Keeping freezer condensation down!

[TheBrewBrotha]

Hello fellow brewers! I am reaching out today to understand how everyone is keeping their condensation down in chest freezers used as ferm chambers? I have a two inkbird connected 10 cu. ft freezers out of three that just will not stop "pooling" water at the bottom/floor and it's driving me nuts. Currently I have two eva-dry 500's in each freezer and damp rids but still can't keep the condensation under control.

If you have any further tips that can help, please share. Adding desk fans today to see if recirc of the air helps, possibly... Just baffled to why this is an issue now after almost two years.

 

[archthered]

I just use damp rid and have no problems, I'd check to make sure you are getting a good seal. If it was working fine but now isn't something changed and it could be your seal

 

[TheBrewBrotha]

I just use damp rid and have no problems, I'd check to make sure you are getting a good seal. If it was working fine but now isn't something changed and it could be your seal

I am curious, how do you have your heating source set up? I think it's definitely the seal but a little thrown off as to how two separate freezers are having the same issue at the same time when one is almost two years older than the other. I have a ceramic desktop heater as my heat source in both and i believer where the power cord meets the seal of the lid is where cool air may be escaping and outside air is entering.

 

[archthered]

I use a Thermostar dual mode temp controler that I plug my freezer or my flexible heat wrap into, I don't remember which heat wrap it is but it was a cheap one. I just close the cord for heater and temp sensor in the lid, my gasket forms around them pretty well and I get no noticable leaking, though I do not run the cords through next to each other since that seems to make a bit of a gap. I ferment in an unheated garage so I likely get more temp variation than some who ferement in a house or basement but the damp rid does a pretty good job keeping the condensation down, though if it runs out it sweats like a pig. You could try putting a little pice of foam on the above and below the cord and that should get compressed down in to the space giving you a better seal. If you haven't already done so I'd do a check of your gasket to make sure it's still in good shape.

 

[Jtk78]

I have one of these in my fermentation chamber and in my kegerator. Not really sure how much they help, but they're pretty common amongst members here.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000H0XFCS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[TheBrewBrotha]

I have one of these in my fermentation chamber and in my kegerator. Not really sure how much they help, but they're pretty common amongst members here.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000H0XFCS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

As mentioned I do have Eva-Dry's in each freezer and damp rids.

 

[TheBrewBrotha]

I use a Thermostar dual mode temp controler that I plug my freezer or my flexible heat wrap into, I don't remember which heat wrap it is but it was a cheap one. I just close the cord for heater and temp sensor in the lid, my gasket forms around them pretty well and I get no noticable leaking, though I do not run the cords through next to each other since that seems to make a bit of a gap. I ferment in an unheated garage so I likely get more temp variation than some who ferement in a house or basement but the damp rid does a pretty good job keeping the condensation down, though if it runs out it sweats like a pig. You could try putting a little pice of foam on the above and below the cord and that should get compressed down in to the space giving you a better seal. If you haven't already done so I'd do a check of your gasket to make sure it's still in good shape.

Exactly how I have my set up now but with an Inkbird as stated. I do have the temp probe cord and the ceramic heater cords going in at separate points when I close the lid. I'll definitely try some foam around the heater cord. My gaskets appear to be in tip top shape so now I have my kettles stored ontop of the freezers to add some weight.

 

[TheBrewBrotha]

I think I may have found the issue but giving it a few days without opening the lid to see if I am on the right path. Seems that when I've cleaned and sanitized my freezers last, I removed the drain plugs on both and never put them back on. With it being pretty warm in Texas I am wandering that when the freezers cycled off heat was being sucked in through the drains. It'll be 24 hours this evening (unless I wait until the morning) to check and see if the condensation goes away. Will provide an update...