Anyone fitted a brew fridge fan

[110ben]

After some advice please re a brew fridge. I have a new brew fridge which is tall enough to have 2 fv's at the same time. It runs off the inkbird with a tube heater fitted at the bottom and the probe in the centre of the fridge. The problem i have is that it seems much warmer at the bottom so i am needing a fan i think. Has anyone fitted a fan ie a computer fan and a) does it work and b) Do you have any recommendations ie 240v or 12v dc with an adapter.
Any help and advice will be gratefully recieved thanks.

 

[Leon103]

I have or should I say I did. It noticed on the weekend that it's not working. I used a old phone charger. Split the wires and taped it all up.

Will need to get a replacement sorted

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
What sort of temperature difference are you meaning?
I too have a tall brewfridge - I've never bothered with a fan.
I fasten the probe to the top FV - I think any difference in temperature in the fridge is offset by the thermal mass of the beers in the FVs.
If I decided to fit a fan, I would get a 240v fan and wire it into the Inkbird heating circuit so that it only comes on when the heater is on.
I also think that I would add some sort of voltage regulator to slow the fan down.

 

[BeerCat]

I would set the fridge low and use a heat belt and STC for each FV. No need for a heater or fan. Tape the sensors on the side of each FV.

 

[halfpint]

I would set the fridge low and use a heat belt and STC for each FV. No need for a heater or fan. Tape the sensors on the side of each FV.

Surely if you do it like this, the belts are working against the fridge setting, example: the fermenter sensor turns on the belt, the fridge sensor then detects a rise in temp and turns the fridge on, and it goes on and on in a circle of wasted energy.
I too don't use a fan, but my shelves are mesh type letting the heater cause a natural convection.

 

[MmmBeer]

I use a 6" USB desktop fan in my brewfridge, it cost about a fiver and plugs into a phone type mains adapter. Mine came from the Range, but not sure if they still stock them, widely available online. Has been running for 15 months almost constantly with no problems.

 

[Bigcol49]

and it goes on and on in a circle of wasted energy.

Story of my life!

 

[Leon103]

I use a 6" USB desktop fan in my brewfridge, it cost about a fiver and plugs into a phone type mains adapter. Mine came from the Range, but not sure if they still stock them, widely available online. Has been running for 15 months almost constantly with no problems.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/173310656173

Something like this. I may get something like this as a replacement for mine. Got plenty of us plugs. Just need to check the length of th3 usb lead

 

[MmmBeer]

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/173310656173

Something like this. I may get something like this as a replacement for mine. Got plenty of us plugs. Just need to check the length of th3 usb lead

That's the one. Just put something soft underneath it to stop any vibration or noise, I use a folded sheet of kitchen roll.

 

[Bigcol49]

put something soft underneath it to stop any vibration or noise

Ooooooh! Matron!

 

[BeerCat]

Surely if you do it like this, the belts are working against the fridge setting, example: the fermenter sensor turns on the belt, the fridge sensor then detects a rise in temp and turns the fridge on, and it goes on and on in a circle of wasted energy.
I too don't use a fan, but my shelves are mesh type letting the heater cause a natural convection.

Ooooooh! Matron!

A heat belt or a mat wont give of much heat. Fridge should be roughly 5c cooler. It should not make it cycle like mad.

 

[stevey]

I put 2 PC fans in mine, both run of one 12v power supply, which I had laying around. I have a tube heater on the floor of the fridge. I believe the fans keep the temperature even throughout, mine doesn't keep cycling.

 

[110ben]

Hi!
What sort of temperature difference are you meaning?
I too have a tall brewfridge - I've never bothered with a fan.
I fasten the probe to the top FV - I think any difference in temperature in the fridge is offset by the thermal mass of the beers in the FVs.
If I decided to fit a fan, I would get a 240v fan and wire it into the Inkbird heating circuit so that it only comes on when the heater is on.
I also think that I would add some sort of voltage regulator to slow the fan down.

Thanks mate those are my thoughts although I hadn't thought about a voltage regulator which i will look into.

 

[110ben]

I put 2 PC fans in mine, both run of one 12v power supply, which I had laying around. I have a tube heater on the floor of the fridge. I believe the fans keep the temperature even throughout, mine doesn't keep cycling.

Perfect thanks for the reply i wondered about 2 fans running off one supply but obviously ok

 

[110ben]

I would set the fridge low and use a heat belt and STC for each FV. No need for a heater or fan. Tape the sensors on the side of each FV.

Thanks Beercat but i already have inkbird and bar heater from previous small fridge so just need to adapt a bit

 

[110ben]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply...much appreciated. Off to dismantle and old pc and laptop to see if the fans will be useable

 

[Alex.mc]

My insulated space is pretty large and I don't cool it (currently), but I built it a few years ago for composites curing, with a temp range from low ambient to 70c. Circulation was important, and I used a very cheap 240v bathroom extractor fan from Wickes. It was stripped down to just the motor and impeller housing, and has worked for long periods(weeks at a time) faultlessly.
It was about £12! Importantly though, it has a very low wattage draw, maybe 10-12 watts at most.
If you want a cheap entry into 240v fans then they're a very good choice.

 

[Smileyr8]

I have a under counter fridge I had to make a wooden shelf to sit the fv on, I fitted the heater under the shelf & put computer fan at the front and some holes around the fv to aid movement of air around the fridge. I can take and upload some pictures if you are interested.

 

[Drunkula]

I've tried a few 12v fans when making stir plates and all of them have run from around 4.5v up so try and old phone charger before shelling out for a 12v supply. The lower speed makes them nice and quiet.

 

[stevey]

Also, for anyone wanting to convert a fridge, it's really easy to poke a hole in the side of the fridge with a screwdriver; rather than drilling. I was worried I'd hit a coolant pipe with a drill, but they are thinner than bean tins.