mini fridge fermenter

[mendozer]

Hey all,

I bought a mini fridge to use as my fermenter. At the minimum setting it gets to the mid 50s. I need it in the 60-70s, so i want a thermostat or something. Northern Brewer has one for $60 but I want a cheaper solution. Is there a way to use something from a hardware store or buy a cheaper thermostat off ebay or something. I see plenty on ebay but i have no idea on how to hook it up.

thanks

 

[bgrand281]

why do you need a fridge so warm? Isn't that the ambient air temp. in your place anyway?

 

[mendozer]

I'm making a belgian wit and no i live in hawaii. It's in the 80s

 

[Mista_Sparkle]

yes, let me get you a link

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/diy-temp-controller-build-133364/

Ok, I did the same thing for the most part, however, instead of the SSR, I used a standard old relay I had sitting around. Instead of using the heat pins, you would use the cold ones, its pretty easy if you have an idea of what is happening.

I believe he had a standard switched outlet on the relay so you could do the same. Make sure you are switching the hot however

 

[mendozer]

i went the easy way and bought a johnson/penn thermostat off ebay and i'm gunna DIY a power cord to it. simple right? basic wires to screws operation.

 

[nvr2low]

i went the easy way and bought a johnson/penn thermostat off ebay and i'm gunna DIY a power cord to it. simple right? basic wires to screws operation.

you have the link to what you ordered?

 

[mendozer]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300385469266

Model A19ABC24E

 

[mendozer]

I've been using a cooler lately, but I would really like to install this thermostat in the fridge for ease. Now, it's a model

My fridge has a thermostat in it, but without temps (just 1-5). My uncle originally said he was going to help me but said that because it's an internal thermostat, it's going to be crappy with a hole in the side of the fridge to let the wire in. He also said something about taking out the freezer element.

Before judging, I used the kirkland bottles for my beer and I use the box for storage (rather than let them roll everywhere in the fridge)

any ideas? If it's just a drill, re-wire, patch, and plug procedure, then right on

 

[Walker]

This thing seems like the way to go if you want bang for your buck.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/ebay-aquarium-temp-controller-build-163849/

 

[Walker]

I've been using a cooler lately, but I would really like to install this thermostat in the fridge for ease.
...

any ideas? If it's just a drill, re-wire, patch, and plug procedure, then right on

Why do you want to drill a hole or re-wire anything?

I use one of those to control the temp of a fridge in my garage. I just put the probe inside the fridge and let the wire hang out the door. The door closes just fine and I never had to touch a tool or anything.

 

[weirdboy]

Yeah no need to rewire the fridge.

That is a huge amount of ice buildup in the freezer, though...you might consider turning it off for a while and draining it.

 

[mendozer]

but how do you wire the controller to the fridge?

 

[Walker]

but how do you wire the controller to the fridge?

Actually, looking at the photo you included, your controller seems to be missing some cables!

Mine has a power cable coming out of it that plugs into the wall. That plug has a male part (to plug into the wall) as well as a female part (to plug the fridge into). The controller allows voltage to pass all the way to the fridge when the temp gets too warm.

I've never seen one without any power cable attached to it. There must be instructions that came with it to show how to wire it up, yes?

 

[mendozer]

well it only comes with a cable from a place like NB which makes it ready for you. When you get them straight from johnson, it's just this. I figured I'd just cut an old power strip and make my own power cable. I didn't know there was supposed to be a female end going into the controller from the fridge.

ok so besides the plug, don't I have to attach the fridge's existing thermostat wires to the controller? otherwise it won't regulate the coils right?

as for the freezer buildup, maybe I should just take out that coil and remove the ice tray yeah?

 

[mendozer]

if I can't make my own, would something like this be sufficient?

http://www.pacificcable.com/Picture_Page.asp?DataName=PO1-3

that's a male to female connector. So the fridge plugs into my controller and this cord would go into the wall yes?

I guess I'd have the strip the power cord and wire it to my terminals here

starting to think I should have just shelled out the extra dollars for the prewired type. lol

 

[Tiber_Brew]

If you're really on a budget, you could get a cheap analog power outlet timer and put the fridge on that. You will have to put a thermometer in there and guess and check the timing intervals, but once you find out what the on/off timing schedule is, you'll maintain an internal temperature with acceptable consistency.


