Silverthorn Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 I've set up my Fermentation Fridge (Westinghouse 300 ltr Fridge Freezer) with a digital thermostat to keep everything at a happy temp during fermentation that's great. [biggrin] I was kind of hoping that the freezer compartment would just by magic hold about the right temp for storing my ready to drink beer. But alas not so!! It still freezes. Not a good solid freeze so that I can store the steaks and sausages for the BBQ in there. Just enough to make it useless for keeping drinking beer cold. Unless you like Beer Slurpies!! Has anybody had luck in regulating/ modifying the freezer compartment so that it can be put to use? A little bit of research tells me that there is only one source of cold air in a fridge and the difference between the fridge and freezer compartments is the amount of air sent to them. Or more accurately the cold air from the freezer is blown into the fridge to cool it down. This leads me to believe that increasing the air flow to the fridge from the freezer would make my fridge colder and cause the digital thermostat to turn the fridge off sooner and hopefully let me balance the temperature between the two. Anybody have any advice or experience with this at all?? And what does everybody else use the freezer section of your fermentation fridge for?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 the problem you face is that setup correctly the fridge should only run for maybe 15 mins an hour... what is your digital controller? Ive got 3 fridges and none of the freezer sections can be used, except for maybe the cold conditioning fridge, which might be ok for something... not that Ive found a use for it though to date.. I't almost impossible, at least not worth the risk / effort to mod a freezer section to run seperate. The two fermenting fridges I have are all fridge (No Freezer Section) and It's my opinion that these Rock The Cazbar.. I can fit 2 fv's in each if I needed to. Its worth keeping your eyes open for these sorts of fridges and upgrading when the chance presents itself. Uploaded with ImageShack.us]All Fridge[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverthorn Posted January 8, 2012 Author Share Posted January 8, 2012 The thermostat I got is this one. I'll probably upgrade to a Heat/Cool thermostat once summer is over and I need a heat pad but I needed one in a hurry and this one was cheep and ready to go. It works fine!! :) I also have two digital thermometers on their way so I can monitor the two compartments separably. Then I can start playing with things. I can see a lot of wisdom in having a fridge from a side by side combo!! Not only do you have room for two FVs but you have temp control over both!! Maybe for my next set up!! But this one only cost a buck and a bit so I can't complain!! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 while the brew is fermenting it generates heat, as activity slows so does the generation of heat, it's at this point when you need something that does dual control. I guess you could use one for the fridge set to 18'c and have another one to control the heat set to 18 also so that the rise and fall is ballenced. Good Luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 The thermostat I got is this one. I'll probably upgrade to a Heat/Cool thermostat once summer is over and I need a heat pad but I needed one in a hurry and this one was cheep and ready to go. It works fine!! :) I also have two digital thermometers on their way so I can monitor the two compartments separably. Then I can start playing with things. I can see a lot of wisdom in having a fridge from a side by side combo!! Not only do you have room for two FVs but you have temp control over both!! Maybe for my next set up!! But this one only cost a buck and a bit so I can't complain!! :) I have the same controller and its been working great for months. I do also have a dual controller i havent wired up yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLTZER Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Im pretty sure you can change the thermostat in the freezer so it works at higher temps, turning it into a fridge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverthorn Posted January 8, 2012 Author Share Posted January 8, 2012 Im pretty sure you can change the thermostat in the freezer so it works at higher temps' date=' turning it into a fridge [/quote'] Any hints as to how??? I only have one temp control nob in the fridge. I was thinking of hole sawing some huge holes between the fridge and freezer to increase the air flow between the two. Risky!! Need to be VERY careful not to hit anything. But then it is a $1.25 fridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 I too am yet to work out a use for the freezer part. However, I do sometimes store my glasses in there. You need your fridge thermostat at the lowest setting. When the fridge turns off it turns off the freezer so when it comes on then obviously the freezer does too. Whilst this is