New Fermenter Fridge - Currys

[chopps]

Hi All,

I had such a pain over the last week or two trying to get a second hand fridge to use as a fermentation chamber (not a fridge freezer) from Gumtree, Ebay, Shpock etc.
I'm currently using the fridge part of a fridge-freezer, but we need the freezer bit back in use too now...

They all either cost almost as much as new, or are suddenly not for sale once I bid for them. I gave up in the end, lost my patience and went to Currys. Bought the cheapest fridge they had at £109
Problem is, it's not that big and all of my fermenting bins over 20 litres either didn't fit or I had to really force them in and bodge the airlock somehow.

I couldn't find anywhere that shows internal dimensions for the fridges so I thought I'd leave this post here in case anyone else is looking for a fridge/bucket combo in the near future.
I would have found this post useful last week, so somebody else might now.

The new fridge is Currys own 'essentials' brand, model CUL50W20. ESSENTIALS CUL50W20 Undercounter Fridge - White
External dimensions 83.9 x 49.4 x 49.4 cm (H x W x D)

Here it is - I have made a sandwich with 2 of the shelves and my belt heater sits between them. Works fine like this.
Cables for heater and thermoprobe routed are through the overflow pipe quite easily, so no drilling required.

There's the usual internal compressor hump at the bottom and also a little lip on that, so the usable hight to stand a bucket on is 50cm including airlock (or 48cm incl airlock if you've done like me with the shelves)
If your bucket is taller than 37cm (without airlock) , the interior light restricts the width at that point to 36.5cm.
If your bucket is less than 37cm tall (without airlock), the light doesn't interfere and usable width is 38cm.
From the back interior wall of the fridge to the front edge is 40cm.

I found some 27 Litre airtight buckets with lids here Pails round ER 27-375+D | AUER Packaging
They have the PP5 and Food Grade knife and fork symbols moulded on the base, so should be fine.
I ordered two and it worked out at £11.37 each incl. delivery from Germany to UK (!)
I'd removed the door pockets anyway, and the door closes fine with about 15mm space behind the bucket - so it's not touching the back interior wall.
As you can see, loads of room for the airlock above - I'm really happy I'm not stuck with 20 litre brews!

Hope someone finds this useful.

Cheers

 

[Buffers brewery]

I had a problem with headroom in my fridge. No room for an airlock, so fashioned a piece of copper pipe so airlock hangs down the side of the FV.

Next project is to plumb the airlock line through the side of the fridge so the airlock is on the outside and I hope to collect the CO2.

 

[chopps]

That's resourceful! I was trying to use flexible tube but it kinks too easy. No problem now with the short fat buckets.

 

[Buffers brewery]

That's resourceful! I was trying to use flexible tube but it kinks too easy. No problem now with the short fat buckets.

Agreed. I’d have more headspace if I didn’t mount my FVs on trollies, but it helps me move them around and load them into the fridge when they’re full of wort/beer.

 

[Brew_DD2]

Great info! I'm sure a load of people will find it really helpful.

Amazing to see the lengths brewers go to, to fit an airlock. Why not just cover the hole with foil?

 

[Buffers brewery]

Why not just cover the hole with foil?

Too easy

 

[Banbeer]

@chopps be aware that when a heat belt is not around an FV it will get hotter in the places it touches a surface and make scortch marks on the belt, I used one in a carbonation chamber a few year back just sitting on a shelf and the orange bit was black after a week or so so scrapped that idea.

 

[Falco]

Taken me about three months of looking around for a second hand fridge, finally got lucky on Gumtree with a A+ rated Bosch tall larder type model for £50, so it’s still worth keeping a lookout @chopps

 

[chopps]

@chopps be aware that when a heat belt is not around an FV it will get hotter in the places it touches a surface and make scortch marks on the belt, I used one in a carbonation chamber a few year back just sitting on a shelf and the orange bit was black after a week or so so scrapped that idea.

Thanks - By coincidence I just noticed a scorch mark where it was touching the plastic liner in the fridge. Will re arrange this weekend!

 

[Benfleet Brewery]

Great info! I'm sure a load of people will find it really helpful.

Amazing to see the lengths brewers go to, to fit an airlock. Why not just cover the hole with foil?

I get your point but I’ve been brewing for just over 18 months now and I still nearly wet myself with excitement when I see the airlock start bubbling

 

[Banbeer]

I get your point but I’ve been brewing for just over 18 months now and I still nearly wet myself with excitement when I see the airlock start bubbling

Yeah same here, it's a right PITA being incontinant isn't it

 

[NPi]

Try Facebook Market place, it's full of fridges and freezers. Best part being that they are all local and normally quite cheap (£20ish).

 

[Falco]

Strange as it may seem, but not everyone does FB

 

[chopps]

Strange as it may seem, but not everyone does FB

Never joined! I’m on myspace and friendsreunited though :)

 

[Brew_DD2]

Strange as it may seem, but not everyone does FB

It's worth doing just for the groups and marketplace in my opinion.

 

[NPi]

I'm not generally a fan of Facebook, but as @Brew_DD2 says it certainly is a resource. Set up a dummy profile and take a look at the market place.

 

[Falco]

Had friends looking for me on FB for one, still nothing came up but all sorted now

 

[The Cat]

I bought two of the CUL55W19 models and they just fit - the airlock just fits in. I had two types of Fermentation plastc buckets and the taller thinner ones are two big but the shorter fatter ones just squeeze in luckily.

 

[Kye]

thanks so much for posting, I was literally looking at that fridge 2 days ago as have had same issues as you with ridiculous 2nd hand prices, and was also thinking 'I wonder if that light will get in the way of the bucket?'. good to know you've found a solution!

thanks again!

 

[DixeySJ]

The Beko models in Curry’s have larger internal dimensions than Essentials for not much more cost. I have a tall and short: a full size fermenter fits the small one, barrels, kegs bottles for conditioning in the other. You can fit x2 10l barrels one one shelf.