Fermenting Fridge?

[Stagwa]

I am in need of a fermenting fridge and have a few options to consider. I would appreciate any feedback based on you experience, knowledge, technical expertise and what you may have seen in action. I have a bit of a space restriction (live in a unit) so am looking for something a bit larger than a bar fridge.



Option 1

A cheap wine fridge/cooler the kind from Target, BigW or Kmart for around $200. The size of a 40 bottle cooler would be great but I have read (on the internet) that the cooling is relevant to ambient temps and not really to the 8 18 degree range. I live in the tropics so ambient can be rather high in summer even at night.



Option 2

A small fridge with Fridge Mate something like a fridge only number or a large bar fridge with the crappy freezer bit taken out. Can the freezer section be removed from a bar fridge (by a fridge technician) for a reasonable $? Will the cooling capability of the fridge be compromised?



Option 3

A small freezer with Fridge Mate a small upright freezer as a chest freezer I have to lift the fermenter in and out. Most of the upright freezers I have seem to have cooling elements in some of the shelves, can these be removed (as in option 2) without compromising the cooling capability of the freezer? How hard does the Fridge mate need to work (turning the device on and off) to maintain a temp of say 18 20 degrees for ales?



About the fridge mate:

Does the box need to be mounted inside the fridge? If so how much space should I need to account for other than fermenter space? Do I need to drill/cut/modify or otherwise butcher the fridge to fit the fridge mate? Does it connect to wiring that is accessible (inside) or is a hole required to route any cables/sensors/probes?



Any comments or advice would be greatly appreciated!



Cheers,

Stagwa

 

[gava]

For my fermenting fridge I just have a cheap fridge I brought off a mate... I use a fridgemate ontop of the fridge.. then I just close the door on the cables (Making sure I dont have doubled over or where they could be pinched/sctripped) I couldn't be arsed finding another way and this works all year round..

In this weather my fridge isn't on that often and onces its to the certain temp either is the heater.. sits there nicely...

Mind you i haven't sat out infront of it for long to test this but more times its off...

EDIT: I forgot I had pictures

 

[captaincleanoff]

I'd get an upright freezer, or a fridge without the freezer compartment.

Its much better to have a fridge with out a separate freezer part, as that is wasted space... Especially when you are running it at around 18c, so you cant even use it for hop storage or anything.

Get any fridge that has 1 compartment.

 

[gava]

Get any fridge that has 1 compartment.

I second that...

wish i could but its hard enough to find cheap fridges/freezers... work with what you can get

 

[captaincleanoff]

check out what I got a few weeks ago from ebay:

2 x 420L matching fridge and freezer. Got one for fermenting, one for lagering.

Each fits 2 x 60L fermenters! Can have 240L fermenting all at once

 

[RetsamHsam]

check out what I got a few weeks ago from ebay:



2 x 420L matching fridge and freezer. Got one for fermenting, one for lagering.

Each fits 2 x 60L fermenters! Can have 240L fermenting all at once

That is awesome.. How much did they set you back?

 

[peas_and_corn]

I am in need of a fermenting fridge and have a few options to consider. I would appreciate any feedback based on you experience, knowledge, technical expertise and what you may have seen in action. I have a bit of a space restriction (live in a unit) so am looking for something a bit larger than a bar fridge.



Option 1

A cheap wine fridge/cooler the kind from Target, BigW or Kmart for around $200. The size of a 40 bottle cooler would be great but I have read (on the internet) that the cooling is relevant to ambient temps and not really to the 8 18 degree range. I live in the tropics so ambient can be rather high in summer even at night.

IMO a friege like this won't have the power to cool your wort efficiently. As you mentioned the air in the fridge will only go to about 8C, and even if you somehoe short the internal reg so it goes lower, I don't hold faith that the crappy compressor in the fridge will last long.

Option 2

A small fridge with Fridge Mate something like a fridge only number or a large bar fridge with the crappy freezer bit taken out. Can the freezer section be removed from a bar fridge (by a fridge technician) for a reasonable $? Will the cooling capability of the fridge be compromised?

You need to be careful- in my bar fridge the coolant goes through pipes that are the walls of the freezer section. I would have a keg in my bar fridge if it weren't for this. Many fridge/freezers would have coolant pipes in the wall between the two sections- you need to research the fridge you want to ensure this. If it's a standalone fridge or an upside down fridge that can hold a keg in the fridge section/freezer section alone (like my setup) then it will be fine.

Option 3

A small freezer with Fridge Mate a small upright freezer as a chest freezer I have to lift the fermenter in and out. Most of the upright freezers I have seem to have cooling elements in some of the shelves, can these be removed (as in option 2) without compromising the cooling capability of the freezer? How hard does the Fridge mate need to work (turning the device on and off) to maintain a temp of say 18 20 degrees for ales?

Ahh yes, I saw a freezer like that one. If the cooling elements are in the shelves, you can't remove them.

