Heating 22 cu ft Freezer in -13 weather

[Ambleside]

Hi all, I will be building a fermentation chamber out of a Kenmore Elite 21.6 cu ft freezer (big one, will hold more than one sabco fermenters). This is my first time having the freezer outside in my un-insulated garage in -25C / -13F Canadian winters.

I plan on using the Ranco dual stage controller so I can heat and cool still in the summer. Im not familiar with controllers though.

Can this be used to heat multiple heating elements? I plan on using a few fermwraps/reptile heat pads/ heat cords/ or light bulbs. (open to suggestion). Since its so cold, can the heating part of the ranco control multiples of these items? Is there too much strain anywhere in this system?

Cheers

 

[wilserbrewer]

Even at -13F, I don't think it would take many watts to keep your freezer at ferm temps. The ranco is limited to about 10 amps, or 1000 watts, plenty of heat in a sealed freezer even in frigid temps.

Maybe a tiny heater on the low setting, say 500w

 

[ZebulonBrewer]

Think of it this way: Your freezer is designed to keep that thing at <32F (more likely something like 10F) all year round. The insulation on chest freezers is excellent. Last winter, here in Ohio, I used a 60 watt reptile heater to heat my chest freeze (sorry I don't know the cubic footage, but it isn't small). It never got down to -13F, but we did have some sustained temps of less than 15F, and I had no trouble keeping it at 65 degrees in there. If you need more than 100 watts I'd be shocked.

More to your question, the circuitry is more than able to handle it. One outlet can handle 15 amps minimum, or a little over 1500 watts. Waaaaaaaay more than enough.

 

[MaxStout]

I use a 25W bulb in a gallon paint can to heat my 5 cu ft freezer, which sits inside my unheated garage in frosty Minnesota. It's controlled by an STC-1000. I had tried higher wattage bulbs, but they heated too quickly (the air temp inside the freezer rocketed up too fast before the beer started warming).

I'll bet a terrarium heater in the 100W range would be plenty of heat in 22 cu ft.

 

[Ambleside]

thanks a lot guys.
one other question - not necessarily during the freezing weather (but maybe), can a big freezer be brought up to roughly 110 F? (in order to hold a kettle souring).

Cheers

 

[wilserbrewer]

Yes, I believe a running freezer consumes around a couple hundred watts, and only runs 5-10 minutes an hour chilling, so using the numbers in reverse, it likely won't take that many watts to keep it warm.

 

[aangel]

I run a table fan inside my ferm chamber at all times. For keeping everything (ferment 4-5 batches simultaneously) cool, it works well, and if I want it hot in winter, I can just use an infrared reptile tank lightbulb, placed in front of the fan.