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Fermenator FAQ Page
Cooling your conical:
We get regular requests for jacketed or solid-state cooling
devised for our line of conicals. While our competitor offers these, they
are very expensive and have limited performance. While we would stand to
make more money on the sale of these products, we don't feel that it is the best
or most economical solution. We have designed the Fermenator to easily fit
into an upright freezer which offers the following significant advantages:
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Much lower cost than jacketing the conical. An
upright freezer can be had for $375-550 brand new. The competitors
cooling options cost $850-$1,275!! Ouch! |
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Adding a simple Ranco controller to this freezer will allow
you to get significantly more cooling - cool to 28F or less!!
Solid state coolers can do about 25-30F off of ambient MAX. So if you're
in a garage in the summer, you'll be lucky to reach ale temps much less lager
temps. Using
a light bulb or pad heater will also allow you to heat the freezer in the
winter. |
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Much more economical, quieter, and reliable to operate.
For typical use, these will cost about $25/yr to operate. |
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Can be used for beer storage when not fermenting |
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Takes little more floor space than the conical itself |
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No foam insulation or clumsy wiring to mess with for cleaning
the conical |
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Frigidaire (or Kenmore equivalent) The 13.7 cu ft
model FFU1464FW (28W X 28.5D X 59H) work well for the 7 and 14.5 gal
Fermenators. The 20.3 cu ft model FFU2065FW (32W X 28.5D X 70H) works
well with the 27 and 42 gal models. These are all frost-free units.
We have no control over the design of these freezers, so it is best that you
measure the actual unit before purchasing it to ensure that it'll fit. |
Converting a freezer to a lagering freezer
This is very easy to do with basic tools (jig saw and drill). You will
need to remove the door shelf panel and replace it with a flat panel to gain access to
the full depth of the freezer. You can either cut the shelving off and
leave the foam insulation exposed, but a more attractive option is shown in the
pics below. The fiberglass sheet, Ranco controller, and plywood shelf will
cost you about $100-125 total.
Use the door as a template Cut & drill holes with a jig saw Install seal and panel back on door Run probe wire through door into controller Leave clearance for hatch and airlock Tape probe on tank for operation
Shown is the F3-42 (1bbl batch size) inside the larger of the two freezers listed above. The proto gallery pics that follow will show you how to modify the door and build a small box to set the Fermenator on. Note that the probe of the Ranco controller is taped to the surface of the conical to reduce compressor cycling and to accurately maintain the temp of the fermenting beer. Purchase a white fiberglass sheet at your local home improvement center. Remove the door and seal from the freezer and use the shelving penel as a template for the flat sheet. build a plywood base from 3/4 plywood and 2X8's to raise the height of the conical high enough to gravity drain to kegs if desired. Or use the pressurization feature of the Fermenator to pump into kegs. For the 27gal model, you'll need to raise it about 8" to clear the ledge on the back of the freezer to get it to fit. Be sure to build your box low enough to allow clearance to open the lid hatch for adding hops, finings etc, and also for the airlock or blowoff assembly. Note that a hole can be drilled through the door and a hose run from the stopper (with the included elbow) and the airlock can be mounted on the outside of the freezer. Not only does this keep the CO2 from pushing the door open, it allows you to monitor fermentation without opening the freezer.
Shown is the F3-42 (1bbl batch size) inside the larger of the two freezers listed above. The proto gallery pics that follow will show you how to modify the door and build a small box to set the Fermenator on. Note that the probe of the Ranco controller is taped to the surface of the conical to reduce compressor cycling and to accurately maintain the temp of the fermenting beer.
Fermenting small batches in a large conical:
It is possible to ferment smaller batch sizes in a larger conical. For
example, a 5gal batch can be fermented in a 14.5 gal conical, however, there are
a couple small drawbacks. Since the liquid level will be much lower, there
will be less liquid pressure (head) available to push out the yeast. This
can be remedied by more frequent dumpings or simply by pressurizing the unit to
push it out. The large head space above the fermenting beer isn't
generally a problem in a Fermenator conical since the sealing system is both
pressure and vacuum capable which will keep air out once the CO2 from
fermentation has scrubbed out the initial air volume. However, limit
temperature fluctuations will help keep air from bubbling back through your
airlock.
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