Temperature Control

[marky_mark]

Hey Guys,

I've seen alot of people are using the FridgeMate digital temperature controller kit to control the temperature of their fermentation fridges... but they are being used as a toggle for the main power supply of the fridge.

I have a large, two-door, split fridge & freezer that i've been using to larger beer in and I want to convert it for lager fermentations in the coming summer months.

My question is, can I use two of these FridgeMate controllers to control the temperatures of both my freezer side and my refridgerator side independently of one another, by replacing the existing thermostats in each side??

If so, how would one go about it?

Thanks in advance guys.

Cheers,

Mark

 

[Justin]

Honestly, I don't know the exact answer here so take it for what it's worth but my understanding is that these 2 door split fridge/freezers run off the one compressor-so therefore you can't actually control the two parts independently.

Your fridge may be different but the one I had was as I described so I could only control the temp in one of the compartments. It would have been kick ass if I could have controlled the two compartments independently because they both fitted a fermenter each. That fridge died anyway.

I think basically they work by chilling the freezer compartment and then funnelling cold air from the freezer into the fridge. The fridge compartment has the thermostat in it and thatis where the temp is measured and controlled from.

Someone else may have experience but ultimately it's up to you to work out if your specific fridge model has two thermostats and two compressors and if it will do what you propose. I'm guessing you won't have individual control though sorry.

Cheers, Justin

 

[THE DRUNK ARAB]

My fermentation fridge is a two door fridge/freezer but it only had one thermostat. I replaced this with the Koki 52 temperature controller and use the fridge part for fermenting beer in. The freezer does not work as efficiently with ale temps dialed up. I haven't specifically measured the freezer temps but melted ice-blocks were enough to prove the freezer was not as such.

C&B
TDA

 

[BrissyBrew]

Hey Guys,

I've seen alot of people are using the FridgeMate digital temperature controller kit to control the temperature of their fermentation fridges... but they are being used as a toggle for the main power supply of the fridge.

I have a large, two-door, split fridge & freezer that i've been using to larger beer in and I want to convert it for lager fermentations in the coming summer months.

My question is, can I use two of these FridgeMate controllers to control the temperatures of both my freezer side and my refridgerator side independently of one another, by replacing the existing thermostats in each side??

If so, how would one go about it?

Thanks in advance guys.

Cheers,

Mark

It depends on the fridge and your ability to do a few more things. First of all as pointed out does the unit have just one compressor, can the freezer be cooling and the fridge not, if they have separate thermostats is might be possible. For separate thermostats try this turn one up to max, and the other to min, measure the temperature over time in both the fridge side and the freezer side. Then reverse the settings, turn the one set to max to min and vice versa. If you get a difference it might be possible to control each half separately, but then you need to be able to bypass the current thermostat and put a fridgemate in instead, unless you know what you are doing and are qualified I would not recommend it.