Getting Fridge Colder

[jakethedog]

I have recently invested in a fermenting fridge and temp controller. Brewed my ale at 18 degrees. I am in the process of cold conditioning which I have never done before. I turned down the temp controller to zero but the fridge will not go below 5 degrees before its thermostat cuts out. Is there any simple way to change a fridge's thermostat to get it colder? Is 5 degrees adequate for cold conditioning?



Cheers fellow brewers

 

[Nick JD]

I have recently invested in a fermenting fridge and temp controller. Brewed my ale at 18 degrees. I am in the process of cold conditioning which I have never done before. I turned down the temp controller to zero but the fridge will not go below 5 degrees before its thermostat cuts out. Is there any simple way to change a fridge's thermostat to get it colder? Is 5 degrees adequate for cold conditioning?



Cheers fellow brewers

Just checking, but is your fridge set to its maximum coldness?

 

[1975sandman]

Do you have the temperature controller for the fridge itself turned down as low it can go?

Edit: beaten by Nick

 

[kymba]

put a small desk fan in the fridge

 

[gravey]

I have recently invested in a fermenting fridge and temp controller. Brewed my ale at 18 degrees. I am in the process of cold conditioning which I have never done before. I turned down the temp controller to zero but the fridge will not go below 5 degrees before its thermostat cuts out. Is there any simple way to change a fridge's thermostat to get it colder? Is 5 degrees adequate for cold conditioning?



Cheers fellow brewers

Check the accuracy of the temp controller too as it may need an adjustment, though mine seemed bang on out of the box.

I cold condition at 4 degrees for 1 week and get clarity that I am happy with, so I'd think 5 degrees would be fine anyway, though a brewery will probably go a lot closer to zero.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

I've cc'd at 6 degrees (serving temp) - it ends up clear enough.

TBH - good separation of break is the biggest determination of clearness. Cold conditioning is the cherry on top for perfection.

I've cold conditioned at 4 degrees without doing adequate break removal (ran out of flocculent on the day, sucked a little break from he whirlpool).

It was clear enough, but still pretty hazy.

The 6 degree CC beer ended up clearer than the 4 degree beer - because I'd removed the break better.

This is from kegs too, so I've got even that advantage over bottling - and a clear comparison.

Goomba

 

[jakethedog]

Thanks all, was being a bit impatient. After a whole day at 5 degrees it slowly went to down to 3. Good enough for me.

 

[Murdoch]

I bypassed the fridges thermostat & so its direct wired to the compressor
The STC-1000 then controls the temp but it will get as cold as I ask it to

 

[going down a hill]

:icon_offtopic: but I throw as many bottles of water in the freezer as it can take to get a good cold head space, the fridge then doesn't have to work too hard to keep everything cool.

 

[jamiefbacon]

Is this easy to do bypassing thermostat on fridge? I'm having the problem
With keg fridge can't seem to get it below 6 or 7 degrees it's old and was cheap
But be worth trying to bypass thermostat first before I replace it

I bypassed the fridges thermostat & so its direct wired to the compressor
The STC-1000 then controls the temp but it will get as cold as I ask it to

 

[steve78]

Mate, buy a freezer! They are the best for brewing in. I brew two at once, and crash chill them to 1-2C in no time, and no worries. You can bend the sheet elements as well (carefully) and fit two frermenters easily in a freezer of a size smaller than that of a fridge you could fit two fermenters in. Also, if u ever wanted to be adventurous and make an Eisbock you can do it all in the one freezer, don't need to move the beer. There is only one issue that I find, is that you need to keep it clean, as mould can build up, even during one brew, but I am sure its the same in a fridge.

Well worth thinking about!

Steve

 

[Batz]

Is this easy to do bypassing thermostat on fridge? I'm having the problem
With keg fridge can't seem to get it below 6 or 7 degrees it's old and was cheap
But be worth trying to bypass thermostat first before I replace it

If the fridge thermostat is on it's coldest setting and you can't get below 6 or 7 degrees, I'll guess your fridge is not as good as it once was. I doubt if bypassing the thermostat will help, does the fridge run constantly on the coldest setting?

 

[jamiefbacon]

If the fridge thermostat is on it's coldest setting and you can't get below 6 or 7 degrees, I'll guess your fridge is not as good as it once was. I doubt if bypassing the thermostat will help, does the fridge run constantly on the coldest setting?

It is on its coldest setting but does not run constantly that's why I'm thinken if I bypass it and use the temp controller I have it should get colder hopefully

 

[CosmicBertie]

It is on its coldest setting but does not run constantly that's why I'm thinken if I bypass it and use the temp controller I have it should get colder hopefully

I found that my old fermenting fridge that the thermocouple for the thermostat came out of the corner at the back of the fridge and then ran along the back of the cooling plate. Basically, it touches the cooling plate and when the cooling plate is cold enough it turns the fridge off. I just gently pulled the thermocouple out from behind the cooling plate and made sure that it wasnt touching anything essentially meaning that the thermostat was reading the temperature of the air. Then set my STC-1000 to whatever temp I want. The fridge will CC at 2 degrees no problem ( i reckon it'd go colder) and doesnt run continously.

 

[jamiefbacon]

I found that my old fermenting fridge that the thermocouple for the thermostat came out of the corner at the back of the fridge and then ran along the back of the cooling plate. Basically, it touches the cooling plate and when the cooling plate is cold enough it turns the fridge off. I just gently pulled the thermocouple out from behind the cooling plate and made sure that it wasnt touching anything essentially meaning that the thermostat was reading the temperature of the air. Then set my STC-1000 to whatever temp I want. The fridge will CC at 2 degrees no problem ( i reckon it'd go colder) and doesnt run continously.

That sounds easier enough I'll give it a go thanks

 

[Murdoch]

Ifyou find the compressor turns off before you hit the low temp set in your STC-1000(or other external temp controller) generally means the internal thermostat hasreached its minimum setting so turns the fridge off
I couldnt get mine to drop below 4 degrees C with the STC-1000 set at 0-1degree
It would get to about 4 degrees then cut out the compressor but the STC-1000 was still trying to power the compressor
I had a look at where the power lead connects to the fridge & there was aterminal block that sent the power through the thermostat before it went to thecompressor. I just changed the terminal block wiring arrangement so the power leaddirectly fed the compressor with the thermostat now out of the loop. I couldthen achieve any temp I set in the STC-1000, well I tested as low as -2 degreesC.

So maybe if your thermostat is a bit old, out of adjustment or just dodgey youcan achieve more cooling by bypassing it