question full size fridge fermentation chamber

[bucfanmike]

I see tons of builds where a mini fridge is built in combo with an insulated box for a fermentation chamber but its almost impossible to see the same setup with a full size fridge. Am i missing something.

I have a standard fridge with freezer on top and separate doors. I plan on building a well insulated platform and box. The box would be open on one end allowing for the fridge to just slide a bit inside. (just enough to be able to get a good seal). I would remove both doors before doing this. I would either build a door or reuse the fridge door on the side of the box for access. I would guess the box would increase the size of the cool space by about 2.5 times. I would use fans to move air and a small ceramic heater during the half of the year when i heat instead of cool. Temp control would either be stc-1000 like my current smaller chest freezer or maybe raspberry pi.

I see no reason why this wont work, I do mostly ales and cant imagine that the fridge would have any issues getting down to cold crash temps when needed. For the times I lager I would ferment in there and then transfer to kegs and bulk age in my bigger keezer.

 

[chessking]

I don't see why it wouldn't work. As long as the temperature probe of the stc 1000 was at the warm end. The fans would be the key to get good even temperature distribution. Also, if I read right you plan to use both the fridge and the freezer as a cold source? If so then your freezer would not actually freeze anything.

Do you really want that much space? A full size fridge will fit a normal fermenter.

 

[CJ1]

Do you really want that much space? A full size fridge will fit a normal fermenter.

My full-size fridge fits 3 Ale Pails. I need that much space after harvest (I have 17 gallons of pear juice that I need to get started fermenting this week), but it really is huge most of the time.

 

[NewBrewB]

I want to use a stand-up freezer and put a collar on it then re-mount the door, kind of like a keezer with a collar, except vertical and projecting forward. With a couple of shelves (that allow for air circulation), I think I could fit 4-6 fermenters in there.

The reason for a freezer is I feel like using a freezer to reach cool temps would use far less electricity than using a fridge to cool twice the space for which it was intended.

 

[bucfanmike]

Do you really want that much space? A full size fridge will fit a normal fermenter.

I currently have 4 carboys going in my big freezer and 2 more in an improvised space. My big freezer is going to be converted to a serving freezer.

I want to use a stand-up freezer and put a collar on it then re-mount the door, kind of like a keezer with a collar, except vertical and projecting forward. With a couple of shelves (that allow for air circulation), I think I could fit 4-6 fermenters in there.

The reason for a freezer is I feel like using a freezer to reach cool temps would use far less electricity than using a fridge to cool twice the space for which it was intended.

I like the idea of the upright freezer also, however I have a spare fridge from my kitchen remodel.

 

[bucfanmike]

I don't see why it wouldn't work. As long as the temperature probe of the stc 1000 was at the warm end. The fans would be the key to get good even temperature distribution. Also, if I read right you plan to use both the fridge and the freezer as a cold source? If so then your freezer would not actually freeze anything.

Both doors would be removed and the entire fridge/freezer would be wide open into the cool space. So it will all be at one temp, no freezer per se.

 

[rlmiller10]

Right now the compressor is freezing the freezer which is rather small and well insulated so not that difficult. And cooling the fridge part, also well insulated with good seals. So design was for a smaller well insulated space. But for ales you will only be cooling to the 60s rather than the 38 or so and zero for the fridge/freezer the compressor was designed for. So if your build is very well insulated and has excellent seals in the door/access it will work. If you are lagering I suspect you might shortening the life of the compressor trying to keep an area 2.5 larger than design cold. But if that is from 20 years to 10 years or 20 to 2 will remain to be seen.