Fermentation Chamber Ideas

Ghillie · Apr 6, 2018

Hello guys!

Planning on converting a tall fridge or freezer into a fermentation chamber and wouldn't mind some input from you lot...

So I'm currently fermenting indoors and I'm obtaining 19.4degC quite happily in a cupboard with a inkbird controller and heatbelt to maintain temp. I'd like to move this out to the garage to free up space in the house and to avoid any spills, etc. So my plan is to use a tall fridge or freezer (able to hold 2x 30L fermenting buckets) because:

-Getting the buckets in and out will be easier on the back than a chest freezer.
-I already have two chest freezers in the garage so another one is a waste of floor space. A tall fridge or freezer makes better use of vertical space as well.
-I'll be able to obtain lagering temperatures as well should I start brewing them.

Build will be something like greenhouse heater in the bottom with a 220Vac 119mmx119mm axial fan to circulate air. Wooden shelving with surplus supports to hold the ~23kg buckets when full.

Does the above sound okay so far? My main query is what would be better; a fridge or a freezer? My garage gets very cold as it's not heated so I'm leaning towards a freezer because they "should" have slighty better thermal properties?

Thoughts, suggestions and input welcome guys :)

reddibaggie · Apr 6, 2018

I have 2 tall fridges

I didn’t even change the shelves although I keep telling myself that I should no fan and I have probs

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Ghillie · Apr 6, 2018

reddibaggie said:
I have 2 tall fridgesView attachment 13317 View attachment 13318
I didn’t even change the shelves although I keep telling myself that I should no fan and I have probs

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah that's the sorta thing I'm looking for @reddibaggie. I'm with you on the shelves. 15kg+ on them is pushing it.

Are you having issues without a fan or is that a typo? Too hot near the bottom?

reddibaggie · Apr 6, 2018

I’ve taped my thermometer probe to the barrel and I don’t have any issues. If I don’t tape it on each time I open the door I let the heat out and the heating cycle will start again but the way I do it, it’s more stable. A fan wouldn’t hurt but I don’t bother.

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Ghillie · Apr 6, 2018

reddibaggie said:
I’ve taped my thermometer probe to the barrel and I don’t have any issues. If I don’t tape it on each time I open the door I let the heat out and the heating cycle will start again but the way I do it, it’s more stable. A fan wouldn’t hurt but I don’t bother.

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Yeah I have the PTC probe taped to the side of my FV currently and insulated as well. That way it's measuring FV temp rather than ambient.

If you have two fermenters in the fridge, but both are at different stages - where do you put the probe? As you know, fermentation is exothermic so one FV could be considerably warmer than the other. Thoughts?

Bigcol49 · Apr 6, 2018

'Ow do!
Our upright freezer has fixed shelves that are part of the cooling system, so would bu unsuitable for homebrewing.
A tall larder fridge is a better option.
I don't worry too much about two FVs at different stages - you'd have the same worries if you fermented in the house. I put the new FV on the bottom of the fridge, the FV in later stages on the top shelf and attach the probe to the upper FV.
Any heat generated by vigorous fermentation in the lower FV will rise and be absorbed by the upper FV and feed back to the Inkbird. Don't forget that air temperature changes rapidly, the temperature of 23 litres of beer changes much more slowly.

IainM · Apr 6, 2018

Mines a tall lader fridge in the garden shed. I think my heater is 75w, and it struggled to get above 16C during the beast from the east.

Ghillie · Apr 6, 2018

Might have to go with a 100W greenhouse heater then @IainM, thanks for the heads up!

Ghillie · Apr 6, 2018

Thanks @Bigcol49!

CptCaveman · Apr 7, 2018

I bought a hair dryer for €10 on amazon and it nicely combines a heater and fan in one package! The funny thing is, the girls in the house preferred my €10 travel hair dryer to their own and I got stuck with the old one, which was fine :-)

Ghillie · Apr 7, 2018

CptCaveman said:
I bought a hair dryer for €10 on amazon and it nicely combines a heater and fan in one package! The funny thing is, the girls in the house preferred my €10 travel hair dryer to their own and I got stuck with the old one, which was fine :-)

How well does it heat the fridge up and what's your external ambient temperature range (i.e. garage, shed, etc)?

CptCaveman · Apr 8, 2018

It heats the fridge very well. It has a power of 1400W on the highest setting. When you consider some are using 100W reptile tank heaters, it's definitely enough. The only concern would be that it could be too powerful. At first I thought it would be an issue because when the heating would come on and then turn off, the temperature would continue past the upper set point and the cooling would come on... but it settled down quickly enough. My fridge is tiny though, I can only fit a 25 L bucket and even then, I had to get the dremel to it - so for a tall fridge, it should be ideal.

Here is what I used: https://www.amazon.fr/dp/B007CST74S/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

BeerCat · Apr 8, 2018

Why not just use a heat belt in your fridge. I find they work fine even when its 2c in my garage. Have never fitted a heater in my fridge as there is n not room. I have no problems with the fridge cycling on and off.

Ghillie · Apr 8, 2018

BeerCat said:
Why not just use a heat belt in your fridge. I find they work fine even when its 2c in my garage. Have never fitted a heater in my fridge as there is n not room. I have no problems with the fridge cycling on and off.

Really, that's interesting! Just a 25W brew belt? Would save me a few quid indeed; means I just need a cheap/free fridge and I'm set :)

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