Fridge or Freezer

[Soundmod]

Hi,

I'm looking for some good advice, I'm setting up a fermentation chamber and note using an old fridge or freezer with a temperature controller and heater is the best option for a perfect ferment.

So which to look for on Fleabay?

Fridge or freezer? Are there any brands to avoid? What are peoples preferred models?

regards to you all

 

[Bigjas]

I got a second hand fridge from Gumtree for £20. It was clean enough, but I still bleached it.......

It was an under counter fridge without the ice compartment and is plenty big enough. I am using an Inkbird controller and a 1ft 45w tube heater and it works very well.

Jas

 

[Soundmod]

Jas,

I ordered an Inkbird this morning and had the same idea with a 1ft tube heater, You have confirmed it all fits fine and gives great temperature control of the fermentation process. Have you tried a low temperature lager yet? I would love to know if this system allows that?

Has anyone used a chest freezer? what are the pros and cons?

Stu

 

[Bigjas]

Stu

You will have no problem with the Inkbird, it is very good and easy to use/setup. I haven't used it with a low temp lager, but can't see how there could be any problems so long as your fridge can maintain a low enough temp?

Jas

 

[Soundmod]

Jas,

I wondered if a freezer was more efficient than a fridge?

Stu

 

[Bigjas]

I think the trouble with freezers is that most of them have the cooling elements in the shelves, which means you can't get a FV in it. The fridge I have works well and I can get it down to 3c constantly.

Jas

 

[Sbond10]

I've been told freezers are more highly insulated than fridges.

I use a 25w infra red heat bulb and ceramic bulb holder

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
You seem to have already decided on a freezer.
Why are you continuing to dither - get one bought. :smile:
PS if you get a chest freezer you have the option to convert it to a keezer in the future.
Colin

 

[ericmark]

My fridge/freezer was condemned as the insulation had gone, but motor still works, so stuck it in garage to use as a brew unit. At first only used the unit as an insulated box, so stuck a energy meter on the 18W heater to find out how close it was to being big enough, in hart of winter it showed 5W would be enough, tried with 8W bulb, and no problem keeping it warm enough. In fact the 8W bulb was better as less over shoot. Hind sight is easy, now I have used an energy meter I can say 8W is ample plus the test, but before I was worried.

As to cooling only just started, it seems it cools the freezer first so off with the air lock and the fermentor is in the freezer compartment, clearly frost free as non frost free has shelves in the way with upright models. To reduce from 20.4[FONT=&quot]°C to 18.5[/FONT][FONT=&quot]°C it took 40 minutes and the freezer air went down to 5.4[/FONT][FONT=&quot]°C I expected it to over shoot, sensor on the fermentor not in free air. However that was not the case, it kept the fermentor at 18.5 to 19.1[/FONT][FONT=&quot]°C when set to 18.5[/FONT][FONT=&quot]°C with 0.3[/FONT][FONT=&quot]°C differential and a 15 minute start delay.

I am using a [/FONT][FONT=&quot]MH1210A temperature controller, I intended to buy a [/FONT][FONT=&quot]STC-1000 but made an error, I also have a [/FONT][FONT=&quot]STC-1000 I had intended to use one for heat and one for cooling, but the experiment shows that is not required the [/FONT][FONT=&quot]STC-1000 would do both even with sensor on the fermentor, however keep the heater small, when the freezer is running there is a fan to circulate the air that's standard with a frost free freezer, but on heat there is no fan of course, so keep heater small a 8W bulb is ample.

Mine cost me just the price of the temperature controller, even as an electrician had the Inkbird been around when I started I would have got one of them. In winter I used both controllers one in fridge and one in freezer. Once the first 7 days have gone I move the fermentor to fridge let it settle then into clean fermentor which also goes in fridge. Then I can start another brew in freezer. Although after 7 days it is still fermenting it does not produce as much heat, and if it does get too hot it is unlikely to produce off tastes at that stage. I bottle after 21 days, and then in shed for around 6 months. At moment low on stock only 80 pints left so brewing in summer months, normally in the summer I stop brewing.

[FONT=&quot]As to che[FONT=&quot]st freezers they often can take two ferment[FONT=&quot]ors, but I would not like to lift them out, and they are likely too low to be able to syphon without removing first. The same applies to [FONT=&quot]other fridges or freezers, unless elevated a bit you need to move before you syphon so you will [FONT=&quot]disturb[/FONT] the sediment, my fridge i[FONT=&quot]s high enough, the[FONT=&quot] freezer is too low.

[FONT=&quot]The fridge does not in the main have a built in fan, I can only guess what [FONT=&quot]difference[/FONT] that makes. I noted when my freezer switches on there is a delay while the fan is running b[FONT=&quot]u[FONT=&quot]t not the [FONT=&quot]refrigeration[/FONT] motor and I could see the freezer air temperature raise more rapid and the fermentor started to cool again. So the fan is clearly important[FONT=&quot], as to how important you need to ask some one who uses a [FONT=&quot]fridge, as I can't switch off the fan in the freezer.

