Shamus O'Sean Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 I'll start off a new fail thread for 2024 and I think already have won the chocolates. How do you kill a brand new fermenting fridge? Put a heat belt on a glass shelf in the top quarter of the fridge when you are brewing a lager at 12°C and adjust the heat to 18°C for a diacetyl rest. Temperature controller probe attached to outside of FV in the bottom of the fridge. Hard for heat in the upper zone to get down to the FV. Therefore heat belt must have been on for hours. Goodness knows how hot it got in there. Well hot enough for the plastic lining of the fridge to bubble. Hot enough to completely distort the plastic door shelves also sitting at the back of the shelf. Hot enough to melt the control buttons and light cover. Hot enough that the wiring behind the controller got frazzled. The fridge still came on, but the risk of shorting/arcing is too much. Also, goodness knows what it might have done to the coolant lines in the walls. The new fridge is bound for hard rubbish. Either that or a very expensive insulated chamber. 1 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iBooz2 Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 11 minutes ago, Shamus O'Sean said: I'll start off a new fail thread for 2024 and I think already have won the chocolates. How do you kill a brand new fermenting fridge? Put a heat belt on a glass shelf in the top quarter of the fridge when you are brewing a lager at 12°C and adjust the heat to 18°C for a diacetyl rest. Temperature controller probe attached to outside of FV in the bottom of the fridge. Hard for heat in the upper zone to get down to the FV. Therefore heat belt must have been on for hours. Goodness knows how hot it got in there. Well hot enough for the plastic lining of the fridge to bubble. Hot enough to completely distort the plastic door shelves also sitting at the back of the shelf. Hot enough to melt the control buttons and light cover. Hot enough that the wiring behind the controller got frazzled. The fridge still came on, but the risk of shorting/arcing is too much. Also, goodness knows what it might have done to the coolant lines in the walls. The new fridge is bound for hard rubbish. Either that or a very expensive insulated chamber. OH DEAR! Sorry but you cannot have mine 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoppy81 Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 33 minutes ago, Shamus O'Sean said: I'll start off a new fail thread for 2024 and I think already have won the chocolates. How do you kill a brand new fermenting fridge? Put a heat belt on a glass shelf in the top quarter of the fridge when you are brewing a lager at 12°C and adjust the heat to 18°C for a diacetyl rest. Temperature controller probe attached to outside of FV in the bottom of the fridge. Hard for heat in the upper zone to get down to the FV. Therefore heat belt must have been on for hours. Goodness knows how hot it got in there. Well hot enough for the plastic lining of the fridge to bubble. Hot enough to completely distort the plastic door shelves also sitting at the back of the shelf. Hot enough to melt the control buttons and light cover. Hot enough that the wiring behind the controller got frazzled. The fridge still came on, but the risk of shorting/arcing is too much. Also, goodness knows what it might have done to the coolant lines in the walls. The new fridge is bound for hard rubbish. Either that or a very expensive insulated chamber. Wow, that's crazy. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamus O'Sean Posted January 26 Author Share Posted January 26 12 minutes ago, iBooz2 said: OH DEAR! Sorry but you cannot have mine I can laugh now. However, I wasn't at the time. When I got home, having set the temp to 18°C before I went to work, the first thing I looked at was the Inkbird temperature controller outside the fridge. It read 18°C, so I thought "nice". When I opened the door, I thought fire-truck, without the "ire-tr". Just now, Hoppy81 said: Holy sh*t man, that's full on, lucky a fire didn't break out. That was my next thought. Hopefully my bad luck is a warning to other brewers. By the way @iBooz2, I will not be needing that aluminium shelf now. I will have to put a Rapt fermentation chamber on my Christmas wish list. Might have to wait until SWMBO has cooled down a bit though. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoppy81 Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 1 minute ago, Shamus O'Sean said: I can laugh now. However, I wasn't at the time. When I got home, having set the temp to 18°C before I went to work, the first thing I looked at was the Inkbird temperature controller outside the fridge. It read 18°C, so I thought "nice". When I opened the door, I thought fire-truck, without the "ire-tr". That was my next thought. Hopefully my bad luck is a warning to other brewers. By the way @iBooz2, I will not be needing that aluminium shelf now. I will have to put a Rapt fermentation chamber on my Christmas wish list. Might have to wait until SWMBO has cooled down a bit though. Not sure what happened to my post, it failed to post then I re-wrote it and it still didn't show posted, oh well haha. I run 2 of the rapt chambers, can highly recommend them mate, just about to get a third. