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Author Topic: Reliability issue with Chest Freezer/Keezer  (Read 15605 times)

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Reliability issue with Chest Freezer/Keezer
« Reply #15 on: August 24, 2012, 08:24:41 am »
Don't mean to hijack but I wanted to reply to Kai on something. I have a love controller and the probe doesn't seem like it's supposed to be submerged in water. If I take an old 20 ounce soda bottle, drill a hole in the cap and put the probe in there with just air inside, I think this would reduce the amount of cycling the motor does. Every time I open the freezer the air is moved around and I notice the temp swings a degree or two but I suspect it would normalize once I close it again. Any reason this wouldn't work?

I actually think that is what Kai was suggesting.
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Offline brewmichigan

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Re: Reliability issue with Chest Freezer/Keezer
« Reply #16 on: August 24, 2012, 08:30:35 am »
Don't mean to hijack but I wanted to reply to Kai on something. I have a love controller and the probe doesn't seem like it's supposed to be submerged in water. If I take an old 20 ounce soda bottle, drill a hole in the cap and put the probe in there with just air inside, I think this would reduce the amount of cycling the motor does. Every time I open the freezer the air is moved around and I notice the temp swings a degree or two but I suspect it would normalize once I close it again. Any reason this wouldn't work?

I actually think that is what Kai was suggesting.

That's what I thought too. Thanks!
Mike --- Flint, Michigan

Offline Kaiser

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Re: Reliability issue with Chest Freezer/Keezer
« Reply #17 on: August 24, 2012, 08:49:37 am »
I actually use a White Labs vial to keep the probe in. Just like brewmichigan I drilled a hole into the cap.

I think some brewers may be taking recommendation about minimizing temp fluctuations as a recommendation to minimize temp fluctuations  in the ambient fermentation temperature. It's perfectly fine for the ambient temp to swing by +/- 5 F or more. The thermal mass of your fermenter will even that out.

Kai

Offline Jimmy K

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Re: Reliability issue with Chest Freezer/Keezer
« Reply #18 on: August 24, 2012, 08:55:45 am »
I have the temperature probe for my keezer in a block of solid foam insulation. Same effect as a bottle of liquid without the worries about liquid.
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Offline Kaiser

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Re: Reliability issue with Chest Freezer/Keezer
« Reply #19 on: August 24, 2012, 09:03:04 am »
I have the temperature probe for my keezer in a block of solid foam insulation. Same effect as a bottle of liquid without the worries about liquid.

This bears the question, how much lag between ambient temp and probe would be too much? I.e. when are the temp swings so drastic and low frequency that there are noticeable temp swings in the fermenting beer.

Kai

Offline euge

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Re: Reliability issue with Chest Freezer/Keezer
« Reply #20 on: August 24, 2012, 11:28:27 am »
Guys I just don't see insulating the probe as a solution. You want it to be responsive. It's the beer that you want to measure so a thermowell is probably the best solution.

However, I taped the probe to a piece of styrofoam that acts as a barrier between the probe and the freezer wall and the fan blows on it.

My freezer doesn't cycle all that frequently and when I measure the temp of the fermenting beer it matches the temp of the ambient air inside the freezer.

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Offline Jimmy K

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Re: Reliability issue with Chest Freezer/Keezer
« Reply #21 on: August 24, 2012, 06:38:37 pm »
Euge, OP and I are talking about a freezer used as a kegerator. I'd agree with a thermowell being best for a fermentation chamber.

Kai, see above too. But that's a great question. I'd love to see a graph with a bunch of temperature loggers in different places in a kegerator/fermentation chamber.
« Last Edit: August 24, 2012, 06:43:25 pm by mtnrockhopper »
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Offline evandy

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Re: Reliability issue with Chest Freezer/Keezer
« Reply #22 on: August 26, 2012, 02:06:18 pm »
The other thing I haven't seen mentioned is that you are converting USED freezers.  I read somewhere (in support documentation for my deep-freeze I believe) that these things aren't really made to be warmed-up once they are down to freezing temps.  Apparently, a lot of them tend to start rusting inside the walls once they get some moisture in there.  Since that nearly always happens when they warm up, you can see the potential problem.

I haven't done any investigation myself, but it's something to consider, at any rate.

Offline Delo

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Re: Reliability issue with Chest Freezer/Keezer
« Reply #23 on: August 27, 2012, 08:53:59 am »
I would think being outside the coils would get pretty dirty.  If they are dirty, the compressor has to work harder to keep it cool and with the high heat it may be enough to cause it to crap out faster.  Another possibility was that the freezer was moved and then plugged in before the oil/coolant settled back. There could have been damage to the compressor.
Mark