[FONT=&quot]New rules on fridge[FONT=&quot]/freezers mean there are hardly any frost free freezers made which are under counter hight. Either they are tall or part of a fridge/freezer. Also the 50/50 split with a fridge[FONT=&quot]/freezer is rare today, the freezers are often much smaller than the fridge. E[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]ven[/FONT] with my old unit [/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]the freezer is [FONT=&quot]no[FONT=&quot]t as tall as the fridge so can't fit the air lock in freezer.

[FONT=&quot]Oh the [/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]MH1210A will heat or cool not both together[FONT=&quot], the [/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]STC-1000 will heat and cool, the [/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]STC-100[FONT=&quot] will heat and cool but has no off between heat and cool[FONT=&quot] so like the [/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]MH1210A in real terms you can only heat or cool. The whole lot including the Inkbird are cheap units and simply switch heat [FONT=&quot]on[FONT=&quot] at for example 18.5[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][FONT=&quot]°C heat off at 18.7[/FONT][FONT=&quot]°C cool off at 19[/FONT][FONT=&quot]°C and cool on at 19.3[/FONT][FONT=&quot]°C they are not [FONT=&quot]intelligent controllers, using more expensive units they [FONT=&quot]can start to pulse as the limits are [FONT=&quot]approached so do not over shoot in the same way. With the freezer and remember [FONT=&quot]it has a fan I had little or no over shoot, but with an 18W underfloor heating t[FONT=&quot]ile[FONT=&quot] I did have over shoot, at a garage temperature of 5[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]°C in the winter the heaters do not over shoot, but as the gar[FONT=&quot]age temperature raises so the heater starts to over shoot. Using a simple bulb works well, as it is easy to reduce the bulb size in the summer to 4W and increase again to 8W in the winter.

[FONT=&quot]Problem with heating the fermenting is also giving off heat, so easier to over shoot on way up than way down.

[FONT=&quot]I am told that with the chest freezer you don't lose the cold air when you open the lid. And it seems people do put [FONT=&quot]two fermentors in at once. It would be OK if [FONT=&quot]using air temperature, but using [FONT=&quot]fermentor temperature can't really do two.

[FONT=&quot]There has been a lot of debate as to i[FONT=&quot]f putting sensor in the air, or clamped under some insulation on the fermentor the latter means brew at correct temperature and no need to [FONT=&quot]compensate, there is in my fridge and freezer 2 to 4[FONT=&quot]°[FONT=&quot]C [FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]difference air to fermentor. I had really expected a problem with the [FONT=&quot]freezer overshooting, but this simply did not happen. So no problem with sensor on the fermentor. It seems crazy to me that the massive freezer motor does not over shoot, but my 18W under floor heating tile which is in contact with the fermentor will over shoot. OK only by 2[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]°[FONT=&quot]C but it does, with the freezer I used a CFL bulb 8W in the short draw under the fermentor, and that worked fine. Using air to me is too much work, you start at 17[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]°[FONT=&quot]C and slowly day by day raise it to 19[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]°[FONT=&quot]C to keep the fermentor at 20[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]°[FONT=&quot]C so much easier to simply measure fermentor. At moment freezer air at 17.5[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]°[FONT=&quot]C but fermentor at 18.5[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]°[FONT=&quot]C as the brewing kicks in th[FONT=&quot]at [FONT=&quot]difference[/FONT] will increase [/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]as only started last night, and then it will decrease. When [FONT=&quot]both are the same it will be ready to bottle or at least that's what happened last time.[/FONT] [/FONT] [/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT] [/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT] [/FONT][/FONT] [/FONT]

 

[Soundmod]

Big Col,

I haven't finally chosen. I'm waiting for advice from members as to the Pros and cons of each.

Here are my initial impressions....

Fridge: Simple enough for general fermenting, easy access,
Chest Freezer: Better insulation and faster chilling

Thanks to everyone for their input

Stuart

 

[Inkbird]

Oh the MH1210A will heat or cool not both together, the STC-1000 will heat and cool, the STC-100 will heat and cool but has no off between heat and cool so like the MH1210A in real terms you can only heat or cool. The whole lot including the Inkbird are cheap units and simply switch heat on at for example 18.5°C heat off at 18.7°C cool off at 19°C and cool on at 19.3°C they are not intelligent controllers, using more expensive units they can start to pulse as the limits are approached so do not over shoot in the same way. With the freezer and remember it has a fan I had little or no over shoot, but with an 18W underfloor heating tile I did have over shoot, at a garage temperature of 5°C in the winter the heaters do not over shoot, but as the garage temperature raises so the heater starts to over shoot. Using a simple bulb works well, as it is easy to reduce the bulb size in the summer to 4W and increase again to 8W in the winter.

Hi, it's seems that you need a PID thermostat rather than an on/off thermostat,right? We have on/off thermostat such as ITC-1000,ITC-2000,ITC-308,ITC-306T,ITC-310T. Also, we have many PID temperature controller, our ITC-100 series will help.