Drilling fermentation fridge

[mosquat]

Hello all,

I will sorting out my fridge soon and will add a heater and some way to get the temperature probes into the fridge too - both tasks may involve some drilling IMO. There might also be some other tasks I haven't considered (like bolstering the shelves etc.) that may also require some drilling too..

So my question: Are there any issues with drilling a ferm fridge? - I know I could break something but I'm thinking more of the drill holes affecting the ability of the fridge and heater to control temperature efficiently.

Any advice on this would be appreciated before I end up doing something stupid that can't be easily reversed...

Cheers

Carl

[themadhippy]

make the hole just big enough for the cable and you'll be ok,if you want to get fancy you could add a wall grommet to make the hole look nice.One tip, instead of drilling through use a red hot spike to melt your way through,less chance of damaging any cooling pipes

[chris172]

I used the drain hole to put the wires through so no drilling

[jimpy0]

i did same as above, to get a little more clearance on the outside if the drainhole is usually a flexi pipe, rip it off as you'll not need it.

[Fil]

fwiw i went in thru the top, inside i heated up a nail and pushed it thru the inside top to ensure no cooling tube were in the way before drilling.

once the probe calbe was through i sealed with a squirt of silicone sealant.

[Jules T]

My first attempt, albeit trying to cut a hole between the two compartments of a fridge freezer, ended up with lots of hissing and escaping coolant but my second attempt, this time just a fridge , I put the tube heater cable and probe cable through the drain hole.

Much better to try the second option I think!

[Rhodesy]

+1 for the drain hole option. I done so in my larder fridge with no ill effects to date.

[chris.laws.54943]

On a slightly different tack, I'm looking for a fermentation fridge/kegerator. Does anyone build and sell them? I'm sure u could build it but time is my issue - along with being a bit lazy.

[mosquat]

All very helpful thanks everyone.

One final Q - fitting the heater....the fixture seems to have screws that should also be drilled...did anyone try using an adhesive instead?

thanks again

[chris172]

No.. I just let mine stand in the bottom... it's not going to get knocked over so once in place under the FV shelf its a good un.

[mosquat]

I like that approach cheers again all

[f00b4r]

All very helpful thanks everyone.

One final Q - fitting the heater....the fixture seems to have screws that should also be drilled...did anyone try using an adhesive instead?

thanks again

I attached it to a bit of wood that sits at the bottom, in case of an over vigorous fermentation putting liquid in the floor of the fridge.
I saw a picture recently though where someone had attached it to the back of the frame that the fv was standing on, this raised it further from the floor, presumably for the same reason.

[mosquat]

ah cheers for that too - never thought of that...was only concerned with distributing the heat from it. don't suppose you can did out the picture you refer to? don't worry if not

[f00b4r]

ah cheers for that too - never thought of that...was only concerned with distributing the heat from it. don't suppose you can did out the picture you refer to? don't worry if not

Sure, here is the thread.
Apologies for linking to another forum but the photos are not my copyright and a picture tells a thousand words.

[mosquat]

thanks, looks like the forum poster was pretty thorough with his/her images which is a bonus