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Author Topic: Fermenting Fridge  (Read 1388 times)

Offline Attik

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Fermenting Fridge
« on: February 23, 2016, 03:28:43 am »
Hi everyone,

During the summer months in the south of Spain temperatures can reach up to 40 degrees celcius during the day and even be as high as 29 degrees at night. In order to continue brewing during the summer I was thinking of converting the fridge in the attached picture, however the opening is too small to fit 30 litre plastic fermenters from the top. Another thing to notice is that the cooling equipment is right under the top of the fridge as you can see from the attached pictures. Does anyone have any ideas of what I could do? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks








Offline wingnut

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Re: Fermenting Fridge
« Reply #1 on: February 23, 2016, 06:49:05 am »
cut a hole in the side.... making a new door?
With the refigeration coils out in the way at the top.. they should be out of the way of the wall of the fridge (check first of course)

Thinking hinge at the top, gasket material or foam window stripping along the edge, and a latch on the bottom two sides that keeps the side shut.   Could even just screw the door on and off to get your beer in and out since it will only need to be opened a couple times a month...
-- Wingnut - Cheers!

Offline BrodyR

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Re: Fermenting Fridge
« Reply #2 on: February 23, 2016, 07:10:02 am »
Not sure if the dimensions would work out but I often ferment in Corny Kegs so I can fit 2 in my chest freezer.

I just attach a gutted connector to the gas in and run a tube from the barb to a jar of sanitizer.

Offline reverseapachemaster

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Re: Fermenting Fridge
« Reply #3 on: February 24, 2016, 10:21:53 am »
Not sure of your handywork skill level or how the top is connected to the body of the fridge but I would look at whether you can remove the top and put it on hinges so it opens like a typical chest fridge/freezer. I suspect the tops are bolted into body and it may not be easy to remove them. I certainly do not have the skills to do that work but many homebrewers are far more handy than myself.
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Offline Philbrew

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Re: Fermenting Fridge
« Reply #4 on: February 24, 2016, 08:42:54 pm »
I agree with Reverseapche that a hinged top (hinged at the rear) would be the easiest and best way to go.  With one complication.

The easy part should be getting the top free of the base.  The top looks to be pop riveted to the rim of the walls.  Drill out/punch out the pop rivets and the top should lift off.  But don’t lift it off much yet.

The complication is that the cooling unit (the evaporator) appears to be attached to underside of the top.  There should be a small copper tube (I think visible in one of your photos) coming from the condenser to the evaporator and a larger copper tube going from the evaporator to the inlet of the compressor.  These copper tubes can be bent around a couple of times but not flexed repeatedly.  I’m guessing that the compressor and condenser are underneath the fridge with the tubes running inside the back wall.  It could be that the condenser is on the outside of the back (no photo).

So…once the top is free of the sides, carefully lift the front of the top and prop it up on an angle such that you can get to the fasteners that are holding the cooling unit to the top.  When free, use a stool or temporary framework to support the cooling unit in roughly its original position and lift off the top.

Now you will want to permanently mount the cooling unit.  The best place would be on the back wall of the interior near the top.  If the tubing or whatever won’t let you do that, then get a couple of large right-angle shelf brackets from the hardware store, attach them to the back wall and hang or support the cooling unit in roughly its original position.  Be sure to drill for attachment to the back wall away from where the tubing looks to run.

Now you should be able to put the top back on with hinges at the back.  Standard door hinges should do the job.  Some weather stripping might help to seal it.

I know it sounds difficult but you can do it.  And those things are cool.  Make a fermentation chamber of one and a kick-ass kegerator out of the other!  Cheers.

Please feel free to email me with further question/conversation/photos about this project.
« Last Edit: February 24, 2016, 09:49:38 pm by Philbrew »
Many of us would be on a strict liquid diet if it weren't for pretzels.

Offline euge

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Re: Fermenting Fridge
« Reply #5 on: February 25, 2016, 06:46:49 pm »
Nice score!

Definitely not a project for the timid. But no half-measures as you'll have to modify it right. Please post results!
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