fermenting cupboard build help

[newtonsshed]

As well as trying to get my brewery up and running I also want to sort the TV cupboard. I'll be fermenting in the shed and I've built an under counter cupboard I've doubled skinned the cupboard and put loft insulation inbetween . I plan to put a heater in there coupled up to an st1000 temp controller, I now need to look at the cooling side. I'm thinking of getting an under counter fridge and take the door off and have the fridge to form part of the side, would this work OK or is there a better way, just worried that its not insulated enough and the fridge will be cooling the whole shed r,rather than the cupboard. Thanks Andy

[therealrendo]

The fridge might have been better to be the actual cupboard, as then it can act to lower temperature but with the heater inside it it can act to raise temperature.
i have been thinking about doing something similar but the cooling side is the most difficult, using the fridge will likely be bulky, can you buy some sort of air con unit that can sit in the cupboard for cooling. i would avoid b@stardising the fridge.

sorry haven't really helped here.

[Cazamodo]

+1 to using the fridge.

However, my old FV cupboard was a chest freezer on its side (compressor turned so it still worked) with the lid off, forming one side of the cupboard, the rest made of 100mm celotex. I could fit 4 Fvs in and had a fan to circulate the air.

Same should work for a fridge, all you're doing really is increasing the space 'inside' the fridge for it to cool. It will have to be very well insulated to be effected though, as you state it would try and cool the whole shed.

[kinnockthecat]

I've built a similar undercounter cupboard. Insulated it with 50mm celotex and used an undercounter fridge. But, even with using a fan the temp is bearly coming down to 15 deg C. Whether I have enough insulation I'm not sure. I do have a small fan to recirculate the air. The whole setup is in a wooden shed which is also insulated but still gets quite warm in summer. I was wondering if the doors need sealing better?

[newtonsshed]

Hi Kinnockthecat this is my concern my shed isn't insulated just my cupboard prob 25mm as only used the loft insulation stuff but have used it all way round and top and bottom. How much heat does the fridge kick out at the back? Can this be heating the shed up if that's insulated too? What do you ferment in plastic or s s and what size ? I'm hoping to have 3 or 4 fermenting /conditioning at same time at 20 -25l plastic bucket /king kegs/cornies/5l mini kegs so hopeful the exothermic heat at start of fv won't rise the overall temp too much. I think there s too much variant in temp in shed daytime boiling hot night time freezing that already starting to regret trying to fv in the shed but no where else to do it so...