happening you are not going to be able to have frozen items in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregT5 Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 My brew fridge has separate controls in the fridge and freezer sections. I have them set on the coolest setting in the fridge when I am brewing so that when I need the fermenter cooled down it doesn't run the fridge for very long. I use the freezer section for secondary fermenting as it is the right size to hold 30 bottles & my light in a terracotta pot. The thermostat is set at the warmest setting. The reduced space doesn't take long to heat up to the right temp. If it gets too warm the fridge only runs for about 30 seconds to bring the temp down to 18 degrees. I find the fridge doesn't run much at all when I am brewing, even though it is outside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Yeah I agree... once your wort reaches the temp programmed then it is only minimal time that the fridge or heat source turns on to regulate it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverthorn Posted January 9, 2012 Author Share Posted January 9, 2012 I'm not able to play much with things at the moment because I don't want to upset the brew that is in the fridge but it has reached stable FG so I'll have a chance to pull things apart soon. I'll try hard to resist the temptation to do another brew immediately and wait until the digital thermometers arrive so I can experiment with settings etc. without impacting a brew. I haven't thought too much about heating yet because winter is a long way away but I guess I'll need to think it all through carefully so I can hopefully put the space to good use all year round. I may find out it's a lost cause and store my glasses in there like Bill but it seems a waste to be cooling down such a large area for no good purpose.[annoyed] While I'm at it I need to look at a stronger shelf for the FV because the standard wire rack one bows terribly under the weight so something more substantial and a better use of the remaining space with some shelving will be good as well. I have a theory (just a theory, I could be wrong) but I'm trying to store all my equipment in the fermentation fridge as well, believing that the CO2 blanket that protects the brew from infection once it fills the fridge will also reduce the chance of infection on spoons, funnels etc. Not a replacement for careful sterilization but I'm thinking that if the equipment is kept in a reasonably sterile environment it should be easier for the sterilizing solution to do it's job. Oh and by the way, while I'm bouncing around from topic to topic. I'd love to try some of the Coopers Sanitizer I hear about but can't seem to find it for sale anywhere. My local Home Brew shop is USELESS in every way!! I can't seem to find it on line except on the US version of the Coopers site. Anyone know where to get it on line in AU? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairy Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 I'd love to try some of the Coopers Sanitizer The Coopers Sanitiser is Sodium Percarbonate. This is the same active ingredient that is in Napisan. So you can buy cheap generic brand 'unscented' nappy wash from the supermarket and do the same job. This is more of a cleaner though. If you are after a sanitiser then you should get some Starsan or Iodophor (both from Home Brew Shops). I use Starsan and really recommend it. If your LHBS doesn't stock it you can buy it online from places like Craftbrewer (see link below): Starsan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 In Aust you can get the Coopers product at Big W and Kmart. +1 to Napisan and Starsan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 I forgot to mention, if you have a fridge and your beer has finished fermenting then leave it for a few days then drop your fridge to around 2C to CC it for a few days more. This will help drop everything out of suspension and clear your beer up a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverthorn Posted January 9, 2012 Author Share Posted January 9, 2012 Thanks Bill, Temp down to 3 deg and learning some patience!! Not one of my strong points!! Hairy, I think it'll be the Starsan for me. The whole foam in contact leave in thing makes a lot of sense. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trusty1 Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 I forgot to mention' date=' if you have a fridge and your beer has finished fermenting then leave it for a few days then drop your fridge to around 2C to CC it for a few days more. This will help drop everything out of suspension and clear your beer up a lot.