Split fridge into a fermetor/kegorator?

[codyjp]

Has anybody converted a side by side fridge into half fermenting chamber and half kegorator? Seems it might be possible. A couple kegs could stand on end in the freezer and the fridge side of the business could be the fermentor holding a few buckets of beer.

I guess it'd require two temperature controllers and somehow manage to hijack the power into both sides (unless these units only use one compressor?).

Anyway, that's what I get for bringing home a mini fridge that turned out to be dead. I'm looking into bigger and better things!

Is it possible?

 

[1GR8DA]

I have a side by side as well as a standard fridge. Each frig uses a single compressor. The fridge I use to ferment in keeps the freezer side cool enough to store grains and hops. The other is used to house my kegs and the top as a conventional freezer. Don't think you're gonna tackle this one.

 

[Nail]

There are a couple threads on here of what you are looking for. One that I prefer is

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/side-side-kegerator-fermentation-chamber-161176/

I plan on doing this myself as soon as I find a qualified candidate. There is only one compressor for the freezer side. The fridge side uses a fan that blows cold air in from the freezer.

 

[jlaureanti]

I looked this up and have even tried this myself...

Personally and from my experience, fermenting and keeping a keg really cold for serving just isn't possible. Most fridges only have one pump, that pump cools the freezer side. The fridge side then lets cold air in from the freezer side via a vent and a fan. There are a few threads where people way smarter than me wire two temperature controllers in, but I have not found anyone who has been able to achieve a difference in temperature between the two sides that is acceptable to ferment a higher temp ale (68-72 F) and have keep a kegerator temperature of 34-38.

I have a whirlpool side by side here is my build if you want to check it out.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/side-side-fermentation-chamber-247954/index2.html#post3085084

As it is, it is one big chamber now and it does not like to go past 34F. I live in arizona and it is 80F in the house during the day and 110F outside. If I try to keep it at kegerator temps it freaks out and the compressor starts to precipitate. But, the good part is that I can ferment ales and lagers. I just can't go below 34F. 36F is perfect and the fridge will go all day.

IMO, if you care. Use the fridge as a fermenter and buy (make ) a kegerator. If you can figure out how to increase the temp differential I am all ears and more power to you!


Cheers

 

[mikeal]

I have a side by side that I am using as a fermentor / kegerator. So far it is running fine and keeps both sides at whatever temp I set them at. My thread on the project.

It can hold four carboys and four cornys, but I have only run it with one carboy so far.

As others have said, there is only one compressor. The compressor cools the freezer and a damper (foam flap) controls the flow of cold air into the fridge.

If you can replace the freezer thermostat with a programmable temperature controller, adding another temp controller for the fridge is cake. All the fridge controller has to do is run a 12V fan, which you can screw over the hole where the damper was. If you have a newer fridge, leave all the circuitry in place.

@jlaureanti - What temp differential are you going for? 36/72?

 

[Nail]

If you can replace the freezer thermostat with a programmable temperature controller, adding another temp controller for the fridge is cake. All the fridge controller has to do is run a 12V fan,

@jlaureanti - What temp differential are you going for? 36/72?

I also plan on adding a fermtech heater to keep my lager temp exact. If you look for the ebay controller thread it will help you wire a controller. The great thing about these is that you can have the cool side wired to the fan and the heat to the fermtech, thereby keeping your temp exact.

Also Parts Express has button fans that run on 120v for less than $10 if you don't want to have a separate 12v power source.

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=250-016

 

[jlaureanti]

mikeal, why didn't I see that thread before?!?!?! Actually, I think I did, but I didn't want to buy two temp controllers and I had ample time to hack away at the mid-section.
Do you have problems with the fridge being able to keep up?? Maybe my compressor is acting up but when I try to keep it at 34F it tends to freak out and make a dripping noise.

I don't do mechanics, I do chemistry. So I have no idea what is wrong with it, I just don't set it that low for that long and it seems to work pretty well.

-codyjp
Good luck man!

 

[_JP_]

Mine's working pretty well. Last night I set the freezer to 0°C (32°F) and the fridge side to 20°C (~68°F). This morning they were at 0 and 19.

I'll post a build thread when I'm done with it. Still have to make shelving and install the heater on the ferm side (which is a hair dryer).

 

[mikeal]

mikeal, why didn't I see that thread before?!?!?! Actually, I think I did, but I didn't want to buy two temp controllers and I had ample time to hack away at the mid-section.
Do you have problems with the fridge being able to keep up?? Maybe my compressor is acting up but when I try to keep it at 34F it tends to freak out and make a dripping noise.

I don't do mechanics, I do chemistry. So I have no idea what is wrong with it, I just don't set it that low for that long and it seems to work pretty well.

-codyjp
Good luck man!

It seems to be running well. It holds temp on both sides. I was paranoid that the compressor was running too much, but then I realized that I have never paid so much attention to a refrigerator before. So now I just let it do it's thing and not worry about it.