Getting advice on newest mulberry batch; using a converted refrigerator to brew.

[Miki Freeman]

I have a quick question on brewing using a converted refrigerator with an external thermostat. Since I have begun using it, I don't get any activity on my bubblers whatsoever. Is this normal for that environment?
I know that yeast can convert sugar into alcohol in a non oxygenated environment, so I initially assumed my recipe was wrong somehow, but two different yeasts and recipes have failed to show bubbling , so I had to ask.
I've made about 6-10 successful Banana Wine, mulberry wine, Peach wine, Mead, and Hard Cider batches, but the temp can fluctuate too far up and down depending on the time of the year, so I needed a way to even the temperature to the ideal range.
The temp has done exactly what I wanted it to, so I would really like to find out whether it's just a bad batch or what.

Thanks in advance for responses!

Miki Freeman

 

[IslandLizard]

Not sure if this answers your question, which in itself is a bit vague in what you're asking.

Where is your temp sensor (probe) located?
To prevent large temp swings in a fermentation fridge, probe placement is critical.

 

[S-Met]

Maybe nothing. Maybe everything. First, bubbler activity is not a reliable indicator for fermentation. May not have a tight seal.

What temp us your fridge? Cool temps slow fermentation, but too cold can prevent.

Bad yeast?

Gravity readings?

 

[Miki Freeman]

Thanks for the replies! First sorry for the long delay in response, I had major problems with the security on my phone. I had to shift to my desktop PC.
Yes, my recipe, etc. was vague, because I was looking for information on the converted Refrigerator environment. Specific Gravity, bubbler leaks, recipe issues have all been checked, as I said - this isn't my first rodeo.
I was just trying to see if the Environment is causing the lack of bubbler activity, hoping to get info from someone that is doing that as well. That is because when you shut the refrigerator, there is a limited amount of oxygen, so I thought it might affect the bubbler activity.
The rest will be a process of elimination; checking the recipe, checking the DIY bubbler I made, checking sulfites (I may have added too much as I just started to use powdered metabisulfite instead of the Campden Tablets...)
Anybody already using a converted Refrigerator with an external thermostat??

 

[bernardsmith]

The only way to really know what is happening is to measure the gravity. If the gravity is dropping and the fall is as you would expect it given the amount of time since pitching the yeast with the size of the colony of yeast you pitched then the lack of bubbles tells you zip. If the gravity has not fallen or is falling very much slower than you would expect you can see that there may be a real problem other than a poor seal at your airlock, and if the gravity has dropped to zero in this time you might have a very different problem from the one you think you have. You need to take out your hydrometer and measure the density of this must/wine

 

[Miki Freeman]

Thank you Bernard Smith! Of course that is the way to measure whether I am getting any real brewing going. I did that before and did not see any results - the Gravity was near what I would have considered Original; not at 1.0. More like 8%...
Thanks again, I still did not get the answer on the Refrigerator conversion, but just for giggles, I took out my High/low thermometer and I saw old numbers; generally I'm getting between 71.7 and 69.0 But I reset my High/Low to get more current readings.

Thanks all for the generic stuff about brewing as it really helped in the sense that these were things I had checked, so I knew they were correct. Still would like to hear from someone that is using the Refrigerator/External Thermostat, but given that converting sugar to alcohol does best in a low-oxygen environment; this all should work.

I just changed over from Campden tablets to powdered metabisulfite, so I am suspecting that this is my issue, I have been happily killing good yeast with sulfites. Sigh.