Side-by-Side Kegerator/Fermentation Chamber

[Forbein11]

I have. Look back at the more recent pics where I built the wood framework. I fit 2 on the top and one on the bottom and can serve from all 3 or just use the space to lager. I did have to remove the door shelving and remove any ice/water serving parts that stuck back into the freezer.

 

[drkwoods]

is there an equivalent to the STC-1000 that displays in Fahrenheit? The Love TSS2-2100 is $69 plus probes. I want to control fermentation within 1-deg F accuracy. What is the resolution of the STC-1000? Can it display/control to 0.1 C, or 1 C?

Look at this on eBay:

Digital Temperature Controller Thermostat Aquarium °F

http://bit.ly/s39pYT

 

[mistercameron]

Look at this on eBay:

Digital Temperature Controller Thermostat Aquarium °F

Digital Temperature Controller Thermostat Aquarium °F | eBay

Why did you have to point that out? I just finished my build.

Cheers

Edit: on closer look, it appears to be single-function unit (only one terminal says "Function Control"), though I can't actually tell what the others are good for.

 

[drkwoods]

LMAO!!! I have a fricken Centigrade one too. But I put a search on ebay and it popped up last couple weeks. So
Maybe I'll get a Fahrenheit one. But I used to the C now. Lol

 

[drkwoods]

The STC has a cooling mode and a heat mode. They are independent. It's not a dual stage controller. You can set it to turn on the compressor when the temp raises to set point or turn on heat when it falls to the desired set point. It won't do both at the same time. Take a look at my build thread
www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/side-side-build-keezer-fermentation-276954/

 

[mistercameron]

The STC has a cooling mode and a heat mode. They are independent. It's not a dual stage controller. You can set it to turn on the compressor when the temp raises to set point or turn on heat when it falls to the desired set point. It won't do both at the same time. Take a look at my build thread
www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/side-side-build-keezer-fermentation-276954/

You've got some handy metal work skills there. I think that's a good idea with those brackets in the freezer, though I don't know if that would work with the model in this thread. How secure are yours? Seems like the plastic shell wouldn't be strong enough to hold a keg or two.

 

[drkwoods]

You've got some handy metal work skills there. I think that's a good idea with those brackets in the freezer, though I don't know if that would work with the model in this thread. How secure are yours? Seems like the plastic shell wouldn't be strong enough to hold a keg or two.

My walls are thin sheet metal so three sheet metal screws per side holds well. Ive put 4 kegs in there befor.. Its jammed up pretty good but it can be done

 

[LWayBrewing]

Were you guys able to fit a 5gal Carboy in the freezer side?

 

[drkwoods]

Were you guys able to fit a 5gal Carboy in the freezer side?

Never tried. But I doubt it. I ferment in the fridge side and can even achieve Lager temps there. The freezer side is the serving side. So no need to put a Carboy in there is there?

 

[Forbein11]

Not a chance of fitting a 5 gal carboy in my freezer. When I lager in the freezer, I use a corny.

 

[LWayBrewing]

I just want two chambers for fermentation, no serving. So I was curious if you could fit a carboy in the freezer side... from Mr. Google, I believe a 5gal carboy is roughly 11in (slightly less) in diameter, so I'm wondering how wide the freezer section is.

Forbein11, if you pulled out some of the plastic siding, think it might fit?

 

[Forbein11]

I don't think it would fit in mine. You'd have to measure yours and make a judgement call.

Not sure if anything is available but you might be able to find something shaped right that you could convert. Maybe a food grade container that is rectangular with a lid? I was thinking along these lines originally but never really researched it.

 

[LWayBrewing]

yeah, I'm still doing my preliminary research right now. I haven't bought anything yet. I'm trying to see if there's a manufacturer that makes the freezer side wide enough to fit a carboy.

Guess I'll go measure all the freezer sections on display at my neighborhood box store, haha.

Anyway, awesome thread. Thanks for the write up, it's extremely helpful!

-- Cheers

 

[LWayBrewing]

Just to follow up with my previous post, I went to HD, and measured all the side-by-sides they had sitting there (the associate gave me an odd look, haha). I found that the freezer sides were all about 12.5in wide when the size of the unit was 24-25 cu ft. The smaller ones, 21 cu ft and less were 9in wide or so.

I found a steal of a deal on craigslist... $20 for a 25 cu ft side by side, working of course! My buddy has the carboys, so I couldn't fit test the freezer with one. But the 6gal Ale Pale fits in just fine!

Anywho, bought 2 of the Fahrenheit aquarium temp controllers for $33 shipped! $53 total for this thing, can't beat that! They should be here next week some time.

Thanks for all the inspiration.

Cheers,
Lance

 

[Skunkman]

This is very very tempting.

 

[bvanderhaar]

I started my build based on yours; my fridge is exactly the same as yours except it's the black 26 cu ft. Can't I just remove the existing controllers and replace the black and neutral with cold side of each temp controller?

This assumes:
The metal wire coming out of each thermo is the thermometer
The green/yellow wire that connects each thermostat is a ground or something that doesn't matter for the unit to function

I'm assuming all the fridge thermo does when "on" is open the damper and run the fan.

Is this correct?

 

[Timzabel12]

I built one and the green/yellow was a ground and brown and black were my power and neutral for my thermo

 

[bvanderhaar]

Thanks for the response. Did you remove the OEM thermo controllers completely?

 

[Timzabel12]

I removed mine completely, and wired my cooling side of my STC -1000 in were the original thermo was. I can post some pictures later in the morning. Just don't remove the defrost controller, which will run your defrost cycle every 8 to 16 hrs to keep the coils from freezing.

 

[bvanderhaar]

Exactly what I'm trying to do - keep the OE defrost working (and every other OE feature). Just wanted to make sure the thermo's didn't provide something unique with the green/yellow wire and silver wire for this function.

 

[Timzabel12]

Nope, yanked mine straight out. Now with having mine in a garage I had to buffer my temp probe in a water/ alcohol to keep my compressor from cycling to much.