Cutting an old fridge/freezer for fermentation room

[Sam Nelson]

Hey, 

ive had a bit of a search and a bit of a google around and cant come to much of an answer.

what im wanting to know is am i safe to cut out the floor of my fridge freezer open it up into one chamber for a nice temperature controlled fermentation room.

photos of said fridge attached.... freezer on top i want to cut this out for more clearance to fit a nice conical fermenter

[Smiffy]

I would say not. It looks like one I have, an F&P Kelvinator. There are no separate cooling coils or plates in the freezer and the whole of the inside gets covered in ice when it is run, so my conclusion is that the cooling tubes are attached to the other side of all the surfaces including the bottom. If you are prepared to risk scrapping it, you could cut away the plastic roof of the fridge and pull away the insulation, then you will be able to see if I'm right. I have got a conical in mine, just, see picture here:

http://www.forum.realbeer.co.nz/forum/topics/1500433:Topic:9843?xg_...

[Smiffy]

I've done a bit of an exploratory dissection of the ceiling of my fridge. Plastic, insulation, then the floor of the freezer, with cooling tube attached.

So cutting out the division would destroy the refrigeration circuit.

[Ralph]

Interesting. I found a big enough fridge rather than buy an old fridge freezer... solved my problem...

[Ralph]

Yeh I have been contemplating doing something similar as I have a tall fermentation vessel that I want to fit in an old fridge. I am currently looking for a whole fridge that is tall enough that wont sell for too much on Trademe, but I have wondered about buying a fridge/freezer and cutting out the part between the fridge and the freezer...

[Hamish Jones]

Just done the same myself, got given a reasonably good fridge, ripped out the thermostat and wired in a temperature controller, lagering a fermenter at the moment at a mint 12 degress, just get something on trademe wth a buggered thermostat then get on ebay and pick up a temp controller like they guys are selling on trade me for about $20 delivered and bobs your uncle

[Andre Jaworski]

I did the exact same thing only to find I cut through the freezers gas pipes which run between the fridge and freezer. Luckily for me the reason we  got the fridge was the freezer was not working and there was no gas in it. The fridge still runs fine as it runs on a different circuit. I would say beware if your freezer circuit is still gassed.

[Chad Keven]

its funny ive thought of doing this aswell, im fermenting in a 50l keg with a doctored plastic screw lid (works well) but im forced to use a blow off tube as an airlock wont fit, this works fine; i was thinking of cutting out the floor of the freezer also but more for efficiancy  as it takes hours to get the temp down

[Liam Callaghan]

Same as the above, better to use a simple fridge or freezer rather than a fridge freezer.  I believe Smiffy has it right.

I have a big scope fridge which ou can pick up cheap, just have to be patient.  Well worth it as they hold a dozen corny kegs or half dozen hams.  Even better it can hold 150 salami :p

I also run a chest freezer.  No wiring or anything needed on the chest frezer just plug into the temp controller.  Mine holds 2 fermentors, 4 if I make a small collar around it and make a couple of timber stands.  You can tap the collar as well so you dont damage the unit if you want/need to sell it later.  Collar is just a 300mm high plywood and insulation extension around the top of the freezer that the lid sits on.  Plenty of examples if you google.

Chest freezer is a bit harder on your back lifting in and out so better with a stand inside.  Doubles as a great work surface in the workshop though which is a great bonus.

[Chad Keven]

does any body know if a chest freezer works stood up on its end?

[Smiffy]

It may work for a few minutes or hours, then the compressor would fail due to lack of lubrication. Refrigeration systems rely on gravity to collect lubricant in the right places, which is why, if you lay down a fridge or freezer for transport you should leave it upright for several hours before plugging it in.

The internal mountings of the compressor are also designed to work one way up.

If you have a chest freezer and enough floor space, just replace the lid with an insulated box to make it into a cabinet rather than a chest.

[Chad Keven]

duurr! man i'm stupid,

[Brent Marquis]

Just stick a wooden collar on it like this:

http://beerginner.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/20111229-060643.jpg

The lids unbolt and then bolt onto the wood.
took me 10 minutes to screw together and 5 minutes to fit.

just be damn careful unbolting the lid. put a heavy nail though the holes in the hinges so they don't snap your fingers, etc....