# Structurally insulated panels - for fermentation chamber



## MichaelM (5/1/15)

I'm looking at building a fermentation chamber and looking at insulating options. I came across SIPs on bunnings trade website. Seems like one can cut out additional work of cladding the polystyrene as they already have board on both sides. 

Anyone tried using these for such a project? Feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks


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## chubbytaxman (5/1/15)

Trying to find some info on this too ...
Any chance of putting up a pic as I can't find anything like that in my local big green shed

Cheers


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## droid (5/1/15)

interested in following your journey/s here, initially I thought about this too

putting the panels together and sealing everything is straightforward, heating it is simple but cooling it? a bit more of a conundrum


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## NickyJ (5/1/15)

Yeah, I'd be keen to know how cooling would go. Interesting idea.


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## chubbytaxman (5/1/15)

I have been struggling with this for a month or two now ...

Not a sparky's bum by a long shot so power would have to be of the 12V variety :blink:

To put you in the picture, I have two x bar fridges (with small freezer at top), and looking to remove the front doors, put them facing each other and building the chamber between them ... Complicated yet ???

Maybe with my description ... lol ...

Anyway, these two fridges would be controlled with an STC-1000, be able to house two or three fermenters ... Would want to put some sort of LED lighting system and fan in there too - like when the door opens, light comes on and when closed, fans operate to circulate air ... Feasible ??? :huh:

Just lost on how to connect everything up and the insulation panelling parts .... hmmmm


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## MichaelM (5/1/15)

It's available as a PDF . I happened across it on a Google search. http://wholeofhouse.bunnings.com.au/pdf/SIPS_product_package_24-5-2012.pdf


Chubby taxman you're thinking along the lines I was.

I would be using a medium sized bar fridge taking the door off and attaching the chamber to it. Probably with a lid like a chest freezer to make it more energy efficient.

Wiring won't be a problem as I have built thermostat using an Stc controller. I'd plug the fridge directly into the controller. I'd put the heating pad on the heating relay. So no need to tamper with the fridges wiring.


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## MichaelM (5/1/15)

Given that this is a modular system I would assume there would be fittings available to join the panels. Otherwise one could join them at 90 degrees with wooden blocks acting as brackets.


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## Mattrox (5/1/15)

Have you thought of polystyrene insulation with sisalation glued to both sides then clad the outside with ply.

A local manufacturer did a custom job for my fish room. They make them in certain sizes but have some flexibility. Easy to cut with a hand saw or circular saw. They glue the silver foil on for you.

Mine were 75mm thick with sisalation only on one side. I let my fingers do the walking to find a local supplier.


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## MichaelM (5/1/15)

Mattrox, I'll look into that option as well. Thanks


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## chubbytaxman (6/1/15)

MichaelM said:


> Given that this is a modular system I would assume there would be fittings available to join the panels. Otherwise one could join them at 90 degrees with wooden blocks acting as brackets.


Would they be available in such small quantities though ....
Looks from the linky above that they specialise in house lots - not so much offcuts .. :unsure:


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## dicko (6/1/15)

I built a cold room many years ago from isulated panels I got from here. http://www.bondor.com.au

I used 50 mm panels and they are great. You get the joiner mouldings and then just cut the panels to size and rivett them together.
The cladding is metal so you are not dealing with wood and you could but small quantities when I did mine.

There are other suppliers in mosts states if you google


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## chubbytaxman (6/1/15)

Was just after something like this ....

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0FAYh2QYq_k/TZ6qIk6LeII/AAAAAAAAAZM/cOtVwt23mGs/s1600/IMG_2587.JPG

Hopefully something is available from the big green shed ...


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## QldKev (6/1/15)

I understand building a fermenting room if you have many fermenters, but why not use a bigger fridge for 2 to 3 fermenters?


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## chubbytaxman (6/1/15)

Ha ha ... Just trying to use up what I have on hand - minimising outlays.
I have 2 x bar fridges so I thought they would work in conjunction with each other to chill down the 2 or 3 fermenters ...

