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- Mar 29, 2019
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I'll apologize in advance (it's a Canadian thing I know), but I'm going ask some questions about building a mini-fridge fermentation chamber. I've searched google and the site and there are tons of comments on this issue - but I haven't found what I'm looking for.
I have the fridge for free - turns out university kids don't want them when they graduate. It's likely well inoculated with beer yeast! The coils are exposed on the outside back.
I've also bought an inkbird 308.
#1 searches point to the need for an internal (computer) fan to circulate the air - do you want air from outside coming in or just circulate what's inside the fridge to maintain a more even air temp inside the fridge. ? And have it on 24 hours a day?
#2 If the fridge is kept inside is there really a need for a heating element? I almost feel it's not necessary - but that would lead to more temp variability. I'm thinking of buying a seed heating mat but think something that heats the air is better (especially if I run a computer fan) than having direct contact. I'm thinking of taping the matt to inside fridge wall to create radiant heat.
#3 The fridge coils are on the outside. Someone on a site somewhere talked about the fridge running for 15-20 minutes at times which is not what their built for an the coils would overheat and a fan on them would be needed to get rid of that heat. True/false?
#4 The inkbird temp probe taped to the carboy - not ideal but good enough or buy one of those probes that goes into the carboy?
Thanks again -
I have the fridge for free - turns out university kids don't want them when they graduate. It's likely well inoculated with beer yeast! The coils are exposed on the outside back.
I've also bought an inkbird 308.
#1 searches point to the need for an internal (computer) fan to circulate the air - do you want air from outside coming in or just circulate what's inside the fridge to maintain a more even air temp inside the fridge. ? And have it on 24 hours a day?
#2 If the fridge is kept inside is there really a need for a heating element? I almost feel it's not necessary - but that would lead to more temp variability. I'm thinking of buying a seed heating mat but think something that heats the air is better (especially if I run a computer fan) than having direct contact. I'm thinking of taping the matt to inside fridge wall to create radiant heat.
#3 The fridge coils are on the outside. Someone on a site somewhere talked about the fridge running for 15-20 minutes at times which is not what their built for an the coils would overheat and a fan on them would be needed to get rid of that heat. True/false?
#4 The inkbird temp probe taped to the carboy - not ideal but good enough or buy one of those probes that goes into the carboy?
Thanks again -