Need Help with Fermentation Chamber Build...

[laxsoccerguy]

Hey Guys! So, I live in MA and am looking to upgrade to a chest freezer fermentation chamber. I have been reading up, and realize that I would (more than likely) need a two step system. Step 1 being the temp controller for the freezer, and step two being something that will keep the inside warm (as my fermentation room is mostly in the 50's through the winter).

My question that I need help on is, what would you suggest doing (i'm not NEARLY as skilled in building anything as most are here) in making a chest freezer that will work throughout the year?

thanks for any help!

 

[audger]

just get a dual range, or heating/cooling temp controller.

if the temp is too high, it will trigger relay1 (which goes to the freezer compressor)
if the temp is too low, it will trigger relay2 (where you put a heater of some sort)

i cant find any links quickly, but they do exist. most PID temp controllers can also do this; set it to cooling mode so that it will trigger the freezer over a certain temperature, and then if it goes below a set temperature have the alarm output trigger, and then connect a heater thru a relay to the alarm output.

if you find any links, i can tell you more specifically how it should go together.

 

[yinzer2]

I've been using a paint can with a light bulb inside. It's hooked to a dimmer switch but at it's lowest acceptable setting it seems to go off. With the setting so the bulb stays on the chamber gets to 80F. When I had the probe in the wort the freezer had to run so long to cool the wort, the frozen mass of the innards of the freezer would cool the wort a few extra degrees. I've moved the probe to the outside part of the glass carboy, propped open the freezers lid just enough to vent some heat out and the freezer cavity stay about 72F. The bulb is tinted as not to throw much light, I got it at the pet dept.


Since your room is so cold you could most likely set the controller to heat and not cool. If you use a two stage you'd have to be careful. If as it was in my case, your cooling is too aggressive that it triggers the warming setting you'll be in a vicious lop.

My set up seems a bit MickeyMouse but works. I never vary more than a degree.