Happy to be steered right if the theory is off :lol:


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## QldKev (6/1/15)

It's great fun to build things, but I think for the $ you could sell the small fridges and get one full fridge unit. I think just the cost of the materials would exceed the cost of the replacement fridge. I've had this fridge below from new as part of a pidgeon pair (was our house fridge), but they sell for $100 to $200 secondhand. It fits 3 fermenters and looks pretty neat in the carport. offtopic, but the freezer section to it is now my kegerator/hop storage. There are not right or wrong ways, just trying to give you ideas.


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## chubbytaxman (6/1/15)

Nice unit QldKev ... Totes jelly .. 

Fermenting in cubes .... Hmmm ... That could work (never entertained that idea before) ...


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## QldKev (6/1/15)

The bottom 2 are the "Bunnings square fermenters" I prefer them to a normal cube as they have the big opening on top for cleaning. They used to be white but are now blue.


This is the kegerator side to the pair. I can squeeze 5 kegs on the top shelf, and has plenty of hop and yeast storage.






They are a nice neat pair in the carport. Just ideas if you want to go that way


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## QldKev (6/1/15)

Here's a cheap pair for $100 the pair

or the set I have for $400, which is more than I think they are worth.


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## chubbytaxman (6/1/15)

Does the blue matter in a cube ???

Only ever seen clear / white ones.
Seen the blue jerry can type at BigW.


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## QldKev (6/1/15)

chubbytaxman said:


> Does the blue matter in a cube ???
> 
> Only ever seen clear / white ones.
> Seen the blue jerry can type at BigW.


I've never used the blue one, but the guys on here report no difference and highly ok


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## spog (6/1/15)

After reading this topic earlier I remembered seeing a website where a bloke in USA built a fermentation chamber using foam sandwiched between ply with the guts from a fridge at one end.
This setup held 6 ? carboys,and was an amazing build,but I can't remember the site,....which doesn't help the O P at all,so this reply is useless ,.....


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## QldKev (6/1/15)

spog said:


> After reading this topic earlier I remembered seeing a website where a bloke in USA built a fermentation chamber using foam sandwiched between ply with the guts from a fridge at one end.
> This setup held 6 ? carboys,and was an amazing build,but I can't remember the site,....which doesn't help the O P at all,so this reply is useless ,.....


Can't remember who, but someone on here removed the door to a bar fridge and extended it out using insulated materials so it could house multiple fermenters. From memory it could not keep up with the Aussie heat.


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## wombil (6/1/15)

A chest freezer of whatever size you need to hold what you want to put in it regulated by a STC 1000 would be the easiest, cheapest, most economical fermenting chamber by far.Especially if you ger a used freezer cheap.
Mine is a tucker box type and holds two jerry can fermenters,(40 litre total) and is brilliant.STC set to 18 deg.
Maybe you need a cold room for much bigger production tho.


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## TheWiggman (8/1/15)

QldKev said:


> Can't remember who, but someone on here removed the door to a bar fridge and extended it out using insulated materials so it could house multiple fermenters. From memory it could not keep up with the Aussie heat.


I remember that too Kev. The main issue with his setup was he enclosed the condensor in a small area behind his cabinet. It couldn't dissipate the heat, so was never able to get down below about 12°C. I reckon if he allowed air flow to the condensor his concept would have worked.


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## JDW81 (8/1/15)

chubbytaxman said:


> Does the blue matter in a cube ???
> 
> Only ever seen clear / white ones.
> Seen the blue jerry can type at BigW.


I've got a couple of the blue willow jerries and they are fine. Lots of people use them (and other blue cubes) with no dramas at all.

JD


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## Nick667 (27/1/15)

I tried to get info on this a couple of weeks ago but didn't come up with much so I did some looking around on the web.
I found something called ' son of a fermentation chamber ' which is basically an easy to make polystyrene box that is taped inside and out on all joins without any sheet material on the in or outside. Just the foam.
I had a small bar fridge and an stc-1000 so I took the door off and made a box the same size as the front of the fridge, the sides are only about 130mm wide and that is enough to clear the fermenter I held the poly box against the fridge with bungy chords and so far it is working a treat although it took some time to get down to temp. I am running it at 18.5C and I am in Auckland but the air temp at the moment is up to 28C so it is knocking it down by 10C. It is a trail run and next brew I might put a container of cold or frozen water in the freezer box to give it a bit of a cold sink.


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