Fridge/Freezer - run fridge as controlled fermenter and keep freezer as freezer?

[lonte]

Hi all, firstly apologies if this is already covered somewhere - I did a search and couldn't find precisely what I was after so here is a new thread.

I have an upright Fridge/Freezer (Westinghouse Model BJ514V-R if that helps) that I would like to use the Fridge section for fermenting (using my trusty old Mash Master Fridge Mate controller) while retaining the freezer as, well, a freezer - for hop storage, making ice for the chiller, main house freezer overflow, whatever. Is this possible? I'm kind of hoping that fridges have two circuits, one for the freezer and one for the fridge and I can intercept the fridge circuit with a controller while leaving the freezer circuit untouched to work as normal. So, instead of switching the mains on/off, the controller will intercept some internal wire in the fridge. Do fridge/freezers even work that way?

Controller is currently wired up with mains connections as an extension lead to switch on/off a chest freezer, which is working fine but I see a lot of advantages in using the fridge instead (it fits two fermenters, don't break my back loading unloading over the edge of the chest freezer, kegging straight from the fridge). I also have a couple of Raspi boxes, temp probes and relay units I could rig up a new controller if required.

Either way I'm looking to use the fridge in place of the chest freezer because of the advantages listed above, just looking for the extra bonus of having use of the fridge-freezer too. I have a qualified electrician mate to turn to to do the wiring if it concerns anyone I'm setting myself up for a zap.

As always, thanks to all in advance for any advice. On on, Lonte.

 

[kadmium]

Yeah it is possible, pretty sure the old style temp controllers wired directly into the fridge.

I would think that if you have a dual compressor fridge it should be fairly simple, but not alot of fridges are dual compressor.

If it's a single compressor it will run the compressor for the freezer, but have a valve and only circulate air for the fridge if the fridge needs cooling or vice versa.

So I think it would be harder to wire up as you would essentially be needing to control the fan / valve to circulate cold air to the fridge as opposed to cycling on that separate system in the case of a dual compressor.

 

[lonte]

Thanks for that. Looks like I'll just use the fridge. I've set some temp probes up and simulated a ferment for a couple of days and the freezer section goes way warm above zero during the fridge cycle off.

 

[kadmium]

Yeah, I ended up getting a fridge off gumtree cause I was tired of not having the freezer section on the big fridge in the garage.

 

[Eddy Monsoon]

I've got Fridge Freezer, where the Fridge has given up, but the Freezer is still working OK.

That means they are separable I'd guess

 

[kadmium]

I've got Fridge Freezer, where the Fridge has given up, but the Freezer is still working OK.

That means they are separable I'd guess

Yep, could be either a compressor has given up or the fan depending on how it runs!

 

[djebel]

I use the freezer section on my converted fridge (picked it up off the side of the road, turned it into a kegerator).