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDT2 Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 2 hours ago, Shamus O'Sean said: I'll start off a new fail thread for 2024 and I think already have won the chocolates. How do you kill a brand new fermenting fridge? Put a heat belt on a glass shelf in the top quarter of the fridge when you are brewing a lager at 12°C and adjust the heat to 18°C for a diacetyl rest. Temperature controller probe attached to outside of FV in the bottom of the fridge. Hard for heat in the upper zone to get down to the FV. Therefore heat belt must have been on for hours. Goodness knows how hot it got in there. Well hot enough for the plastic lining of the fridge to bubble. Hot enough to completely distort the plastic door shelves also sitting at the back of the shelf. Hot enough to melt the control buttons and light cover. Hot enough that the wiring behind the controller got frazzled. The fridge still came on, but the risk of shorting/arcing is too much. Also, goodness knows what it might have done to the coolant lines in the walls. The new fridge is bound for hard rubbish. Either that or a very expensive insulated chamber. Exactly why I don’t like heat belts I think they can be quite dangerous as they get so hot, I much prefer the heat pad larger not lager surface area so doesn’t need to produce so much intense heat to be effective! I used a heat belt when I first started brewing and it turned the outer casing black that was enough of a warning for me! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDT2 Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 @Shamus O'Sean just remembered you had to get the brand new fridge too, sorry to hear about it mate! Hope you can stay in the house 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamus O'Sean Posted January 26 Author Share Posted January 26 25 minutes ago, RDT2 said: Exactly why I don’t like heat belts I think they can be quite dangerous as they get so hot, I much prefer the heat pad larger not lager surface area so doesn’t need to produce so much intense heat to be effective! I used a heat belt when I first started brewing and it turned the outer casing black that was enough of a warning for me! Full disclosure: The heat belt in the photo was not the one that actually did the damage. The one in the photo is from Kegland and is about 3 times cooler than my other one. I can touch it when it is heating. The one that stuffed the fridge is a reddish colour and I got it from eBay. It is too hot to pick up when it is powered up. Maybe I should have gone with black in the new fridge. 25 minutes ago, RDT2 said: @Shamus O'Sean just remembered you had to get the brand new fridge too, sorry to hear about it mate! Hope you can stay in the house Funny thing was I was sh1tting bricks when I told SWMBO. Initially, when she looked at the damage, she just said sh1t. Then she just laughed. She took it extremely well. Especially considering how bad it could have gone. I am still in the house. But tomorrow's brew day is on hold because I now only have one fermenting chamber and my Coopers Australian Lager has been moved into it. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uhtred Of Beddanburg Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 33 minutes ago, RDT2 said: Exactly why I don’t like heat belts I think they can be quite dangerous as they get so hot, I much prefer the heat pad larger not lager surface area so doesn’t need to produce so much intense heat to be effective! I used a heat belt when I first started brewing and it turned the outer casing black that was enough of a warning for me! Same here not interested in heat belts for that reason. Heat pads don't get hot enough to do anything like that. Still condolences SOS 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classic Brewing Co Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 11 hours ago, Shamus O'Sean said: I'll start off a new fail thread for 2024 and I think already have won the chocolates. How do you kill a brand new fermenting fridge? Put a heat belt on a glass shelf in the top quarter of the fridge when you are brewing a lager at 12°C and adjust the heat to 18°C for a diacetyl rest. Temperature controller probe attached to outside of FV in the bottom of the fridge. Hard for heat in the upper zone to get down to the FV. Therefore heat belt must have been on for hours. Goodness knows how hot it got in there. Well hot enough for the plastic lining of the fridge to bubble. Hot enough to completely distort the plastic door shelves also sitting at the back of the shelf. Hot enough to melt the control buttons and light cover. Hot enough that the wiring behind the controller got frazzled. The fridge still came on, but the risk of shorting/arcing is too much. Also, goodness knows what it might have done to the coolant lines in the walls. The new fridge is bound for hard rubbish. Either that or a very expensive insulated chamber. Sorry to hear about your fridge Shamus, a similar thing happened to a mate of mine years ago except it wasn't a new fridge. He had the heat belt sitting on the floor of the fridge as he reckoned as heat rises, it will be OK. Wrong, it got so hot there was steam coming from the fermenter, so the brew was cattled as was the fridge. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussiekraut Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 11 hours ago, Hoppy81 said: I run 2 of the rapt chambers, can highly recommend them mate, just about to get a third. Sorry for hijacking the thread here. What are they like? Will they hold 2 Coopers fermenters at the same time? Do they have two zones to ensure both fermenters are at the same temp or is it like any other fridge, big enough to hold 2 fermenters, where the air temp is controlled but not the fermenter itself? I've thought about one a few times but getting the idea past SWMBO won't be easy unless there is a real need like one of the current fridges dying. