Frankenfridge!

[gigemeh]

I ordered a 14.5G conical, but hadn't yet figured out how I was going to handle the temperature control.

Since I already had a standard freezer-on-top fridge, I figured I'd try to mod it to fit the beast.

What follows is probably ill-advised, but I did it anyway.

First, I removed the partition between the fridge and freezer sections. I cut the plastic with a utility knife, peeled it back, and went at the insulation with a spoon. The spoon was so that if there were cooling lines, electrical cable, etc., it wouldn't be injured. Eventually I had most of the shelf removed, thus essentially having one large cooling cavity:

As of this morning, the temperature in the cavity was exactly what it had been previously, 68F. So I decided to keep pressing my luck.


The 'big hole' method would probably have worked, but would have required tilting the fermentor to get it to fit inside. Gross! I bought a dremel and went at the front of the partition, between the two doors. I'm glad I did this slowly and carefully, as (unsurprisingly) there was a heat sink line running through that portion of the exterior. This copper line was warm to the touch, and is used to let the heat escape so the fridge can cool some more:

Now, I know what you're thinking. If that line is in the cooled portion of the fridge, won't the heat just go straight back into the system? Of course! So, I just insulated the line, so that the heat can (hopefully) escape in the other portions of the exterior it is run through:

Now I have enough room to get the fermentor in the fridge, but I still want to move that copper line out of the way. I might be stuck with it this way until I can requisition a proper fermentation chamber (nice freezer).



Anyone ever done anything like this? Any thoughts on efficiency or other problems that could arise? After just a few minutes of closed operation after all this it was at the proper 68F again, so I believe it will work alright.

Apologies for the poor picture quality; we had our house burglarized a while back and they got our real camera!

 

[rockytoptim]

Seems like you will have door leakage at the bottom of the top and the top of the bottom since you removed the sealing surface. Probably not a bid deal if you are doing ales but if you do lagers if might leak to much to allow it to get to temp.

 

[MBasile]

I do not advise you take this non-advice.
If you are POSITIVE that the copper tube only has warm air running through it, and is not a pressurized/fluid-filled tube, why not get some more copper tubing so that you can extend its length and run it up the walls/across the ceiling? Then you can throw some insulation around it and keep it away from the fermenter.

I also agree with rocky about the seals between the door. I'd make those two doors into one with some plywood, insulation, and lots of caulk.

I would follow this advise, as it is MUCH safer than the previous.
Send me the conical, I think I have a chamber it'll fit in.

 

[lehr]

That line has freon in it, it's just hot becaues it running to the condensers on either side of the fridge where it transfers the heat.

Pat

 

[gigemeh]

Regarding the door air leakage, I had already considered that and done something about it, just forgot to mention it here.

I removed used the existing door seals to make a slightly customized one that goes all the way around the fridge (with a notch for the hinge and two small notches near the bottom which I may or may not fix with leftover seal).

Now that the door sealed all the way around the exterior, I needed to do something about between the two doors. For now, I've just closed the gap with duct tape. This will stop the airflow decently, but isn't insulated. My thought is I will use some spray-in foam insulation to join the two doors, using the duct tape as a backstop.

 

[Duckfoot]

Seal it on the outside via duct tape (or whatever), foam the space between the upper and lower door, and then cover the inside with the plastic wall panelling from Home Depot like the freezer door on mine:

 

[Cpt_Kirks]

My kegerator is not that extreme, but close. It was a CL cheapie fridge. The fan in the fridge section had gone out, so dude had simply cut a hole between the freezer and fridge sections, to let the cold air pour down.

I enlarged the hole, and put a grate over it.

Now, I have six kegs in the bottom, and some bottles and yeast in the top (freezer) section. As long as I don't cover more than half the grate, the stuff in the top does not freeze.

:rockin:

 

[gigemeh]

It's....just...so...beautiful!

 

[Simphoto02]

I am jealous. I want one of those Fermenators so bad. And WOW one with Triclover fittings. Which begs the question. Why hack up an old fridge and go cheap for such a FINE piece of equipment. Just curious. Hope it works out for ya.

 

[gigemeh]

The original plan was to purchase the Fermenator and a stand-up freezer to go with it. However, those plans changed when my overtime didn't pay what I was assuming it would. Sacrifices had to be made.

 

[Simphoto02]

I didn't mean to criticize, I was just making a observation based from a jealous rage. I understand about the money not being there after plans are made. Just built a HELL of a deck and come to find out some money that was on it's way, isn't, have to wait on the outdoor kegorator, damn-it.

 

[wildwest450]

Cripes, at least paint the plywood it's sitting on.