TiberIuseaJohnsonA419myselfBrew

 

[mendozer]

I just now found a tutorial on how to wire my controller (or similar model) using a donor power cord. Perfect....but my terminals are different from his

http://brewing.lustreking.com/gear/johnsoncontroller.html

seems he has two terminals on his controller, i have three.

My controller's shell says

"Opens red to yellow on decrease
red - common
blue - opens high
yellow - opens low"

translation? haha

 

[Tiber_Brew]

I just now found a tutorial on how to wire my controller (or similar model) using a donor power cord. Perfect....but my terminals are different from his

http://brewing.lustreking.com/gear/johnsoncontroller.html

seems he has two terminals on his controller, i have three.

My controller's shell says

"Opens red to yellow on decrease
red - common
blue - opens high
yellow - opens low"

translation? haha

That might translate to cut in or cut out at set point.

 

[Scimmia]

that's a male to female connector. So the fridge plugs into my controller and this cord would go into the wall yes?

You know another name for a male to female connector? An extension cord. Just cut into the hot wire and run it through the controller. I've done this a number of times for temp controllers. Red is the common, so it's going to be the hot from the wall, blue will be for heating, yellow for cooling going to whatever is being controlled.

 

[mendozer]

bam yes, that's what i need. i'm workin on it right now I'll update later

 

[studmonk3y]

as for the freezer buildup, maybe I should just take out that coil and remove the ice tray yeah?

Don't remove that, that's the part that actually provides the cooling.

 

[mendozer]

i cut the freezer element, although i can re-splice that. i'm defrosting it now so i can see everything. I really wanted to take that ice section out so I could sit my bucket higher on the shelf. otherwise I gotta take all shelves and door racks out

I won't cut the element coming in on the left, but I do want to get rid of the metal tray, or is THAT what chills the fridge.

And i correct myself, i didn't cut the element. I cut something going from the original thermostat to the freezer tray, maybe the temp sensor?

 

[KingKegII]

The freezer tray is the part that provides the cooling, as studmonk3y said...I hope you didn't actually cut it. The way these controllers work is you plug the fridge into the controller, then the controller in the wall. You put the temp probe from the controller in the fridge, dial in the temp you want on the controller, and the controller regulates the temp inside the fridge by simply turning the fridge on and off by cutting or allowing power to the fridge. The fridge's thermostat is completely bypassed...no need to wire anything to it. No need to cut a hole in the fridge as the wire for the temp probe is small enough for the door to close right on top of it. Hope you didn't ruin yer new fridge.

Cheers.

 

[mendozer]

I did bypass the original stat. the fridge's power comes to thermostat wires in the back, so I joined my controller there, leaving the original thermostat wires useless. I guess I'll stick the tray back on. Will it damage it if I bend the middle of the tray up? If I don't my bucket won't fit on the shelf.

 

[KingKegII]

Can you mount the freezer tray on the leftside inside wall of the fridge? I've seen others on here that've done something similar to that, except where the coolant line came out they bent it down and mounted on the back inside wall. You could bend the tray, but you risk the metal cracking open where one of those little ridges runs, the coolant for the fridge runs through those ridges and if you crack one open, you're hosed. Either way, be very careful bending the coolant line or the tray.

You can see a few options in this thread: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/converting-my-dorm-fridge-fermentation-chamber-179622/

More info here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/kegerator-conversion-ge-smr04dasbcs-143712/

 

[mendozer]

I see. I'll try bending it over and reversing it, see it that works. Is the element copper? I don't want to be bending things if I don't know how the metal will react

 

[mendozer]

ok did that and now nothing works. I swear the wiring's right. common to common, ground to ground, incoming lead to thermostat, outgoing lead to fridge motor. My dad did all the connections and things because there were like 30 wires back there. he's a retired phone technician so I assume he knows what's going on haha.

any ideas?

 

[mendozer]

ok i do believe now that something shorted. but I don't know where the fuse would be in the fridge or the thermostat (if there is one here).