About the fridge mate:

Does the box need to be mounted inside the fridge? If so how much space should I need to account for other than fermenter space? Do I need to drill/cut/modify or otherwise butcher the fridge to fit the fridge mate? Does it connect to wiring that is accessible (inside) or is a hole required to route any cables/sensors/probes?

Nope, you can put it wherever you want. Make allowances for the lead connected to the probe, you'll need more than you think.

Any comments or advice would be greatly appreciated!



Cheers,

Stagwa

Denim jackets are still awesome in my books.

 

[captaincleanoff]

That is awesome.. How much did they set you back?

$500 for the pair.

 

[reviled]

Denim jackets are still awesome in my books.

Can we see a pic of p&c in his AHB polo and denim jacket? :lol:

edit : oh yeah and +1 for the chest freezer idea! And the heavy lifting gets rid of the need for the gym :icon_cheers:

 

[peas_and_corn]

Can we see a pic of p&c in his AHB polo and denim jacket? :lol:

edit : oh yeah and +1 for the chest freezer idea! And the heavy lifting gets rid of the need for the gym :icon_cheers:

I'll see if I can get a pic done

 

[frogman]

All fridges can be a little harder to come by.
Ask at the loading bay of your local whitegoods retailer and you might be able to take your pick from the old stock some of them collect when they deliver new ones. Bit of a gamble but cheap (could cost a six pack of megaswill).
If you get one with a separate freezer I find its a good place to keep my glasses.

Cheers FROGMAN.

 

[captaincleanoff]

If you get one with a separate freezer I find its a good place to keep my glasses.

but if you are using it a fermenting fridge, you'll usually have it at about 18c.

This means that the freezer is not cool at all, and ends up smelly and moldy.. I wouldn't be putting my glasses in there!

 

[WitWonder]

2 x 420L matching fridge and freezer. Got one for fermenting, one for lagering.

Each fits 2 x 60L fermenters! Can have 240L fermenting all at once

How can you fit two 60L fermenters in each?!? Care to show us a pick? What is the make/model of fridge? I have a fridge that easily holds 1 60L fermenter but there's not much room for anything else. I am looking around for a larger fridge to hold a 60L fermenter and maybe a 30L jobbie.

 

[frogman]

but if you are using it a fermenting fridge, you'll usually have it at about 18c.

This means that the freezer is not cool at all, and ends up smelly and moldy.. I wouldn't be putting my glasses in there!

Depends on where you live I guess. Here in SE QLD. Freezer section runs at about 0-4 with a brew or two fermenting below. 1 in a frementer 1 in a jerry can shaped secondary.

 

[samhighley]

I obtained a fridge with separate freezer, and I just cut a hole between the two sections. Now it's one big fridge.

Works perfectly, and has done for the last year or two.

I was motivated to do this when I realised that all of the cooling is done in the freezer section, and then cold air is piped into the fridge section as required to cool it down.

 

[raven19]

My vote is for option 2. Fridge w/ Fridgemate.

It can then be used as a keg fridge later on if more room becomes available.

The chest freezer = reaching over and making your back work too much!

Or another alternative is to find a fellow nearby brewer and rent their fridge for fermentation periods(thanks 3G!)

 

[troopa]

yup if possible get one fridge without freezer.. allows for storage of cubes and other things too

but if you cant.... anything you can get your hands on for nothing is something you didnt have before and it all works well

 

[KGB]

I agree with Raven.

Option 1 is expensive and probably won't work that well. You'd need a fridgemate anyway to run it and get reliable temp control.
Option 2 is the best, a small fridge with FM. Often the freezer section is the only cooling part in the whole thing if you're looking at a bar fridge so, no, you can't take it out. In my one, The coolant lines run through the walls and top of the freezer so I was about to remove the "floor" of the freezer which gave me enough room to stick the fermenter in there with the normal airlock in place. Gold. Try and get one with no freezer section if you can.
Option 3 would work and a freezer wouldn't have to work very hard at all I would think. The insulation may be better than a fridge as well.

The fridgemate goes "inline" between the appliance (fridge, heater, freezer, fan, whatever) and power point. You need to sacrifice an extension cord when assembling it but basically the appliance plugs into the FM, the FM plugs into the wall. Think of the FM as a person standing at the power point and flicking it on/off as needed. Search on here for the fridgemate threads - be warned, there is A LOT of reading.

 

[canon1ball]

I obtained a fridge with separate freezer, and I just cut a hole between the two sections. Now it's one big fridge.

Works perfectly, and has done for the last year or two.

I was motivated to do this when I realised that all of the cooling is done in the freezer section, and then cold air is piped into the fridge section as required to cool it down.

Sammy,
I like that idea! Got a fridge with big freezer compartment, which I don't need. Have you got any pic's of your converted fridge you could post?
C1B

 

[gava]

Sammy,
I like that idea! Got a fridge with big freezer compartment, which I don't need. Have you got any pic's of your converted fridge you could post?
C1B

I to would be interested in seeing the converted fridge.. I have a few I would like to do that to.