Temp control for a Fridge/Freezer combo...

[BlackNotch]

Is is possible to wire a temp controller to control the fridge part of a combo unit? I'd like to keep full use of the freezer, and use to bottom fridge for a fermentation cooler.

I've been been searching the net for a week and haven't found much...

 

[cscade]

I'm sure it depends heavily on the fridge. Without having one to tear apart myself, I would assume you could remove/disable the factory thermostat for the lower part of the fridge, and wire in anything you want to that same circuit.

That said, you'd need a good working knowledge of electricity to do so, since you'd need to safely reverse-engineer whatever was put in there at the factory to wire in your own controller.

 

[lamarguy]

Is is possible to wire a temp controller to control the fridge part of a combo unit? I'd like to keep full use of the freezer, and use to bottom fridge for a fermentation cooler.

I've been been searching the net for a week and haven't found much...

Sure, if the fridge is designed to have two separate cooling spaces and not just a vent from the freezer to the fridge. My Samsung fridge has twin independent evaporators with a central compressor. It would be possible with that fridge, but that's probably not what we're talking about.

You could always fabricate your own cold air exchange with a small fan that blows cold air from the freezer to the fridge on demand. Maintain the freezer at, say -5F, using the OEM controller and use a separate controller (Love, Ranco, etc.) to control the fan.

 

[cscade]

Sure, if the fridge is designed to have two separate cooling spaces and not just a vent from the freezer to the fridge...

Good point. I hadn't considered that possibility.

 

[BlackNotch]

I could just use a regular temp controller, but I'd have to plan my Costco trips around my brewdays...!