Youngie Posted December 7, 2017 Share Posted December 7, 2017 I had the worst day EVER!! It started well!! I got up at 0500 to do my final brew for the year and it was a simple pale ale which was going to be my Christmas beer. I hit my numbers and then chilled into my fermenter and realised that I had forgot my brew bright which wasn’t really a big deal. After my fermenter was full I attached my temperature probe to the outside and set my controller to 18 degrees but the controller wouldn’t switch the fridge on which frustrated me quite a bit so I decided to run the fridge until my temperature control box read 18. When the fermenter reached 18 degrees I turned it off and thought that the temperature should hold pretty steady but when it started to climb I would just stick the fridge back on for 1-2 hours and chill it back to 18 and repeat. It was pretty hot where I live today and my fridge is in my garage up the back which gets hot so tonight I went and attempted to put the fridge back on for a while and now the fridge won’t work. I’m screwed, )$&@ )$&@ )$&@ Youngie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBoy Posted December 7, 2017 Share Posted December 7, 2017 5am to put on a brew is dedication For my 2 cents worth perhaps an option for now is to freeze some 2ltr coke bottles with water as a temporary temp controll with your brew inside the fridge until you get it fixed... the temp will probably fluctuate a bit as you work out whether you need one or two ice bottles to keep the temp you want... but probably alot better than a 30deg fermented brew. all the best. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qlander Posted December 7, 2017 Share Posted December 7, 2017 I had the worst day EVER!! Youngie HI Youngie I just wonder what temp controller you are using. I use one from Mangrove Jacks (1 powerpoint Modell) and it did this to me a few weeks ago. Put a brew down and got ready to go to Hervey Bay for an extended weekend. Then noticed the temp was at 22 deg. ( 18 set ) and did not kick in. Panic set in but kept cool, turned everything off reset a couple of times and then it worked. I am sure there is something wrong with the controller, will have a good look next brew this weekend and buy a new one if need be. Has anyone else had problems with M'Jacks controllers?? Carl. Sunny Coast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youngie Posted December 7, 2017 Author Share Posted December 7, 2017 I had the worst day EVER!! Youngie HI Youngie I just wonder what temp controller you are using. I use one from Mangrove Jacks (1 powerpoint Modell) and it did this to me a few weeks ago. Put a brew down and got ready to go to Hervey Bay for an extended weekend. Then noticed the temp was at 22 deg. ( 18 set ) and did not kick in. Panic set in but kept cool' date=' turned everything off reset a couple of times and then it worked. I am sure there is something wrong with the controller, will have a good look next brew this weekend and buy a new one if need be. Has anyone else had problems with M'Jacks controllers?? Carl. Sunny Coast[/quote'] I am actually using the Mangrove Jacks dual temperature controller. It isn’t that old so I contacted the retailer and I am waiting for their action and response. Youngie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youngie Posted December 7, 2017 Author Share Posted December 7, 2017 5am to put on a brew is dedication For my 2 cents worth perhaps an option for now is to freeze some 2ltr coke bottles with water as a temporary temp controll with your brew inside the fridge until you get it fixed... the temp will probably fluctuate a bit as you work out whether you need one or two ice bottles to keep the temp you want... but probably alot better than a 30deg fermented brew. all the best. John I cleared out my keg fridge and I will try the same turn on/turn off method until I break that fridge too ha ha ha Youngie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristinaS1 Posted December 8, 2017 Share Posted December 8, 2017 I have had good luck with Inkbird controllers, both the DIY wiring and the pre-wired versions. Can't beat the pre-wired ones for convenience. If the outside temp is hot, and you have it in a garage, you may overwork your fridge. Best to keep the fridge in a cool spot in the house. Also, good idea to fill up the empty spaces in the fridge with bottles of water, to increase the thermal mass. If you have no choice but to keep your fridge in your garage, consider gluing more rigid insulation to the outside of the fridge, and covering it with tin foil. Meanwhile, I doubt adding two bottles of frozen water to a broken fridge would keep the temp inside at target, if the ambient temps are hot....Blue ice packs are better, and you may need more than two. Cheers, Christina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youngie Posted December 8, 2017 Author Share Posted December 8, 2017 I have had good luck with Inkbird controllers' date=' both the DIY wiring and the pre-wired versions. Can't beat the pre-wired ones for convenience. If the outside temp is hot, and you have it in a garage, you may overwork your fridge. Best to keep the fridge in a cool spot in the house. Also, good idea to fill up the empty spaces in the fridge with bottles of water, to increase the thermal mass. If you have no choice but to keep your fridge in your garage, consider gluing more rigid insulation to the outside of the fridge, and covering it with tin foil. Meanwhile, I doubt adding two bottles of frozen water to a broken fridge would keep the temp inside at target, if the ambient temps are hot....Blue ice packs are better, and you may need more than two. Cheers, Christina.[/quote'] Good advice Christina but I have no choice. I have a really small house and the garage is the only option for now. If only someone would hurry up and buy my house!! On a positive note, when/if I move we get a new inside fridge and I get the current inside fridge. It looks like this current brew may be a write off. Youngie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnBoy Posted December 8, 2017 Share Posted December 8, 2017 I have an old fridge in my rumpus room that is just a shell with no compressor etc... i have it setup so i can have 2 fermenters brewing inside... ive got one brew now sitting perfectly at 18deg... it does get hot in adelaide from time to time... Meanwhile, I doubt adding two bottles of frozen water to a broken fridge would keep the temp inside at target, if the ambient temps are hot….Blue ice packs are better, and you may need more than two. so ive got it down to an art now by using 2 and 3ltr frozen water bottles when necessary and switching them in and out of a rack that catches condensation off them. alot of times the temp stays pretty stable (I dont let the frozen bottles lean the bottles against the brew either) i have digital thermometers that display on the outside of my fridge that show the temp of the brews and ambient temp inside the fridge... i have done lagers at 13deg during summer aswell... if the brew is warm to start with i use 4 or so bottles to start to drop the temp before fermentation starts, I just wanted to say that it can be done... I dont want to purchase/get another working fridge purely for fermentation purposes, and the bottles of water live in a deep freeze that we already have... so im sure someone will say im wrong in doing it this way, but it works for me... john :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youngie Posted December 8, 2017 Author Share Posted December 8, 2017 I admire your dedication JohnBoy. I will source another cheap fridge because I like the idea of putting the fermenter in the fridge, setting the temperature on the controller and coming back in a few days. Youngie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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