Fermentation fridge size

[Fore]

Hi guys. I'm about to buy a second hand fridge to convert into a fermentation chamber. I already have a 45W tube heater and an Inkbird.

There aren't too many good looking local options, but I did see some on offer just a few minutes drive away. The only thing is, they are quite large; 1.8m tall. I have 27.5l fermenters.

I was just wondering what your thoughts are on that extra head space? I fear a bit that I'll be heating the top of the fridge and causing very slow temp change and possible swinging. Maybe even the 45W tube heater might struggle in that large space. But perhaps I'm being overly cautious and such a thing wouldn't be an issue at all. And maybe one day, in the very distant future, I might really appreciate that space to fit my stainless conical.

What would you do? No harm in waiting for a more suitable size if it would be a better bet.

 

[Clint]

Go for it! The fridge will keep temp easily with the heater plus once the brew kicks off it will generate its own heat. Plus you will have extra space...I’m sure for the couple of weeks your fv is in there at fermentation temp you may be able to cram in some bottles for carbonating...

 

[-Bezza-]

I'd go big. Can ferment two brews at once or have a separate shelf for priming or fit a conical.

My little fridge is a pain as it's too small for a single normal fermenter.

 

[marshbrewer]

Wot Bezza said. My under counter job is OK for a normal 23L FV, but nothing bigger, even a wide necked 23L FV won't really fit. I can't even get a full 23L brews worth of bottles in for conditioning.

Go as big as you can.

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
A general principle that I apply to all things: If you're goin' to 'ave one, 'ave a big'n,
I have a tall larder fridge and I've built a wooden frame inside so that I can have two brews fermenting at the same time (e,g, an ale and a wine).
A tall fridge is so much more flexible.

 

[foxbat]

Go big. Don't worry about the extra space - one day you might want a conical, or you might want to be bottle carbonating a batch at the same time as fermenting the next one. You can keep the heat evenly spread with a £5 USB desk fan plugged into a phone charger.

 

[Saisonator]

The heat will circulate, don't worry, it's still a relatively small space for a 45w heater to take care of.

 

[Wouter]

If you have the space I'd go for bigger as wel.
Gives you more flexibility. If you want to do two brews in it, you can.
If you decide to go for larger brews like 60L, you can!

 

[Fore]

Thanks everyone. That was pretty conclusive. And it never occurred to me that one day I might increase my brew volume. So naturally I took your advice.

35 quid. Just a few small adjustments and we are away.

 

[Oneflewover]

That looks like a beaut.

 

[foxbat]

That is a bargain for £35. You'll be well sorted with that.

 

[Fore]

And we are away. Turbo cider in for a cold crash (19l secondary).

I'm really not a handyman, but I managed to cobble something together from a pallet I had in the garage. I was a bit worried about using only 1 plank, so I glued and screwed 2 together. The lower one is only adding rigidity, as it doesn't sit on the ledge. It seems pretty rigid to me. The plank at the back is only there to raise up to the same level. I pulled the temp probe through the water drain, like a lot do, and cut a little groove in the seal to allow the heater cable through the front without raising the seal.

I've been dreaming of a fermentation fridge for so long, it's hardly like it's real. Something must go wrong.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

The only thing I can see that is a bit of a worry is the plastic shelf supports I doubt they were designed to take that much weight I wonder if they are scewed to the side or just glued, could you make 4 supporting legs from the pallet to take the extra weight to be on the safe side.

 

[Fore]

The only thing I can see that is a bit of a worry is the plastic shelf supports I doubt they were designed to take that much weight I wonder if they are scewed to the side or just glued, could you make 4 supporting legs from the pallet to take the extra weight to be on the safe side.

Thanks Chippy. I showed my dad yesterday and he said the same thing. I thought they'd be OK, but now 2 people have said the same thing. Looks like I should add some support there then. Shouldn't be too hard, just a plank screwed vertically either side. Thanks.

 

[foxbat]

The only thing I can see that is a bit of a worry is the plastic shelf supports I doubt they were designed to take that much weight I wonder if they are scewed to the side or just glued, could you make 4 supporting legs from the pallet to take the extra weight to be on the safe side.

They actually look like part of a single whole side plastic mold to me.

 

[BarnBrian]

They actually look like part of a single whole side plastic mold to me.

Definitely. Go belt and braces by all means but I wouldn't bother. I have a wooden shelf in mine that holds my 14 gallon Brewtech Chronical with no problems.

 

[Cwrw666]

Don't forget you can be using the top space for conditioning bottles while the next brew is bubbling away underneath.

 

[Fil]

If you dont use the headspace just fill it with a binbag of packing or anything that occupies the volume

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
A third opinion about those plastic shelf supports - I would put a couple of legs beneath the shelf.
I made a simple frame held in place by friction - the cross-supports were a fraction longer than the width of the fridge interior so I didn't have to fasten the uprights onto the walls of the fridge.
If you ditch the bubbler for a blow-off tube, you'll get two FVs in there.

 

[Fore]

They actually look like part of a single whole side plastic mold to me.

If it makes a difference to the advice, those shelf supports are molded, as foxbat says. There is no screwing or gluing there. If they were going to fail, then the side of the fridge would have to shear apart. They seem pretty rigid to me; no give whatsoever. But you know, you've got me worried now :unsure: