Fermentation fridge?

[Leo53]

Ok. I have some questions.

A clapped out fridge that only needs to maintain 21degrees.

Does the seal need to be perfect or sealed/enclosed environment good/bad for the fermentation process? My initial thoughts a totally sealed environ, not so good. 

What measurement cube capacity to accommodate two similar ferms. 

Omg, loving retirement!

[Otto Von Blotto]

Well, a working fridge would be easier but a buggered one will still work. You'll probably just have to use ice bricks or something in it for cooling. It's fine being fully sealed and will maintain temp better that way anyway, as long as nothing can get into the fermenter itself.

[The Captain!!]

Same as above, I’d keep an eye on the ferment temp in a fridge as fermentation creates heat, if the heat is not knocked back it could makes your ferment hotter. 

I’d just watch your first ferment and see how the fridge performs. After all, you have all the time in the world ha ha half ya luck Leo. 

[Leo53]

Thanks. I will give it a try.

 

[King Ruddager]

The seal on my fridge is kaput too, but fermentation temperatures are often close to ambient temps anyway so no big deal

[SmellMyFinger]

 I bought this fridge off gumtree for $100. Bought the heater bands fans off ebay for $50. I got the stainless free from scrap at work. Panel cost me $300 to make.

[The Captain!!]

WOW. That’s a lot of effort for a normal bloke. 

Good  on ya

[Titan]

Taking temperature control to the next level. Love your work.

[SmellMyFinger]

Thanks fellas.

I'm thinking about building a second one.

Probably look at using a raspberry PI 3.

[Leo53]

Omg! Smelly that is awesome.......

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

Yup. Thats next level!!!

[YeastyBoy]

That's a control panel. Very Impressive.

Have an old Fridge and was going to pull the trigger on a Inkbird ITC 308 AU to do Temp control. Going low tech, real low tech.

Any one use one, recommend it or have a better alternative??

Cheers

[Otto Von Blotto]

I use an stc 1000 which is pretty much the same in terms of how to use it. Works fine. 

[YeastyBoy]

Bang - deal done $40 FIS. Review to follow. Ales & Lagers in summer here we come.

[Boot Straps]

I picked up a STC 1000 earlier in the year, bought an electric power box and a couple of outlets from bunnings.  Had a lecky mate of mine attach them to each side of the box for heat and cool and it works like a dream. You can get the wiring directions off google, it is so easy.

[Wobbly74]

I've gone the convoluted route

I use a raspberry pi for my 1V control using craftbeerpi and added an esp8266 on the fridge hooked up to fermentrack (based on brewpi) running on the pi. You can also get a stand alone flash for the esp that does the whole brewpi thing by itself. All hooked together via wifi using pid temp control algorithms and and programmable / accessible over local network and Web. Requires lots of tinkering and soldering. My soldering is much like I describe myself - not great to look at but quite functional 

Probably way more effort than its worth, but I like tinkering and pretty graphs

[Greenyinthewestofsydney]

2 hours ago, Wobbly74 said:

I've gone the convoluted route

I use a raspberry pi for my 1V control using craftbeerpi and added an esp8266 on the fridge hooked up to fermentrack (based on brewpi) running on the pi. You can also get a stand alone flash for the esp that does the whole brewpi thing by itself. All hooked together via wifi using pid temp control algorithms and and programmable / accessible over local network and Web. Requires lots of tinkering and soldering. My soldering is much like I describe myself - not great to look at but quite functional 

Probably way more effort than its worth, but I like tinkering and pretty graphs

My head almost exploded from reading your post. No idea what you were talking about but it looks like a neat setup.

[Wobbly74]

[Pickles Jones]

If you need good seals in your brew fridge door may be partly answered in your next electricity bill!

As it was for me. 

Cost of new seals recouped very quickly.

[Otto Von Blotto]

Yeah I had to replace mine a couple of years ago. They were about 60 years old, literally, and gone hard. Didn't make much difference at ferment temp but with cold conditioning it certainly did.

[karlos_1984]

I might have finally gotten SWMBO on side with getting a separate fermentation fridge. Coming into summer, she's a bit over my beers and her ciders being in the kitchen fridge because I'm using our 12v Waeco (usually the drinks fridge running on 240v) as a fermentation fridge.

"Well I'd better just find a cheap fridge off gumtree and put it in the shed for the home brew, so we can still use the camp fridge for our drinks..."

I didn't get a knock back, so I reckon that's a goer

[jackgym]

On 12/9/2018 at 3:05 PM, karlos_1984 said:

I might have finally gotten SWMBO on side with getting a separate fermentation fridge. Coming into summer, she's a bit over my beers and her ciders being in the kitchen fridge because I'm using our 12v Waeco (usually the drinks fridge running on 240v) as a fermentation fridge.

"Well I'd better just find a cheap fridge off gumtree and put it in the shed for the home brew, so we can still use the camp fridge for our drinks..."

I didn't get a knock back, so I reckon that's a goer

Just do it!

It's easier to seek forgiveness than permission.  

[YeastyBoy]

Fridge & Inkbird 308 looking the goods, summer lager brewing no worries.

[Beerlust]

On 11/24/2018 at 2:25 PM, SmellMyFinger said:

 I bought this fridge off gumtree for $100. Bought the heater bands fans off ebay for $50. I got the stainless free from scrap at work. Panel cost me $300 to make.

What is the current temperature on the moon? 

Cheers,

Lusty.

[grogdog]

grow some balls @karlos_1984 you are under the thumb