Protecting my cold crash fridge

[BobtheBrewer]

I used to cold crash in an old chest freezer using a tempmate controller. It decided to retire so I now have a fridge to do the same job. I realize that it takes a fair while to drop the temp of a fermenter from 18C to 2C (which is the temp I cold crash at), and I am concerned that the continual running of this fridge may see it take the retirement option too. I have the delay set at 2 mins I think (I've lost the directions for the tempmate). Do I need to give it more of a break while it is dragging the temp down?

Bob

 

[Truman42]

Bob it would be no different to you turning the fridge on warm and wanting it to pull down to 2c when you just put a heap of warm soft drink bottles in it.
That won't hurt the fridge at all. The delay is only for when the fridge is about to start after having stopped for awhile so 2 mins is fine.

 

[BobtheBrewer]

Thanks Truman, you have put my mind at rest.

 

[Bribie G]

Hi Bob, how's the curry going.

I've used a few different fridges for cold crashing from old donated clunkers to my current "dedicated" kegmate and they have all done a good job. As opposed to a chest freezer the main point of heat loss and inefficiency seems to be the door and seals, you could benefit by getting a metre of this stuff from Clark Rubber and making a barrier between the FV and the door to form an "cold well" in the fridge so it doesn't turn on and off so often.



or steal a real estate corflute sign

 

[BobtheBrewer]

Thanks for the tip Micheal. Curry going well but still trying to get the other half to eat more of it. I note that the curry recipe site appears to have taken a dive,

Bob

 

[Rowy]

Hi Bob, how's the curry going.

I've used a few different fridges for cold crashing from old donated clunkers to my current "dedicated" kegmate and they have all done a good job. As opposed to a chest freezer the main point of heat loss and inefficiency seems to be the door and seals, you could benefit by getting a metre of this stuff from Clark Rubber and making a barrier between the FV and the door to form an "cold well" in the fridge so it doesn't turn on and off so often.

clark rubber.jpg

or steal a real estate corflute sign

That is a cracker of an idea Bribie! I'm off to Clark Rubber................but then again the house nextdoor is for sale at the moment h34r: