Opinion request: fermentation chamber pricing question

[kds1398]

1. Does $150 seem like a good deal for this freezer? I wanted to use it as a fermentation/lagering/cold crashing chamber: http://delaware.craigslist.org/app/2450556892.html. I contacted the seller, and it's ~6 years old, they have been using it for ~2 years (I guess they bought it used).

2. My hope is to be able to fit a minimum of 2-3 6 gallon better bottles in it right now. Obviously the more the merrier as far as space goes. Does that seem feasible with this one?

3. Would I be better off waiting for a better deal or going with a chest freezer?

4. Is an upright/chest freezer more prone to mold in your experience? The main reason I was looking at upright freezers was to future proof myself in case I get a conical in the next 2-3 years.

 

[Homercidal]

I would not go with an upright again if I had the choice, personally.

Firstly, there is a likelyhood that the shelves have cooling coils integrated into them, and it could be a real PITA to bend them out of the way without losing your Freon (making the freezer a huge peperweight).

Second, the chest freezer is practically ready-made for a fermentation chamber. They also hold the chill better, as it doesn't fall out when you open the door. You will lose the convenience of placing different foods on different shelves, but that's not a concern for a homebrewer. You'll also need a larger footprint.

That deal seems like a lot. I can buy a brand new chest unit that will fit 2-3 fermenters from Lowes for $180.

If I were going to look for another fermentation chamber, I'd find a small to medium chest freezer on CL. Plenty of room for buckets or carboys.

As it is, I am using my old chest freezer, which did require me bending the coils. I did it, but I have another freezer with the coils integrated into the shelves (like your picture shows) and I would not even begin to try with that one. On mine, the shelves could be removed from the coils.

 

[kds1398]

I can buy a brand new chest unit that will fit 2-3 fermenters from Lowes for $180.

Any idea which specific brand/model will fit 2-3 better bottles for $180?

This one has a review from a homebrewer saying they can fit 2 carboys in it... never heard of the brand though:
Holiday 7 Cu. Ft. Chest Freezer (Color: White) Item #: 73849 | Model #:LCM070LC

 

[broadbill]

Any idea which specific brand/model will fit 2-3 better bottles for $180?

This one has a review from a homebrewer saying they can fit 2 carboys in it:
Holiday 7 Cu. Ft. Chest Freezer (Color: White) Item #: 73849 | Model #:LCM070LC

I have a 5 Cu. Ft. and I can only fit one with the hump. I think you'd need to go around 13 Cu. Ft. to squeeze in 3 fermenters. I'm not sure where you can find one of those for $180; they go around $350 in my neighborhood...

 

[Homercidal]

Any idea which specific brand/model will fit 2-3 better bottles for $180?

This one has a review from a homebrewer saying they can fit 2 carboys in it... never heard of the brand though:
Holiday 7 Cu. Ft. Chest Freezer (Color: White) Item #: 73849 | Model #:LCM070LC

I'm not sure about a 7cu model. Maybe 3. I think you'll want to go bigger if you want to make it work without modifying.

I have a 5 Cu. Ft. and I can only fit one with the hump. I think you'd need to go around 13 Cu. Ft. to squeeze in 3 fermenters. I'm not sure where you can find one of those for $180; they go around $350 in my neighborhood...

The $180 model I was referring to is about 7 CU foot and I "think" you could do 3 fermenters if you were willing to add a collar and make the hump usable. Still a good deal compared to using an upright for $150 IMO.

Since I found 5 CU ft. on CL nearby, I never got far enough to take measurements and see just what would fit in there. I think CL is your best bet if you don't' care what it looks like. I see decent deals all the time on chest freezers for under $100.

 

[Homercidal]

One thing I can't stand is that more often than not, someone will post a chest freezer on CL and NOT EVEN POST THE SIZE! What are these people thinking? Oh yeah, I guess I'll just buy it no matter how big it is... duh.

 

[kds1398]

One thing I can't stand is that more often than not, someone will post a chest freezer on CL and NOT EVEN POST THE SIZE! What are these people thinking? Oh yeah, I guess I'll just buy it no matter how big it is... duh.

I've noticed the same thing. Vague or non existent descriptions. It's like an ad that says "selling tv, $200" and nothing else.

 

[Homercidal]

Right? You think these people go to the store and purchase a TV without seeing it, and without getting anything more than "TV. $200"? NO! Then don't try and sell your crap like that!

I move on if I have to email the guy selling a freezer and he complains about having to bust out a measuring tape to tell me how big it is. If they don't want to take 5 minutes to measure and reply, I'm not interested.

 

[dutchoven]

I would jump on that freezer ... the price is right.

I have almost the exact freezer (slightly smaller). I can fit at least four six-gallon carboys. Here's my build thread: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/dutch-s-cadillac-fermentation-chamber-build-251579/

IMO, upright freezers are the way to go. Much easier to get stuff in and out.

 

[Homercidal]

Yeah, if the coils are not part of the shelf, then they can be a great fermentation chamber. Otherwise, it's not worth the work/risk. I can see the chest freezer being apain to load unload though, if you are short or weak.

 

[dutchoven]

The freezer kds1398 is asking about is a frost free model. Those are just wire shelves.

 

[kds1398]

Definitely just looked like wire shelves without coils in them.

 

[kds1398]

I committed to buying it. Hopefully it is still available.

 

[kds1398]

Bought it. Works well, needs a good scrubbing with a bit of pbw/star san before I put it to use. Now it's time to figure out what kind of shelving I'm going to build & how many fermenters I can get in there.

My other concern is now humidity control... I'm sure with the temperature ranges of 40-70 F that I'll be operating in mold would love to move in and make a home in there.

 

[dutchoven]

Hey kds1398, how's the build? Any progress?

 

[kds1398]

I bought it, cleaned it out, let it sit outside open overnight, bought a Ranco ETC-111000 ($49 shipped), wired that up & have been using it since then for the last half dozen batches or so.

My basement flooded in August & I've been gradually working on demolishing/refinishing/updating my entire basement since then so I haven't had much in the way of time for brewing or constructing shelves for it. Actually I have a few small brewing related projects that are back burnered by real life: pump toolbox (also waiting on center inlet chugger pumps to become available), hop spider (laziness as it's only a 10-20 minute build), brewing stand, design/build a shelf for my fermentation chamber so I can fit 4 6.5 gallon better bottles instead of two.

I did have a mold problem in the freezer where the outside of my better bottles were coated in fur, but I put 2x eva-dry E-500 in the freezer & it seems to have resolved the issue.

 

[KraphtBier]

Not to thread jack but, would a 6 cubic foot chest freezer accomodate two 6.5 gal carboys?