Fridge

[Rodcx500z]

It’s coming along

 

[fgoulding]

Looks great. Could you fit a 3rd keg on the bottom there?

 

[Rodcx500z]

Looks great. Could you fit a 3rd keg on the bottom there?

Not without mods and the fridge is brand new so maybe when the warranty runs out but, i can fit 2 up top just need to get some marine ply, this all new to me and an ongoing project i think i need to get the gas outside that would help a lot

 

[Gazo76]

No it's just a 25 l fermenter and it's a tight fit. You might be able to fit 2 in with the bottom shelf removed and sitting in front of the area where the compressor sits. I can measure it when I get home from work tonight if you want ?

Hi there,
Hope you don't mind me asking, but do you have a photo of your 25l in this fridge please? What type of vent do you use during fermantation?
Looking at moving to an undercounter during the summer and trying to work out internal dimensions taking into consideration the compressor space and I'm getting nowhere fast .
I've got the brew2bottle buckets and with a bubbler airlock I've got 68cm to play with but think the compressor unit kills that.
Help/advice appreciated.

 

[jayk34]

Hi there,
Hope you don't mind me asking, but do you have a photo of your 25l in this fridge please? What type of vent do you use during fermantation?
Looking at moving to an undercounter during the summer and trying to work out internal dimensions taking into consideration the compressor space and I'm getting nowhere fast .
I've got the brew2bottle buckets and with a bubbler airlock I've got 68cm to play with but think the compressor unit kills that.
Help/advice appreciated.

I don't have a photo but can take one. I can say that if it's a standard 25l fermenter you will probably not be able to fit the standard s shaped airlocks. I have to use a blow off tube that goes into a 1 litre bottle that sits beside the fermenter.

 

[Gazo76]

I don't have a photo but can take one. I can say that if it's a standard 25l fermenter you will probably not be able to fit the standard s shaped airlocks. I have to use a blow off tube that goes into a 1 litre bottle that sits beside the fermenter.

Thanks bud.
Yeah, having a quick search around here I've found that a blow off tube into a bottle works just as good saving those vital cms.
To be fair, I mostly brew stouts anyway and they go crazy forcing me to add a tube into a bowl/pan, but a bottle will work for me.
Is your bucket flush on the floor or at the compressor height then? If slightly raised do you have a home made shelf to support the weight?
You're in trouble now, it's 20 questions time haha.

 

[jayk34]

Thanks bud.
Yeah, having a quick search around here I've found that a blow off tube into a bottle works just as good saving those vital cms.
To be fair, I mostly brew stouts anyway and they go crazy forcing me to add a tube into a bowl/pan, but a bottle will work for me.
Is your bucket flush on the floor or at the compressor height then? If slightly raised do you have a home made shelf to support the weight?
You're in trouble now, it's 20 questions time haha.

No worries, fire away with the questions. My bucket is compressor height. I use the glass shelf that came with it but also a wooden shelf on top of that with supports under the both.

 

[stripeyjoe]

I did find that my 25l Brew2Bottle FV bucket did fit in an under-counter fridge with a 3 part air-lock, it was tight though! This was a 'built in' style fridge which has a slightly different layout, the door is shorter to allow for a plinth and the floor is above where the compressor lump usually is. From memory it is around 50cm height, I can measure later if you like.

 

[Gazo76]

Thanks gents.

Was thinking that a slab of sturdy wood and a couple of supports would work, so great to know.
I'm guessing the heater fits in the bottom space no problem then?

Certainly a possibility joe. My problem is I don't drive, so anything I get will either require a good samaritan or will be brand new.
B2B 25l bucket is 42cm, so add a little for the blow off tube and there's plenty to work with.

 

[jayk34]

Thanks gents.

Was thinking that a slab of sturdy wood and a couple of supports would work, so great to know.
I'm guessing the heater fits in the bottom space no problem then?

Certainly a possibility joe. My problem is I don't drive, so anything I get will either require a good samaritan or will be brand new.
B2B 25l bucket is 42cm, so add a little for the blow off tube and there's plenty to work with.

I just have the tube heater attached to a bit of wood to steady it. It can be easily removed and the warranty is not void by glueing or screwing the tube heater in place. The cable for the tube heater is passed through the drain plug in the fridge but I had to remove the moulded plug from the tube heater to do this.

