Modifying Those Little In-fridge Freezers

[sponge]

Hey EVOSTi,

my fermenting fridge is exactly the same as the one in the first pic. Didn't need to bend anything to make the fermenter fit. With an s shaped airlock attached I have about 10mm clearance below the freezer compartment.

Can post a pic this evening if you want.

gary

Or just use the old faithful gladwrap technique, and you will have plenty of space

Sponge

 

[EVOSTi]

i just took some measurements.
my fermenter is 52cm tall without the airlock.
my fridge from the compressor hump/bottom shelf to the freezer is 45cm, and the freezer is 12cm tall.

so even if i were to completely flatten the freezer (unlikely) id only have 5cm for the airlock.

i think ill start investigating a shorter fermenter before i mod the freezer. any suggestions as to where to get one?

 

[schooey]

Look for a bigger fridge, dude, they're a dime a dozen at the moment

 

[EVOSTi]

just had a quick look on ebay and bar fridges are going for around $100- $150. a 25L pail fermenter is $30 from home brew supplies. just waiting for them to get back to me with a height measurement and i might go that way. saves buying a fridge when this one was free and im a tight arse

 

[ausdb]

Hmm, never looked too much into doing this, but always wanted more room in my fridge.

How hard is it to do. My beer fridge fits two kegs in it, but the tops are close to the freezer, so the beer line occasionally freezes. Also I could probably fit 3 kegs if the freezer was removed. If it were easy to bend, Id consider stuffing around with it.

My fridge is probably much easier than everyone elses as theres only one curve I need to worry about. See pic attached.

Any thoughts?

That looks like it fits into the "do-able" category, read the posts above and make your own decision

 

[justsomeguy]

Here's a pic of my fridge. Same as the one in the first pic.



Two 20 litre jerrycans complete with heaters and airlocks in there. Not much room to spare though

I haven't even bent the freezer compartment so it can be done. Look for fermenters that will fit first rather than bending stuff around. Much cheaper.

gary

 

[KGB]

I agree, have a look for a fermenter that will fit first.

My barfridge was similar but the freezer was effectively an upside-down version of yours - cooling lines across the top and sides, plain 'floor' rivetted in. All I had to do was drill out the rivets and remove the floor of the freezer section and it opened all up into one 'big' compartment and now it just fits with the standard coopers fermenter plus S-airlock.

You can always use the gladwrap method instead of the airlock, or a blowoff tube if you like.