The_Gerbil_Brewer
Well-Known Member
I have an upright freezer I currently use for fermentation and have an idea on how I can use it for 3 separate temperature controlled chambers. I am building 2 insulated boxes that will sit above the freezer and can each hold 2 carboys. I plan to put a 10-15 gallon container of water in the freezer with 2 aquarium pump. Im going to run copper tubing (not sure exact length but thinking 25-50 for each chamber) from the pumps to the chambers and run along the wall of the chamber, returning back to the water tank in the freezer. Temperature controllers will cycle the pumps on and off.
I want to use the freezer for lagers/cold storage, one chamber for ales, and one chamber for long term sours. The freezer will therefore be between 32 50F (depending on whether fermenting or lagering) and the 2 water chilled chambers will be kept to keep fermentations in the 68-70F range. The chambers are in the back entry of my apartment so for the fall/winter/early spring keeping them at ale fermentation temperatures will be done with a heat pad. In the summer I expect that area to get up into the 90s.
Does anyone see any issues with this setup? Specifically:
- Will 10-15 gallons of 32-50 degree water chilled in a freezer be enough to maintain 68-70 fermentations in the summer heat?
- Will an aquarium pump be powerful enough to pump the water up a total height of 3 feet above the container and through 25-50ft of copper tubing?
- Would I be better off running a duct from the freezer to the fermentation chambers and have temp controllers cycle fans on and off to cool via forced cold air?
Thanks for any advice!
I want to use the freezer for lagers/cold storage, one chamber for ales, and one chamber for long term sours. The freezer will therefore be between 32 50F (depending on whether fermenting or lagering) and the 2 water chilled chambers will be kept to keep fermentations in the 68-70F range. The chambers are in the back entry of my apartment so for the fall/winter/early spring keeping them at ale fermentation temperatures will be done with a heat pad. In the summer I expect that area to get up into the 90s.
Does anyone see any issues with this setup? Specifically:
- Will 10-15 gallons of 32-50 degree water chilled in a freezer be enough to maintain 68-70 fermentations in the summer heat?
- Will an aquarium pump be powerful enough to pump the water up a total height of 3 feet above the container and through 25-50ft of copper tubing?
- Would I be better off running a duct from the freezer to the fermentation chambers and have temp controllers cycle fans on and off to cool via forced cold air?
Thanks for any advice!