By Passing Thermostat

[TasChris]

Hi all,
The thermostat in my fermenting fridge seems to have died. The freezer section still works but the fridge doesn't hit the temperatures it used to on the same setting on the thermostat. Even on the coldest setting it can only get to about 7deg.
I have a mash master temp controller thingy so is it possible to by pass the thermostat in the fridge and have the fridge running flat out and use the mash master thingy to control temp.

If so how do I manage this? Any ideas??

I am tool and technically challenged/handicapped !!
Chris

 

[Jye]

Hey Chris,

You can take the thermostat out and connect 2 wires together so that the fridge is always on. If you could post a pic of the thermostat it would be easy to show you which 2 wires.

Cheers
Jye

 

[TasChris]

Cheers Jye, will attack the fridge tonight and take some photos

 

[tangent]

Even on the coldest setting it can only get to about 7deg.

if the fridge is running all the time and not getting cold enough she's on the way out and it's not the thermostats fault. Most likely a slow leak or maybe rooted compressor.
If it's not running all the time then it could be a shagged thermostat and the mashmaster should be an excellent replacement.

 

[benhobbs]

My fermenting fridge was doing a similar thing. The freezer section was working really really well, but the fridge wouldn't go down below about 14DegC.

I removed the thermostat, still no difference. I ended up using a gas hot knife to cut the plastic out of the top of the fridge, and removed all the insulation between the fridge/freezer. This way part of the cooling element for the freezer was exposed to both the fridge and freezer compartments. Turned the power back on, and from an ambient 14Deg it was down below 0 in 1.5hrs

I figure at the very least I will get another few months out of my $15 fridge.

Cheers
Ben

 

[Batz]

My fermenting fridge was doing a similar thing. The freezer section was working really really well, but the fridge wouldn't go down below about 14DegC.

I removed the thermostat, still no difference. I ended up using a gas hot knife to cut the plastic out of the top of the fridge, and removed all the insulation between the fridge/freezer. This way part of the cooling element for the freezer was exposed to both the fridge and freezer compartments. Turned the power back on, and from an ambient 14Deg it was down below 0 in 1.5hrs

I figure at the very least I will get another few months out of my $15 fridge.

Cheers
Ben

Love the ingenuity of home brewers

Batz :super:

 

[mika]

As long as the cooling coil is freezing all the way across, it's worth replacing/bypassing the thermostat...worked for mine.
If it's not feezing all the way across the coil...have a beer and wish the beast all the best in it's new life as a fermenting fridge

 

[Franko]

My Fermenting fridge has a tendancy to stop working also.what I found out is the defrost timer has gone bung (about $30 to Replace)and causes the section between the freezer and fridge to fully ice up behind the interior panel where its not visable and stops the flow of cold air down.

 

[TasChris]

Even on the coldest setting it can only get to about 7deg.

if the fridge is running all the time and not getting cold enough she's on the way out and it's not the thermostats fault. Most likely a slow leak or maybe rooted compressor.
If it's not running all the time then it could be a shagged thermostat and the mashmaster should be an excellent replacement.

How right you are!! Fridge has completely died now. Oh well will have to get a replacement now.
Chris