Fermenting fridge questions.

[CoopsOz]

I was lucky enough to score an old fridge only (no freezer section) for nicks off Gumtree yesterday. I figure summer is coming and I'm going to need a ferment fridge. I've got the STC sorted but I'm not sure on a couple of things. Firstly, is it ok to sit the FV on my heat pad within the fridge or would I be better off getting a heat lamp of some description? And secondly, what do you guys use to skin the fridge door? Is Masonite a suitable material?

 

[Black n Tan]

I siliconed my heat pad to the side of the fridge so it is not in direct contact with the fermenter. What do mean by skin the door?

 

[Maheel]

I siliconed my heat pad to the side of the fridge so it is not in direct contact with the fermenter. What do mean by skin the door?

if your pulling out the door skin and want to replace it then cor-flute (think realestate for sale signs) is not to bad.
light and cheap and maybe free from out the back of a sign place

 

[CoopsOz]

Thanks BnT. I've removed the original internal plastic liner (the bit that usually holds the eggs and milk) so I have more room in the fridge.

 

[CoopsOz]

The cor-flute sounds interesting though I'm not sure I'll have any luck sourcing a piece large enough. I'm hoping there is a simple Bunnings solution. MDF I would assume is no good due to the moisture in the fridge, Masonite I'm not sure of, maybe a sheet of gal?

 

[Maheel]

maybe blue board from bunnings a paint it 1st (both sides)


some bunnings have corflute but i am not sure the size

 

[krausenhaus]

I stuck my heatpad to the back of the fridge with Velcro.

I hear people talk about lining the door with some sort of adhesive plastic sheet used to line showers, but I've never managed to find some (possibly because I don't quite know what it is), so mine is naked at the moment.

 

[Mardoo]

If you're in Melbourne Coops (on mobile so I can't see) I have something that'll work for you. PM me if you're interested. Also for nicks

 

[CoopsOz]

Thanks for the offer Mardoo, it is much appreciated. Unfortunately I'm in Canberra.

 

[sp0rk]

I was lucky enough to score an old fridge only (no freezer section) for nicks off Gumtree yesterday. I figure summer is coming and I'm going to need a ferment fridge. I've got the STC sorted but I'm not sure on a couple of things. Firstly, is it ok to sit the FV on my heat pad within the fridge or would I be better off getting a heat lamp of some description? And secondly, what do you guys use to skin the fridge door? Is Masonite a suitable material?

I doubt you'll even need the heat pad/lamp/belt until late autumn next year

 

[CoopsOz]

sp0rk, I'm in Canberra....we are still getting to 0 deg C during the night.

 

[Mardoo]

Thanks for the offer Mardoo, it is much appreciated. Unfortunately I'm in Canberra.

OK then, if you like you can try warehouses or stores that get pallets of wine (I work in one). Or pallets of lots of heavy boxes of anything. There are some particularly heavy-duty slip sheets (which are used by specialised loaders for the pallets) that are like a kick-ass version of cor-flute, nearly indestructible, insanely strong and also with a bit of insulating value. Most warehouses like the ones I mention will have a couple lying around. Go to the back door armed with a six-pack of your most insipid and ask after one and I'm sure they'll part with them quickly. They are so freakin' handy to have around.

 

[Pokey]

The heat pad will work fine just under the fermentor.

 

[Forever Wort]

It is pretty cold at nights in Canberra, that's for sure. My three fermenters are in the warmest part of the apartment but still drop a degree or two most nights.

 

[JDW81]

The heat pad will work fine just under the fermentor.

Not sitting directly on top though. Need to sit it on a couple of sticks, so the pad isn't sitting right onto the yeast cake.

 

[Yob]

Ross said somewhere that direct contact is fine, I'm with you though JD, I've got mine in the fridge door.

 

[hellbent]

The cor-flute sounds interesting though I'm not sure I'll have any luck sourcing a piece large enough. I'm hoping there is a simple Bunnings solution. MDF I would assume is no good due to the moisture in the fridge, Masonite I'm not sure of, maybe a sheet of gal?

Go to a sign shop, I'm sure they will sell you a big enough piece of corflute to suit, it's not that expensive

 

[MashPaddler]

There are some good threads on here about heat pads and fermenting fridges if you search. If you hang the heat pad you are heating all the ambient air as well as the fermenter, so it is less efficient and runs some risks with fire hazards, although I never had a problem while I did it - I put a small hook so the pad hung without touching anything.

The best move I made was getting a heat belt and wrapping it around the fermenter rather than hanging it, I was a bit nervous about putting heat directly to the yeast for the heat pad, and the heat belt was running constantly in Canberra winters rather than bursts of heat around the fermenter. Stick the therm probe to the fermenter so you are monitoring fermenter temps and not fridge temps and you are good to go.

 

[mosto]

Does the fridge still have the shelving? I've turned the vegie crisper draw upside down which forms a level base with the compressor hump and I sit the heat pad on that. I've then got the three wire shelves jammed into the bottom slot which sits a couple of inches above the heatpad. These hold two full twenty litre jerry's with no problems.

 

[sp0rk]

The cor-flute sounds interesting though I'm not sure I'll have any luck sourcing a piece large enough. I'm hoping there is a simple Bunnings solution. MDF I would assume is no good due to the moisture in the fridge, Masonite I'm not sure of, maybe a sheet of gal?

Bunnings sells huge sheets, surely enough for what you need