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoppy81 Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 2 hours ago, Aussiekraut said: Sorry for hijacking the thread here. What are they like? Will they hold 2 Coopers fermenters at the same time? Do they have two zones to ensure both fermenters are at the same temp or is it like any other fridge, big enough to hold 2 fermenters, where the air temp is controlled but not the fermenter itself? I've thought about one a few times but getting the idea past SWMBO won't be easy unless there is a real need like one of the current fridges dying. You can fit 2 x 30L, 1 x 60L or as I use, 118L kegmenters. I have the temperature probe placed in a thermowell on the kegmenters. It only has 1 zone. Check out Keglands YouTube video of it https://youtu.be/MzMYYmGM2ik?si=gULwZ7QY52X7jMh3 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamus O'Sean Posted January 27 Author Share Posted January 27 5 hours ago, Aussiekraut said: Sorry for hijacking the thread here. What are they like? Will they hold 2 Coopers fermenters at the same time? Do they have two zones to ensure both fermenters are at the same temp or is it like any other fridge, big enough to hold 2 fermenters, where the air temp is controlled but not the fermenter itself? I've thought about one a few times but getting the idea past SWMBO won't be easy unless there is a real need like one of the current fridges dying. I am kicking myself that I did not get a Rapt chamber instead and not just because of my "fail". The Westinghouse all fridge was $850. The Rapt chamber is $1,000. It is a purpose built unit. Inbuilt temperature controller and probe so the one unit cools and heats. Ability for the temperature to be controlled by the signal from a Rapt Pill in the fermenting wort. Shelves designed to carry a typical 23-30 litre fermenter. In built fan to distribute temperature more evenly. A couple of ports for disconnects to run CO2 into or out of the fermenter(s). 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classic Brewing Co Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 44 minutes ago, Shamus O'Sean said: I am kicking myself that I did not get a Rapt chamber instead and not just because of my "fail". The Westinghouse all fridge was $850. The Rapt chamber is $1,000. It is a purpose built unit. Inbuilt temperature controller and probe so the one unit cools and heats. Ability for the temperature to be controlled by the signal from a Rapt Pill in the fermenting wort. Shelves designed to carry a typical 23-30 litre fermenter. In built fan to distribute temperature more evenly. A couple of ports for disconnects to run CO2 into or out of the fermenter(s). Yeah, when you around that sort of money it is a no-brainer, they sound pretty good. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben 10 Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 18 hours ago, Shamus O'Sean said: I'll start off a new fail thread for 2024 and I think already have won the chocolates. Thanks for the laugh mate! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iBooz2 Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 8 hours ago, Classic Brewing Co said: Sorry to hear about your fridge Shamus, a similar thing happened to a mate of mine years ago except it wasn't a new fridge. He had the heat belt sitting on the floor of the fridge as he reckoned as heat rises, it will be OK. Wrong, it got so hot there was steam coming from the fermenter, so the brew was cattled as was the fridge. That will happen if you inadvertently plug the heat belt straight into the mains or a power board and then forget about it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iBooz2 Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 (edited) 3 hours ago, Shamus O'Sean said: I am kicking myself that I did not get a Rapt chamber instead and not just because of my "fail". The Westinghouse all fridge was $850. The Rapt chamber is $1,000. It is a purpose built unit. Inbuilt temperature controller and probe so the one unit cools and heats. Ability for the temperature to be controlled by the signal from a Rapt Pill in the fermenting wort. Shelves designed to carry a typical 23-30 litre fermenter. In built fan to distribute temperature more evenly. A couple of ports for disconnects to run CO2 into or out of the fermenter(s). Yes, I looked long and hard at Rapt chamber and a new Westinghouse all fridge and mulled on it for days after my old FV fridge died. Then by chance found a ripper almost new one for $100 and it was not very far from your digs @Shamus O'Sean. BTW have you checked out your house contents insurance? Does it cover something like this and if it does is the excess reasonable? You could put the payout to a new rapt. Most assessors do not want to physically see the damage when a claim is under $1000, a pic is normally enough so a pic of the melted control unit would do. It burnt itself out, but a warranty claim is out of the question. You can thank me later. Edited January 27 by iBooz2 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classic Brewing Co Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 41 minutes ago, iBooz2 said: That will happen if you inadvertently plug the heat belt straight into the mains or a power board and then forget about it. Yeah, I reckon that's what he did. Pretty dumb really as the Temperature Controllers are designed to regulate the situation. