61 replies to this topic

[No Party JKor]

I actually started this several months ago and it's sat dormant for a while, but I'm ready to finish it up now that I'm starting to build a backlog of kegs that won't fit into the chest freezer. Ultimately, I'm shooting for three chambers, one cold conditioning chamber (~35F) and two fermentation chambers. The fermentation chambers will use the cascade cooling concept like a typical fridge/freezer. I'll cool it with a window AC. I'm not sure that I made it quite big enough now that I've actually stacked some kegs in there. I had a bunch of lumber from old projects and I was working the sizing around what I had. I was hoping for storage for ~20 kegs, plus the two fermentation chambers, we'll see.

[BlKtRe]

Looks like a champ. Insulation and bypass the unit's internal temp. controller and you should run good for a long time.

[No Party JKor]

Looks like a champ. Insulation and bypass the unit's internal temp. controller and you should run good for a long time.

Yup. I'm running a small chamber right now, just big enough for my 14 gallon conical. This is my next step in the upgrade process. The AC is already bypassed. I'll be using two additional temp controllers to control the circulation fans for the fermentation chambers. I'm also going to be taking painstaking care in making sure everything is 100% sealed in this version. No freeze ups this time around.As for insulation, I'm using this. Insulation won't be a problem.

[BlKtRe]

Yup. I'm running a small chamber right now, just big enough for my 14 gallon conical. This is my next step in the upgrade process. The AC is already bypassed. I'll be using two additional temp controllers to control the circulation fans for the fermentation chambers. I'm also going to be taking painstaking care in making sure everything is 100% sealed in this version. No freeze ups this time around.As for insulation, I'm using this. Insulation won't be a problem.

That was the original design of my walkin. But i ended up not needing the second controller and fans as the second chamber holds at 55* just by natural convection. My walkin is 6'x8'x8' split in half for the two temp zones. I have a middle glass door that came from a beer cooler to be able to get to the far chamber where my serving kegs are stored. I use the warmer chamber for cellar temps for wine and ale ferment control. I bet you still will get some freeze ups every now and again. Not often, but it will still happen on occasion. Keep up the pics!

[BrewerGeorge]

...As for insulation, I'm using this. Insulation won't be a problem.

Seriously? Were? How much?

[No Party JKor]

Seriously? Were? How much?

Everywhere. 2.5" thick.

[No Party JKor]

$0.

[No Party JKor]

Want.ETA: ...even just a small sample to play with.

I want a small (read: large) sample of beer to "play" with.

Edited by JKoravos, 03 July 2010 - 07:18 PM.

[gnef]

yea, that stuff looks amazing. I am researching into a walk-in cooler myself, and insulation is the biggest thing I am working out in my head (spray-in, R-30 batts, R-19 batts, foam board, etc. as options). I am interested in where this project goes for you. I plan on making a dual zone walk-in 6'dx14'wx7'h, and if something like that can be found cost effectively and easily integrated, that would be awesome.

[No Party JKor]

The R-value of the stuff is as good as it gets without going to vacuum insulation, but it's not anything crazy. The polyurethane and polyiso foams you can get at the big box stores are in the R6/inch range. The aerogel is about R8/inch. It would cost me somewhere in the realm of $1000 to buy the aerogel to insulate the cooler, but I can get it at no cost, so it's an easy choice.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

The R-value of the stuff is as good as it gets without going to vacuum insulation, but it's not anything crazy. The polyurethane and polyiso foams you can get at the big box stores are in the R6/inch range. The aerogel is about R8/inch. It would cost me somewhere in the realm of $1000 to buy the aerogel to insulate the cooler, but I can get it at no cost, so it's an easy choice.

some fell off the truck?

[No Party JKor]

some fell off the truck?

shhhh!!!!

[No Party JKor]

I went to the hardware store today and picked up the remaining wood and what not to finish this beast up. I cut all the plywood to size this afternoon. It should go together fairly easily now. Once it's all pieced together I'm going to drench the thing in antimicrobial water sealant then do lots of caulking. I think I'll probably paint the outside, I'm not sure on that yet.I'll post more pictures when there is visible progress.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I went to the hardware store today and picked up the remaining wood and what not to finish this beast up. I cut all the plywood to size this afternoon. It should go together fairly easily now. Once it's all pieced together I'm going to drench the thing in antimicrobial water sealant then do lots of caulking. I think I'll probably paint the outside, I'm not sure on that yet.I'll post more pictures when there is visible progress.

A nice shade of navy blue

[Big Nake]

Cool. Nice project, JK. Where are you building that thing... garage? Basement? I've always wondered how costly it would be to run an AC unit to cool a space like this. I know there is a walk-in cooler thread on one of the boards where the guy has pics, etc. Very cool project, JK... good luck with it.

[No Party JKor]

Cool. Nice project, JK. Where are you building that thing... garage? Basement? I've always wondered how costly it would be to run an AC unit to cool a space like this. I know there is a walk-in cooler thread on one of the boards where the guy has pics, etc. Very cool project, JK... good luck with it.

It's in my basement. It's the next step in claiming my entire basement for brewing purposes. I don't think it's all that much to run. A few bucks a month, maybe.

[djinkc]

It's in my basement. It's the next step in claiming my entire basement for brewing purposes. I don't think it's all that much to run. A few bucks a month, maybe.

You'll love it once it's up and running. Even my half ass AC fermentation chamber has really made a huge difference. It's nice eliminating temperatures from the equation. Holding freezer for kegs, serving freezer, hops freezer and a fermentation chamber.......... Doesn't make me shake my head.I've seen a few built-in setups that do make me shake my head though...............

[No Party JKor]

You'll love it once it's up and running. Even my half ass AC fermentation chamber has really made a huge difference. It's nice eliminating temperatures from the equation. Holding freezer for kegs, serving freezer, hops freezer and a fermentation chamber.......... Doesn't make me shake my head.I've seen a few built-in setups that do make me shake my head though...............

Yeah, I'm really jazzed to get this thing up and running. The skeleton of it has been taking up a big chunk of real estate since I started it over Christmas break. Now that I've been brewing fairly consistently I've filled up my chest freezer and by next week I'll have 6 full kegs without a cold storage space. Even better is that I'll have two temperature controlled fermenting spaces. I'm looking forward to some double batch days.

[HVB]

Well .. no cool insulation like JK's planing, but mine is about 90% done. Just have to silicone caulk and paint. I am happy with the way it came out.

[No Party JKor]

Nice! I'm almost there. I have the structure all set, I need to get some more insulation, then I can tie everything up. Freakin' busy as all hell lately, though, tough to find a second to get to it.