 

[fgoulding]

Not without mods and the fridge is brand new so maybe when the warranty runs out but, i can fit 2 up top just need to get some marine ply, this all new to me and an ongoing project i think i need to get the gas outside that would help a lot

Out of interest, assuming you had he space, would the marine ply handle the weight of 3 kegs if it was in the middle of your fridge? If so, I'd be interested in what thinkness you went for.

Thanks!

 

[Rodcx500z]

Out of interest, assuming you had he space, would the marine ply handle the weight of 3 kegs if it was in the middle of your fridge? If so, I'd be interested in what thinkness you went for.

Thanks!

Hi i don,t know about three i wouldn't like to try, my plan at the moment is to get the gas outside and another keg downstairs and use up top for cold crash, this is all new to me i just learning as i go

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Thanks @Rodcx500z !
At last - someone who got a specific fridge that seems to fit the bill… I have been nervous about getting a secondhand one and ending up with a Pig in a Poke, but that looks just the job.

Incidentally I see that all the fridges I’ve looked at say prominently that they are not suitable for use in an outbuilding or any unheated area. I suppose that could be because the chiller unit might not work properly if the room is colder than the inside of the fridge. Mine would have to be in the garage but it never seems to get too cold in there. Anyone had any problems with that?

 

[fgoulding]

Hi i don,t know about three i wouldn't like to try, my plan at the moment is to get the gas outside and another keg downstairs and use up top for cold crash, this is all new to me i just learning as i go

I was trying to avoid making a big wooden stand but that looks like the only option....

 

[Rodcx500z]

Thanks @Rodcx500z !
At last - someone who got a specific fridge that seems to fit the bill… I have been nervous about getting a secondhand one and ending up with a Pig in a Poke, but that looks just the job.

Incidentally I see that all the fridges I’ve looked at say prominently that they are not suitable for use in an outbuilding or any unheated area. I suppose that could be because the chiller unit might not work properly if the room is colder than the inside of the fridge. Mine would have to be in the garage but it never seems to get too cold in there. Anyone had any problems with that?

Hi TETB i was the same i did not want to get a second hand one then 3 months down the line replace it, all i did was go to Currys and got the biggest the fridge for the money i had, i am trying to work out how to get the gas outside the grey line for the regulator won't go through the drain hole i am thinking of using a 3/8th to 5/16th reducer then back to 3/8th but will that work i don't know, i don't want to drill holes in yet and void the warranty

 

[foxbat]

Hi TETB i was the same i did not want to get a second hand one then 3 months down the line replace it, all i did was go to Currys and got the biggest the fridge for the money i had, i am trying to work out how to get the gas outside the grey line for the regulator won't go through the drain hole i am thinking of using a 3/8th to 5/16th reducer then back to 3/8th but will that work i don't know, i don't want to drill holes in yet and void the warranty

You can run the gas in 3/16" all the way if you want. That's what I do. 3/8 to 3/16 stem reducers at each end and job done.

 

[Rodcx500z]

You can run the gas in 3/16" all the way if you want. That's what I do. 3/8 to 3/16 stem reducers at each end and job done.

Cheers Foxbat you just made my day will them get ordered from bkt

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

You can run the gas in 3/16" all the way if you want. That's what I do. 3/8 to 3/16 stem reducers at each end and job done.

Totally agree - the gas has effectively no viscosity (compared to the beer) so you can basically use whatever diameter pipe you like

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

Stem reducers - to tell the truth I never thought of that... I just use an inch or so of 3/8" line and a 3/8 to 3/16 reducer.
I'm guessing the stem reducers are cheaper too, because they only have one push-fit whatsit instead of two.

 

[DCBC]

Thanks @Rodcx500z !
At last - someone who got a specific fridge that seems to fit the bill… I have been nervous about getting a secondhand one and ending up with a Pig in a Poke, but that looks just the job.

Incidentally I see that all the fridges I’ve looked at say prominently that they are not suitable for use in an outbuilding or any unheated area. I suppose that could be because the chiller unit might not work properly if the room is colder than the inside of the fridge. Mine would have to be in the garage but it never seems to get too cold in there. Anyone had any problems with that?

A good number of fridges are rated to +10 to+43 degrees which should be fine for a garage even if they don't specifically say they are rated for an unheated outbuilding. These are SN-T class I think.

I use a garden office to brew and ferment with a £100(ish) panel heater, and also a solar powered vent fan to take the edge off the worst of the heat. I can set the panel to +10 easily, and so far the hottest it's got in there has been about 40 degrees. Uncomfortable to work and brew in with the door closed on a hot day but just about OK for appliances.