DIY Build a Fermentation Refridgerator

[6954dave]

Hi All,

My friend showed me a great post on the forum with a step by step guide to building a fermentation fridge to regulate temperature with a temperature controller on top controlling the fridge power and a heating element.

Does anyone have a link to this?

Cheers, Dave

 

[McMelloW]

Is this the link you mean.? You can also google for an ITC-308. This is a Plug & Play ready build version.

 

[GlentoranMark]

I Googled the ITC-308, £30 on Amazon delivered. (First link I found)

Am I right in saying all I need is a greenhouse heater and a drill?

Thanks for starting the thread Dave.

 

[6954dave]

That's the badger!! Many thanks :-) looking forward to building it!

 

[McMelloW]

If you are not much of a DIY in elctric wiring an ITC-308 is an alternative for a reasonable price. I have both a DIY build STC-1000 in a box woth sockets and an ITC-308. The ITC-308 does the same but has also two biep alarms. 1 for a min temp setting an 1 for a max temp setting.

 

[DanST]

I'm looking to build a brew fridge in the new year and those ITC-308's look fantastic. I'm not an idiot but by no means am I an electrician but even if I was given the price difference between that and a home made one I'd buy the ready made one just for an easy life.

I'm sure if you're in the trade you can get stuff cheaper but otherwise as far as I can tell you'd struggle to save more than a fiver buy going diy?

 

[glynb]

stc-1000 is a good option. I recently fitted a heater into my brew fridge controlled by the stc and it seems to be working fine. I've got a lager happily bubbling away at 9c in there:) The only thing is the temperature sensor wire is a little short (about 3/4 meter?)

I did it just like this http://www.berrybrew.co.uk/fermentation-fridge-build-brew-fridge/ but instead of the project box I used a sandwich box from wilko costing £2. :thumb:

 

[ProjectBeer]

Here's a link for the STC controller I built earlier this year. I think all in all, the materials cost me about £50:

Plastic Box MB5 £6.99 Maplin
Mains Plug £2.19 Maplin
2 x*Plug Sockets £8.98 Maplin
~5m*3-Core Mains Cable £8.95 Maplin
15A Terminal Blocks £7.99 Maplin
Cable Ties £2.99 Maplin
STC-1000 £14.55 eBay

 

[Brewdoug]

Can't believe I've not seen a link to the ITC-308 before. That,s brilliant it's even better than the STC-1000, the jobs done for you and probably works out cheaper at the end of the day. As GlenroranMark says all you need is a greenhouse heater, oh, and a fridge.
Trouble is I don't seem to see the near giveaway fridges near me that other people pick up. A larder fridge would be nice but to collect it I would have to lie it down in my estate car and you're not supposed to do that with a fridge. Wonder if the wife would notice if ours disappeared out of the kitchen?

 

[DanST]

Can't believe I've not seen a link to the ITC-308 before. That,s brilliant it's even better than the STC-1000, the jobs done for you and probably works out cheaper at the end of the day. As GlenroranMark says all you need is a greenhouse heater, oh, and a fridge.
Trouble is I don't seem to see the near giveaway fridges near me that other people pick up. A larder fridge would be nice but to collect it I would have to lie it down in my estate car and you're not supposed to do that with a fridge. Wonder if the wife would notice if ours disappeared out of the kitchen?

They are fine as long as you stand them upright for a few hours once it's home before turning it on.

I worked in currys as a student and saw hundreds of people do it.

 

[mike77]

Timely post. I'm thinking of doing some brews that need 25c-30c temp. Hopefully I can do this with an ITC - 308, heat plate and perhaps some insulation around the fermenter.

 

[LogicalBrew]

They are fine as long as you stand them upright for a few hours once it's home before turning it on.

I worked in currys as a student and saw hundreds of people do it.

Agreed - I always leave a fridge or freezer for 12-24 hours after moving it, to allow the compressor to settle. Don't know the full engineering details but it is just one of those things that was always drummed into me. Clearly, the absence of a failure is compelling proof that I must be right :grin: :whistle:

 

[LogicalBrew]

Timely post. I'm thinking of doing some brews that need 25c-30c temp. Hopefully I can do this with an ITC - 308, heat plate and perhaps some insulation around the fermenter.

I have a ITC-1000 attached to a heat plate and a simple insulation 'box' that I assembled from that cheap foil-backed house insulation you can pick up from any good DIY store. The heating plate and insulated box is easily capable of reaching 30ºC, as I discovered before I bought the ITC-1000.

 

[mike77]

I have a ITC-1000 attached to a heat plate and a simple insulation 'box' that I assembled from that cheap foil-backed house insulation you can pick up from any good DIY store. The heating plate and insulated box is easily capable of reaching 30ºC, as I discovered before I bought the ITC-1000.

Good to know it can get up to temp.

Yeah I can't imagine 30c being very good if it wasn't planned. Down the sink?

 

[LogicalBrew]

Good to know it can get up to temp.

Yeah I can't imagine 30c being very good if it wasn't planned. Down the sink?

It should be down the sink but I'm leaving it in the barrel for a few weeks / months just to see how much conditioning can achieve! I don't have high hopes but interesting experiment !

 

[marinali29]

Is this the link you mean.? You can also google for an ITC-308. This is a Plug & Play ready build version.

I found ITC-308 US version in homebrew talk at the begining, there's many fans in USA. And inkbird released UK version late last month and available for sale on amazon now. There's giveaway post on HBT now. :thumb:

 

[marinali29]

I have a ITC-1000 attached to a heat plate and a simple insulation 'box' that I assembled from that cheap foil-backed house insulation you can pick up from any good DIY store. The heating plate and insulated box is easily capable of reaching 30ºC, as I discovered before I bought the ITC-1000.

Yes, it did a good job, strongly recommended.

 

[Leon103]

Can you use a freezer instead of a fridge?

 

[Spoon]

Don't know the full engineering details but it is just one of those things that was always drummed into me. Clearly, the absence of a failure is compelling proof that I must be right

It's to let the liquid refrigerant drain back into the accumulator, if it settles ion the compressor it will break the compressor on startup (you can't compress liquid).

Can you use a freezer instead of a fridge?

Yes, as long as it doesn't have shelves (i.e. probably only a chest freezer). You also need to be careful if you have to drill any holes as the walls will be filled with the cooling tubes/plates, whereas a fridge typically only has one standalone plate on the back wall. And a chest freezer requires more lifting to get the buckets in.

Tall larder fridges are great because you can get 2 FV's in as long as the shelf is strong enough.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

If you haven't seen it this is worth a look - http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=51855