Anna's Brewdays

[DocAnna]

How do you control your fridge? any remote control for temp or can you leave a temperature profile to be worked through?

For all my technical supposed competence, I'm not very good at remote thingymabobs, and have an ispindel that's sat in a drawer for a couple of years never used since it seems a bit intimidating to set up*. So the fridge has an inkbird controller on the outside with the probe through a hole in the side with a couple of grommets... and controlling it involves pressing the buttons... yep not that advanced really .

[*I know ok, really I do, I suspect it's properly not a fuss and I'm sure TETB will make it sound super simple... but I have the same reaction to the ispindel and remote things as I do to cars which is I'll get a man to look at that and please don't try to explain it to me. I have to conform to some stereotypes you know. Yes I do also have far too many as well...]

 

[Buffers brewery]

For all my technical supposed competence, I'm not very good at remote thingymabobs, and have an ispindel that's sat in a drawer for a couple of years never used since it seems a bit intimidating to set up*. So the fridge has an inkbird controller on the outside with the probe through a hole in the side with a couple of grommets... and controlling it involves pressing the buttons... yep not that advanced really .

[*I know ok, really I do, I suspect it's properly not a fuss and I'm sure TETB will make it sound super simple... but I have the same reaction to the ispindel and remote things as I do to cars which is I'll get a man to look at that and please don't try to explain it to me. I have to conform to some stereotypes you know. Yes I do also have far too many as well...]

If it “helps”, that’s exactly the set up I have. Inkbird controlling the fridge internal environment to control fermentation temperature. Works for me and works for you! Not sure about the grommets though

 

[Moe]

Mine’s the same, although I haven’t got grommets, the temp probe lead just goes in through the door seal

 

[Moe]

That last post was obviously the magic number.

I have just been promoted to Landlord

 

[Buffers brewery]

Not boasting but I have two brew fridges, one has the temperature probe through the side, no grommet, and the other has the temperature probe through a slot in the door seal. Can’t tell the difference

 

[Buffers brewery]

That last post was obviously the magic number.

I have just been promoted to Landlord

Don’t let the “promotion” go to your head

 

[Moe]

Don’t let the “promotion” go to your head

Ya barred

 

[RoomWithABrew]

Worth looking at a brewpiless, straightforward use via web browser on phone / computer. You can set control via beer temp or fridge control or set a profile of x days at temp ramp it up or down. Very useful if you aren't on site all the time to push inkbird buttons.
It will also integrate the ispindel readings with the temperature.
Also cheaper than an inkbird.

 

[Twostage]

For all my technical supposed competence, I'm not very good at remote thingymabobs, and have an ispindel that's sat in a drawer for a couple of years never used since it seems a bit intimidating to set up*. So the fridge has an inkbird controller on the outside with the probe through a hole in the side with a couple of grommets... and controlling it involves pressing the buttons... yep not that advanced really .

[*I know ok, really I do, I suspect it's properly not a fuss and I'm sure TETB will make it sound super simple... but I have the same reaction to the ispindel and remote things as I do to cars which is I'll get a man to look at that and please don't try to explain it to me. I have to conform to some stereotypes you know. Yes I do also have far too many as well...]

From the replies that follow this it sounds you are the leader in terms of grommet utilisation.

I started off with STC-1000 controllers, then moved on to Raspberry Pi controllers, and eventually combined the two so that the STC controls the temp and the Pi monitors. As you say lower tech, you actually have to press buttons rather than send it an email but always works after a power cut.

 

[Twostage]

For all my technical supposed competence, I'm not very good at remote thingymabobs, and have an ispindel that's sat in a drawer for a couple of years never used since it seems a bit intimidating to set up*. So the fridge has an inkbird controller on the outside with the probe through a hole in the side with a couple of grommets... and controlling it involves pressing the buttons... yep not that advanced really .

[*I know ok, really I do, I suspect it's properly not a fuss and I'm sure TETB will make it sound super simple... but I have the same reaction to the ispindel and remote things as I do to cars which is I'll get a man to look at that and please don't try to explain it to me. I have to conform to some stereotypes you know. Yes I do also have far too many as well...]

Also...

I've always just trailed my probe cables through the door gap which I've never been happy with but been too worried about drilling through something vital to push them through the side. Is there a guaranteed safe route ? Is it 99% safe, or do you just look to see where electrical cables might go and then 'gan canny' as they say round here ?

 

[Clint]

If the fridge is only ever going to be your brew fridge,as mine is,I cut a chunk out of the door insulation for the heater cable. It was through the drain hole but as I had a couple of failed heaters it was too much bother stripping it all down again to replace. Door just closes on the Inkbird temp probe

 

[Rodcx500z]

That last post was obviously the magic number.

I have just been promoted to Landlord

Mines a pint of pale ale

 

[RoomWithABrew]

Cable in gap between door, for the sensor cables and heating belt. Seals up fine.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

Drilling through the side of fridges can be risky. Various tricks to help avoid the cooling lines.
Commercial fridges tend to have the condenser lines on the back and you can be carefree with those.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Perhaps let’s not clutter up Anna’s brewday thread :-)

 

[MashBag]

Drilling through the side of fridges can be risky. Various tricks to help avoid the cooling lines.
Commercial fridges tend to have the condenser lines on the back and you can be carefree with those.

au contraire mon ami, i turned commercial fridge into a meat curing chamber only last year

 

[Twostage]

Perhaps let’s not clutter up Anna’s brewday thread :-)

I'm waiting for Anna to tell me how she did it. ( I have grommets and I'm prepared to use them ). Seriously, having the cables emerge closer to the back of the fridge would be a lot tidier. Too much trailage at the moment.

 

[DocAnna]

I'm waiting for Anna to tell me how she did it. ( I have grommets and I'm prepared to use them ). Seriously, having the cables emerge closer to the back of the fridge would be a lot tidier. Too much trailage at the moment.

Morning all. I thought I’d taken a photo yesterday to illustrate but can’t find it now. though I’m sure there’s a thread here somewhere where I took pictures at the time. The fridge has the usual compressor hump and a radiator grill on the back, so it would seem particularly odd to have tubing or wiring in the sides.

However, I used a bradawl to make the hole from the outside and feel through the insulation, then drilled through to the inside. I currently have three entry points through the side wall, for the thermometer probe, the cable for the heater and for a CO2 line to allow for either chilled force carbonation, or low pressure C02 during crash chill. (An upgrade from the previous balloons used.)

The first grommet goes over the line/cable before passing it through, which then protects and seals the outer wall of the fridge, and the second one goes on the line inside. This was reversed for the heater as I took the plug off it to thread from the side to out and replaced the plug.

 

[DocAnna]

I found these photos from 2020. It’s not as neat as I’d like and this doesn’t show the newer CO2 line.

 

[Twostage]

Morning all. I thought I’d taken a photo yesterday to illustrate but can’t find it now. though I’m sure there’s a thread here somewhere where I took pictures at the time. The fridge has the usual compressor hump and a radiator grill on the back, so it would seem particularly odd to have tubing or wiring in the sides.

However, I used a bradawl to make the hole from the outside and feel through the insulation, then drilled through to the inside. I currently have three entry points through the side wall, for the thermometer probe, the cable for the heater and for a CO2 line to allow for either chilled force carbonation, or low pressure C02 during crash chill. (An upgrade from the previous balloons used.)

The first grommet goes over the line/cable before passing it through, which then protects and seals the outer wall of the fridge, and the second one goes on the line inside. This was reversed for the heater as I took the plug off it to thread from the side to out and replaced the plug.

Thanks Anna. (and for the pictures). I think its drill time