Hi
I'm planning on buying a (new) fridge for fermentation purposes but have read that I should avoid ones with an auto defrost facility. Any views on this here?
Cheers
Jason
Automatic Defrost - Does it matter?
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JayM72
Automatic Defrost - Does it matter?
Last edited by JayM72 on Fri Jul 30, 2010 11:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Wolfy
Re: Automatic Derost - Does it matter?
If you are storing (small samples of) things in the freezer (like yeast under glycerin for example) the defrost cycle can tend to thaw those things out on a cyclic basis (which in the case of yeast will most likely kill them) which may not be what you want.
However, if I read your question correctly you will be using the fridge - most likely with a digital temperate controller - to control fermentation temperatures, in which case you will not be using the freezer section and so the fact that it is auto defrost should not matter in the least. In addition, for most (ale) beer production you will be operating at much higher temperatures than what the fridge usually runs at, so it will only be on for a short time so there would be no need for the defrost cycle to run or if it did it would not impact your fermentation.
I've hooked up my temperature controllers to the old fridge without auto defrost and the 2 new fridges with auto defrost, without thinking another moment about it - I'll wait to see what everyone else says before I go back and decide if that was a good idea or not!
The only 'problem' I can imagine is that by using the temperature controller, the fridge will not be turned on (at the power plug) all the time, so this could maybe have some negative impact on how the fridge would usually function (since in general one would expect a fridge to run with the power plugged in all the time), but since you'll only be running it on an intermittent basis to maintain your ferment temps, I'm not sure if that is a problem.
However, if I read your question correctly you will be using the fridge - most likely with a digital temperate controller - to control fermentation temperatures, in which case you will not be using the freezer section and so the fact that it is auto defrost should not matter in the least. In addition, for most (ale) beer production you will be operating at much higher temperatures than what the fridge usually runs at, so it will only be on for a short time so there would be no need for the defrost cycle to run or if it did it would not impact your fermentation.
I've hooked up my temperature controllers to the old fridge without auto defrost and the 2 new fridges with auto defrost, without thinking another moment about it - I'll wait to see what everyone else says before I go back and decide if that was a good idea or not!
The only 'problem' I can imagine is that by using the temperature controller, the fridge will not be turned on (at the power plug) all the time, so this could maybe have some negative impact on how the fridge would usually function (since in general one would expect a fridge to run with the power plugged in all the time), but since you'll only be running it on an intermittent basis to maintain your ferment temps, I'm not sure if that is a problem.
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JayM72
Re: Automatic Derost - Does it matter?
Thanks Wolfy
You're correct it will be used for fermentation, although I do intend to start having a crack at making lagers as well as ales so will be needing the cooler end of temperature so it will be operating a fair bit i assume. I will be using in conjuction with a temp controller (TC-1O or ATC-800)
You're correct it will be used for fermentation, although I do intend to start having a crack at making lagers as well as ales so will be needing the cooler end of temperature so it will be operating a fair bit i assume. I will be using in conjuction with a temp controller (TC-1O or ATC-800)
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Jocky
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Re: Automatic Defrost - Does it matter?
Oops cross posted...
Ingredients: Water, Barley, Hops, Yeast, Seaweed, Blood, Sweat, The swim bladder of a sturgeon, My enemies tears, Scenes of mild peril, An otter's handbag and Riboflavin.
Re: Automatic Defrost - Does it matter?
..after 5 years? 
