Fridge for fermenting

[Dai]

Hi all, I am planning on getting a second fridge for fermenting and want to keep it as small as possible to save on space.  Does anyone use those 120L bar fridges (such as: http://www.thewarehouse.co.nz/red/catalog/product/Bar-Fridge-117L%2...).  These often crop up on Trade Me for not too much cash.  I think that it will just fit my carboy if I take the side holders out of the door, but it looks tight.  I just do not want to have to take my carboy into the Warehouse to double check!

[Reviled]

Main problem with these things is the hump that the compressor sits in, its a real pain cos without the hump these fridges are usually big enough.

[Richard Jack]

You know, a big one has not much additional floor footprint, and then you can fit 2 carboys! And every now and then you can pick one up for 20 bucks or so on trademe. Just a thought.

[Tilt]

I looked into this myself a few weeks ago.  As Reviled says - the hump covering the compressor gets in the way, as does the freezer box, and the compartment isn't deep or high enough for your usual 30L round fermentor.

If you were dead set on a bar fridge you could change to fermenting in a jerry can or a 20L cube from Bunnings instead - easier to fit a squarish container into a squarish space (not sure on specifics here but I've heard it works)

I opted instead to go for one of those 270L F&P models (c270) that has the same footprint as the bar fridge but is plenty tall enough to fit 2 normal 30L plastic fermentors.  They come up on trade me reasonably often.

[John H]

I've had an old Leonard for about 8 months now. Got it real cheap off trademe BUT methinks its running low on gas - my last brew it kept cutting out on me. There is a real chance I'm gonna struggle getting it re gassed due to the age. Something to think about before buying the cheapies.

[Reviled]

"There is a real chance I'm gonna struggle getting it re gassed due to the age. Something to think about before buying the cheapies"

 

Generally the cost of regassing them is just as much as buying a decent second hand one. I had three $20 fridges crap out on me in the space of about 2 months, so I got sick of taking fridges to the tip and shelled out for a brand new chesty!! Never looked back

[Dai]

Had a remeasure, and it looks as if a 120L will be a bit too tight for my carboy.  However, a 190L will be just right, and will hold a couple of cornies too; not that these are on the horizon for anytime soon :(

[Matt Cox]

Hey all. First time poster here.

I've managed to fit a 20L bucket into an old bar fridge, but it's super tight. No way I'd fit my 30L bucket in there though.

It means I can do 18-19L batches, but the limited head space gets pretty gnarly when it starts churning. I'm now using a blow off tube instead of the standard airlock after a highish gravity IPA blew the airlock out.

As already stated, the compressor takes up a few centremetres at the bottom. But you've also got to worry about the ice-box at the top. My 20L bucket just fits under that, with the airlock or blow-off tube poking out the front of it.

I'd definitely go for a larger fridge if you can.