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iBooz2 Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 (edited) 18 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said: Yeah, I reckon that's what he did. Pretty dumb really as the Temperature Controllers are designed to regulate the situation. Yes, and it might be prudent for @Shamus O'Sean to check that the inky's relays (or SCR's in this case are not stuck "ON"). Do this by using a light bulb plugged into the heat side of inky and then by putting the temp sensor into ice water = light on and then later warm/hot water = light off. To be sure to be sure as our Irish friends would say. Edited January 27 by iBooz2 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NBillett09 Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 1 hour ago, iBooz2 said: Yes, and it might be prudent for @Shamus O'Sean to check that the inky's relays (or SCR's in this case are not stuck "ON"). Do this by using a light bulb plugged into the heat side of inky and then by putting the temp sensor into ice water = light on and then later warm/hot water = light off. To be sure to be sure as our Irish friends would say. That’s a great idea for testing! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussiekraut Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 Not a fail as such but a pain in the neck nevertheless and part of it is me being stupid. I lately seem to have an issue with hydrometers. I took a sample the other day and when I was done, rinsed the cylinder and the hydrometer. I shook the water out of the cylinder and then shook the hydrometer but somehow held it too far near the end and flung the bugger onto the floor, where it disintegrated into its components. Great. I still have a Coopers hydrometer, so all is good. Went online to get a new one organised. I just like glass hydrometers. I got excited when it arrived and when I unpacked it and took it out of its protective sleeve, it was broken. Right in the middle of the neck, it was squished. Oh great. Pack it up again and send it off as faulty. No dramas, it was accepted and I received a new one, which was intact. Happy days Well, not so fast. I took a sample yesterday, looked at the hydrometer and was a little confused. It read 1.000. That can't be. No way did the beer ferment that far down. Not in 4 days. Did I get bugs into the beer? So I took the trusty old Coopers hydrometer and it read 1.010. I checked the scale and all, no, all is as it should be. It just turns out the new hydrometer is about 10 points out. In plain water, it reads 0.990, whereas the Coopers one goes to 1.000. Back to the drawing board. Maybe it is time to reactivate the Pills and use them but they need some serious recalibration and that is just such a pain in the neck. At least I get reliable results from them. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back Brewing Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 1 hour ago, Aussiekraut said: Not a fail as such but a pain in the neck nevertheless and part of it is me being stupid. I lately seem to have an issue with hydrometers. I took a sample the other day and when I was done, rinsed the cylinder and the hydrometer. I shook the water out of the cylinder and then shook the hydrometer but somehow held it too far near the end and flung the bugger onto the floor, where it disintegrated into its components. Great. I still have a Coopers hydrometer, so all is good. Went online to get a new one organised. I just like glass hydrometers. I got excited when it arrived and when I unpacked it and took it out of its protective sleeve, it was broken. Right in the middle of the neck, it was squished. Oh great. Pack it up again and send it off as faulty. No dramas, it was accepted and I received a new one, which was intact. Happy days Well, not so fast. I took a sample yesterday, looked at the hydrometer and was a little confused. It read 1.000. That can't be. No way did the beer ferment that far down. Not in 4 days. Did I get bugs into the beer? So I took the trusty old Coopers hydrometer and it read 1.010. I checked the scale and all, no, all is as it should be. It just turns out the new hydrometer is about 10 points out. In plain water, it reads 0.990, whereas the Coopers one goes to 1.000. Back to the drawing board. Maybe it is time to reactivate the Pills and use them but they need some serious recalibration and that is just such a pain in the neck. At least I get reliable results from them. The old saying when it rains it pours 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltop hops Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 Managed to freeze a keg! Wondering why it wouldn't pour, not empty and has a floating dip tube. Hopefully won't be too affected. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classic Brewing Co Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 55 minutes ago, Hilltop hops said: Managed to freeze a keg! Wondering why it wouldn't pour, not empty and has a floating dip tube. Hopefully won't be too affected. I did that recently as the temperature control knob in the keg fridge was knocked somehow, maybe Xmas traffic, however it ended up OK, but I reckon I lost about 10-20% of the original body & flavour of the remaining beer. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilltop hops Posted February 9 Share Posted February 9 1 hour ago, Classic Brewing Co said: I did that recently as the temperature control knob in the keg fridge was knocked somehow, maybe Xmas traffic, however it ended up OK, but I reckon I lost about 10-20% of the original body & flavour of the remaining beer. Just put it back in and poured one, still good! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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