Mini/compact Fridge Fermentation Chamber Advise

[AlkiBrewing]

I'm gearing up to build a fermentation chamber and have an old GE compact fridge that I'd like to use. It's one of the really small ones. Do you think it will do the job or do I need to get one of the larger mini fridge's? The chamber will be large enough to hold two carboys. It'll be in the basement which the temp ranges from maybe 58 or so in the winter to around 65 in the summer. Thanks in advance!

 

[BSD_Glass]

My chamber is cooled by a 2ish cubic ft mini fridge. The chamber will hold (4) 60L (16-17 gallon) Spieldel fermenters. I recently fermented 33 gallons of lager in it at 50* in my 72 degree basement. I put a fan blowing across the outside coils of the mini fridge for the lower temp fermentation to help with the much increased load on the little compressor/heat exchanger. It worked like a champ. I did have to improve my weatherstripping around the door to get the chamber below 52*F.

The fridge barely turns on to maintain 63* F in the chamber which is where it is back to and where I normally keep it.

Make sure you use (more than) enough insulation and have good control over seams and leaks around your door and you'll probably be fine.

I do have a usb powered (low voltage) 120mm fan sitting in my cold plate that is always on circulating the air in the chamber and it greatly helps equalize temps throughout the chamber.

Good luck.

BSD

 

[AlkiBrewing]

BSD, thanks for the input I appreciate it. I think I'll go ahead and build using the little guy. I also use the Spidel fermenters (7.9 gal). Thanks again.