[/quote'] Sounds like your freezer in your current setup will be best used to cool glasses! N.B. NEW BREWERS - Anyone without a brew fridge can just slap their FV to get a clearer beer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregT5 Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 While I'm at it I need to look at a stronger shelf for the FV because the standard wire rack one bows terribly under the weight so something more substantial and a better use of the remaining space with some shelving will be good as well. I made a simple "shelf" out of 2 pieces of angle iron to sit my fermenter on. It's probably the strongest part of the fridge at the moment but it was all I had in the shed at the time. The good news is the fermenter will never fall through. It also allows heat from my heat source to rise up from below where it is situated. For heating I just use a light bulb mounted in 2 terracotta plant pots, one on top of the other. The bulb heats up the pots & it holds heat for a while after the light switches off when the temp controller registers that the set temp is reached. Seems to work OK for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 and before too long you will have 3 fridges as I do... fridge 1: set to 18'c - week 1 fridge 2: Set to 19 for 3 days 20 for 4 days - week 2 Fridge 3: set to 1-2'c (depending on my mood) - week 3 [lol] of course... I also had to buy a house and shed to put them in [lol] Uploaded with ImageShack.us]My Fridges[/url] I can now, if I choose have up to 5 going at once... I do however choose to have 3 as that is my cycle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverthorn Posted January 9, 2012 Author Share Posted January 9, 2012 Yob that's what I'm (read my wife is) afraid of!! [innocent] You look like you have a Man Cave... [cool] Lucky you!! We run an on line business from home and our very large shed is FULL of women's shoes (about 3500 pairs to be more precise). No room for beer so my set up is sharing common ground on the back veranda with the BBQ. It has to be "Aesthetically pleasing and minimalistic" The bride is very understanding and a great girl but I don't want to push it!! She supports my love of beer and even pretends to be interested when I go off into one of my long winded rants about what I want to do next and how FREAKIN great it's gona be. So I don't want to take that for granted. For Now I'm going to try and keep it to one (maybe two at the most :) fridges. Compromise is a beach but "Happy Wife Happy Life" !!! [roll] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 women only allowed in to clean (I wish) and ooh and ahh... no shoes in the brew shed!! [lol] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 My daughter is 3yo and she currently has 37 pairs of shoes!!... bloody SWMBO wont stop buying them for her. However, no shoe storage in the brew house!! 2 fridges is bare minimum I reckon..... one for brewing the other for lagers and CC [kissing] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weggl Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Yob, ya must be single? No one with a wife could ever get so far. If not single post your method of wife training, plenty of blokes here would sure appreciate the advice. Do you need a blow up of me in the budgies to put on one of the fridges? Second thoughts, would attract too many females[crying] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 9, 2012 Share Posted January 9, 2012 Yob, ya must be single? No one with a wife could ever get so far. If not single post your method of wife training, plenty of blokes here would sure appreciate the advice. Or I could say with the right one I have got this far [lol] [love] The latest all fridge upgrade I got (the one on the left.. the big fan forced nice one) was because of her, she got it for me!! Yob's Marital Advice Line opens here.. there's 2 sayings that work for me an life.. Happy Wife = Happy Life + Treat em mean and keep em keen. The trick, much like brewing, is all in thr ballence.. if you get the ballence out of whack then she dont taste too good, the trick is to know when to add the hops and what malt to use to get some sweetness... and a small bit of sugar doesnt hurt every now and again [lol] [bandit] Yob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverthorn Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 women only allowed in to clean (I wish) and ooh and ahh... no shoes in the brew shed!! [lol] Unfortunately for me it's no Brew in the Shoe shed. Apparently expensive womens pumps are not supposed to smell of hops. Dono why it would certainly make the woman wearing them INSTANTLY about 75% more attractive to men!! [love] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silverthorn Posted January 10, 2012 Author Share Posted January 10, 2012 Yob I hear ya and I have an adjunct to that. It's the kick and cuddle principle. We always remember clearest the last thing that happened last. If you need to give a kick always follow up with a cuddle (the cuddle you can literally do but the kick is only a figure of speech and it's not advisable to take that part literally LOL!!). Doing it the other way around is like pitching your yeast first then adding your ingredients. You may get the desired result but BY GOD you're asking for trouble!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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