If it's only for 1-3 5 gallon fermentors there are many easier/better solutions that are way more energy efficient, and more flexible.

Look around here for STC-1000, a dual temperature controller (heating + cooling) and what we do with them.

 

[2drunk2]

I don't necessarily need that much room. It just seemed convenient and low up front cost.

 

[BGBC]

I assume there is a window in the room? Or are you talking about cutting a hole in the wall that backs against the garage?

 

[number40fan]

I'd say, do it! Plus all of that room can only lead to one thing. More Beer!

 

[poptarts]

chest freezer and stc or youre going to blow up your electric bill.

 

[2drunk2]

There aren't any windows in that room. I was going to cut a hole in the wall to the garage. The room is about 10 x 10.

I have an under utilized chest freezer, but was hoping to turn that into a keezer someday.

How hard is it to wire one of these STC 1000's?

 

[number40fan]

Pretty easy to wire. Maybe another $20 of materials.

 

[2drunk2]

Maybe I should keep checking craigs list for that fridge.

 

[IslandLizard]

Depending on how much you brew, how the batches overlap, and whether you need or want to do aging and cellaring, you could partition a part of that room with 2-4" foam insulation and use that as a cool room.

A large freezer chest with an STC-1000 can do the same at a smaller scale, taking up less space, and can be moved any time.

 

[2drunk2]

True.