Freezer Conversion

[PostModern]

$40
-20 to +30 degrees
Dial up the temperature you want.

sosman, this is the solution I was going to go. Where did you get yours?

 

[sosman]

yeh I have seen those pictures previously in other posts, problem for me is I didn't want to put a screwdriver to my freezer. Your point is well taken and if I had a old 2nd hand freezer that cost me next to nothing then yep I would do the same.

Hey I'm not complaining - the more options the merrier.

Keep in mind that the fuji koki doesn't have to go in the fridge - that's just the way I did it. You would just need to wire it between the fridge and the wall socket and run the temp sensor inside (eg through the door seal).

One day I will get around to mounting the dial outside the fridge. I am just worried about drilling through something that I shouldn't (gas pipe).

 

[sosman]

You can buy the Fuji Koki's at Refrigeration Parts Vic in Ringwood. Last time I spoke to him he chuckled because he had sold more in a month than in the previous year. You should probly ring before you make the trip.

The full contact details are on brewiki: temperature control somewhere. Its just a strip shopping thingy half way along heatherdale road.

I have heard they charge different prices depending on who serves you. The bloke seems to be the lowest price (mine was $37 inc GST).

PS if you are after copper pipe (say for a chiller), ring a plumbing shop or two then check his price, I saved about $20 on an 18m roll of 3/8".

 

[sosman]

Wardy - you get that top drum from Bunnings?

 

[Doc]

So I got my freezer for Xmas and I'm more than happy with it.
I'm currently brewing ales in it so have it set for 18 degC.
The temps in Sydney are starting to cool down.
I'm thinking that in another month the balance will change where I want the avg temp in the freezer to be higher than the avg ambient temp.
Has anyone else already configured a temp controller to both a heat and cooling source to maintain a temp that is different to a greater or less ambient temp ?

Otherwise I'm thinking lagers will be the go for winter. But I'll need to get a few more brews under my belt quickly to keep the stocks up.

Beers,
Doc

 

[Bigfella]

Hey Doc
I'm using the Fuji Koki's controller. But I have a switch setup to make it ether warm or cool, otherwise when the fridge heater comes on as soon as the cooler goes off and vise-versa.
So I need to do a bit of weather watching to work out if it needs to be heat or cool, a bit of a bugger but not to hard to manage. I'm sure you can get a controller that will handle this better.

 

[Doc]

Yeah I've got a similar controller in my lager fridge, but have only hooked up the coolling contacts.
I have some old fermenter heating pads somewhere that I could use as a heat source.
Maybe change my controllers over between the fridge and the freezer and configure the heating pads on the heating contacts.

Or maybe as I suggested it would just be easier to brew lagers.

Doc

 

[wardy]

Sosman,

Yep, that's what they call at bunnings a 25L open head camper. It was $18, plus $2 for the tap. I really only use it to CC or for secondary. It does have an O-ring but i can't get a seal like i do on the fermenters from the HBS. I even had to trim down the poor joins in the plastic moulded lip to get a better seal. The plastic is also not as good, and the plastic thread on the tap stripped itself in no-time.
It is more compact, i will give it that!.

Unless size/space is a concern, i would spend the extra $16 and get a good quality one from the HBS complete with airlock, grommet.

 

[Hoops]

Doc
I have done ales in winter in Toowoomba where we get frosts.
All I did was add about 2 L of hot water in the bottom of my fermenting fridge which brings the temp up quickly. I found that once up to fermenting temp it holds there for quite a while. From memory I only added hot water twice - first thing in the morning and before going to bed. This winter I will try either an aquarium heater (which I already have) or a cheap thermomstat from Jaycar and a light globe. Your heat pad would probably do the trick.
Great lager brewing weather though

Hoops

 

[Bigfella]

Well I have finally finished the freezer conversion here it is and my fermenting fridge.

 

[Bigfella]

inside

 

[Bigfella]

fridge

 

[Doc]

Nice looking job on the freezer bigfella.
Good to see a beer in shot too

Doc

 

[warrenlw63]

G'day Doc and others ;

I think I've posted on the right spot. Here's some more shots of my freezer modifications. It's up and running and serving beer rather well. In the future I plan to tart the whole thing up with some panelling or corrugated sheeting or whatever.
It's a pretty small Tuckerbox with a collar built from some old wooden shelving I had lying around. I've just lined the inside with those camping mats you see at the Reject shop. Seems to do an OK job of insulating the top.

My only complaint with the thing is in hot weather. If I've got a highly carbonated beer on top the first pint or so foams due to the higher temps of the lines in the top of the font. You can't chill these fonts. Also chest freezers seem to stay cooler on the bottom than the top. Suppose I am pushing the thing beyond it's intended use.

Holds four kegs with not too much extra room. I've only got two kegs in the pictures but trust me I can squeeze in two extras.

Thermostat is the standard Adloheat model that Grain and Grape sells. I've also got one in my fermenting fridge. I've got a third one as well which runs from 30c to 110c for my hot liquor tank.

Warren -

 

[warrenlw63]

Here's a shot of the inside;

Warren -

 

[warrenlw63]

:chug: Finally,

Da thermostat :chug:

 

[kman]

how much was the thermostat?

 

[Booga]

Hi warrenlw63, in regard to your question on how to keep a tower cold, there was quite a few ideas thrown around in the "ebay items" topic. Click here: http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...opic=1700&st=15 and go to page 2 of that topic. Somewhere close to the bottom of that page you will find a post by myself that started the ideas flowing.......flowing much like beer on a hot Sunday arvo around the BBQ

Hope that helps you out a bit.

Booga.

 

[warrenlw63]

G'day Kman,

Thermostats are $99 from Grain and Grape.

http://www.grainandgrape.com.au/equipment.htm

I know you can buy cheaper models that you wire up to the fridge yourself. If your electrical nous basically amounts to the aptitude of a 10w lightbulb like me these models might be more expensive. But you just plug them in and you're away.

Got my first one 6 years ago and it hasn't skipped a beat. Great for fermenting fridges as well.

You can get them for fridges or heating models which are good for lightboxes or HLTs. I can walk out in the morning now and have my sparge water sitting at 75c.

With my freezer model. I just put the probe into a bottle of water. I've also got an aquarium therometer shoved in their as well. Just keeps me in touch with the liquid temps.

Here's a pic of the thermometer. Paid about $25 for it a Dick Smiths.

Warren -

 

[warrenlw63]

Thanks Booga,

I'll go and have a look at it.

I really only encounter problems during summer. I had a hefeweizen on tap that was carbonated to about 110kpa which would foam badly for the first pint. I found that freezing the glasses for about 30 mins. helped this as well.

I've heard some people toying with the idea of using a small aquarium pump and some ice water in the bottom of their freezer (no good for me no room left with 4 kegs). Another elaborate one I've heard of is using glycol and recirculating it around the tower?? I'll read more.

Warren -