Anyone handy that can help me convert upright freezer into fermentation chamber??

HigherThisHeat

HigherThisHeat

So I picked up this upright freezer at a tag sale yesterday for $65 in hopes of turning it into a fermentation chamber with the addition of a temp controller.

I am these least handy dude in the world. I barely own tools, and I think this may have bee a poor choice to undertake.

The freezer's shelves ARE the cooling coils and I don't know what to do! I was thinking of bending the coil to make the shelves vertical if that is even possible. I am hoping I didn't waste my money.

Anyone got a suggesting what the hell I can do on this guy??

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Yeah I've been cruisin around there... I think I f**ked up and got the wrong thing! Back to the drawing board I guess.

Anyone need an upright freezer??

$100 big ones :D
 
It would work with the styro box, but I would tape the whole thing up with metal duct tape and then paint a/c duct mastic over the whole inside, including the joints with the freezer. Also put some nice foam rubber tape seals on the lid.

I used to have an external freezer thermostat that controlled the power to the freezer to regulate the temps...You could place the sensor in the middle of the foam box..
 
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I want to shoot for around 65-67 degree mark
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I would think your freezer has enough power to do that just fine in the styrofoam box, but the problem will be getting the thermostat to go up that warm.
 
You can always cut the tubing rotate the coils to either wall and splice back together may have to add tubing but it could be done.
 
The problem with that though is where the compressor sticks out on the bottom there is no way to get the bottom shelf to fit verticle. Just not enough clearance.

What a poor impulse buy this was!!
 
You can remove the bottom shelf completely. You want to raise the temp in there anyways so that would make it easier to do so .... I think - If there is a will there is a way
 
That's true. The only problem with removing the bottom shelf is I would have to cut the cooling coil which makes up the shelf. Will it leak, or even work if I do that?

I wish I understood more things about stuff as such.
 
I believe you should be able to cap the ends that go to the bottom shelf with compression fittings like these from Home Depot for less than 5$
 

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unless its not what it looks like... as soon as you cut into the tubing it will leak refrigerant.

it actually wouldnt be super hard to do... if that thing works anything like a home ac unit( idk if it does or not) you would just need to vac down the whole system such that all the refrigerant collects inside the compressor. then do your dirty business of cutting and soldering.

fwiw i think you can do this with a home ac because the outdoor units have valves that allow you to isolate the compressor from the lines that run into your indoor evaporator unit...
i don't think this would be the case with a frige tho?
in other words idk if you can vacuum the system down and keep the refrigerant inside the compressor.

edit: spelling
 
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