Brewing Fridge

[Old_Bob]

Well got my fridge, heater, controller and thermometers all set up now ready to start brewing but I do have a couple of questions before I use it.

Firstly I read on another thread about someone having a small fan in the fridge to move the air around, is this common practice to prevent the air splitting between cool at the bottom and warm at the top ? Or do you guys rely on the convection currents to move the air around.

Secondly do you guys let the fridge get to temperature before putting a brew in it ?

I tried mine last night and it seemed to get to 20C quite quickly.

 

[hoptoit]

I've got two small fans, one each side of the fridge. One pushing air up, the other down. I've never tried it without. But does seem to keep a pretty constant temp top and bottom this way.
I normally set it to the temperature I want first and let it run for an hour or so. I then put my fv in and insulate the temperature probe onto the fv. You will find that the temperature will then change a fair bit. Normally after another hour or so it's stabilised.

 

[yeastinfection]

I don't have a fan. Works well still. As above if you don't insulate the probe on to the Fv it will monitor the air temp and fluctuate dramatically.

 

[Dutto]

I also don't have a fan and don't bother pre-heating or pre-cooling the fridge but I do strap the Inkbird Sensor to the side of the FV and insulate it from the air in the fridge.

I also use a well drilled Stirling Board base under the FV to ensure that the heat rises around the FV

 

[chimpo]

Insulating the probe in rubber seal ball or similar stops fast temperature swings. Ive mine stuck to each brew and inkbird works a dream. Ive tested upper and lower static air temp in the fridge and its not worth worrying about as long as you insulate probe well.

 

[donnyos]

Many of us here don't use fans as the improvement you will typically see in stable temperature will be so obvious without one but I see the logic and bought but never wired up my fans. I got 21W 240v one which is massively overkill so sits in a drawer. Two cheap 12v ones might get used at some point especially if I try 2 50l FVs at same time!
Commercial fridges use fans because doors are always being opened and things moved in and out whereas beer will quickly stabilise at the right temps.
I can see the logic of helping convection though.
Ebay fans are dirt cheap so I'd suggest trying without and if you need one add it later wired through the drain hole.
+1 on really insulating well the probe. Mine is taped firmly to the side of FV in a nest of camping mat and bubble wrap 2 inches thick and around halfway up the vessel and away from the back and side walls where the cooling pipes are... and high enough up so as not be influenced by the tube heater below the vessel.
It works for me!

 

[Poochops]

I don't have a fan fitted, don't have a wood shelf either, just the glass one it came with and a tube heater. First thing I was surprised by is just how effectively the inkbird controls the heating/cooling and how quickly the brew stabilises in temperature, put it in at 18 next morning its 22, doing a lager put it in at 20 next morning it's 12, it just works really really well. I insulate using a many folded microfibre cloth stuck on halfway up with masking tape, job done. I'd say try it without a fan first and judge for yourself, if you like tinkering fit a fan and see if it makes a difference.

 

[Tim1975]

No fan in mine and it keeps temps constant.

 

[JapanBrew]

I've got a bunch of fans but mine is a ferment chamber. I also just keep my probe in a 500 ml bottle filled with sanitizer. It keeps the temp stable for all the existing bottles and fermenters. Some say it's not accurate but that's only true for a short time. Eventually it levels out. And being only 500 ml (probably a little less) it does react to the surrounding temp just not wildly. An active fermenter will add a degree to the chamber and within 20 minutes, that starts effecting the bottle with the probe.
Has worked well for me all summer and now in this cold, muggy weather.

 

[DoctorMick]

I also don't have a fan and don't bother pre-heating or pre-cooling the fridge but I do strap the Inkbird Sensor to the side of the FV and insulate it from the air in the fridge.

I also use a well drilled Stirling Board base under the FV to ensure that the heat rises around the FV

I'm the same, never been convinced of the need for the fan when monitoring the temp of the brew as opposed to the temp of the fridge.

 

[Old_Bob]

Thanks to everyone for your replies.

No fan it is and I'll see how it goes.

Hopefully get my first brew in there tomorrow.