North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Mark & Helen Angermayer" <hangermayer@isp.com>]

Thanks Ken,

I've been interested in converting a freezer into a fridge.  The biggest
advantage seems to be cost/amount of refrigeration space.  Big chest
freezers are a lot cheaper than refrigerators.  From the links Doug posted,
it seems like a conversion can be done.

Regarding thermostats, I used analog/mechanical thermostats in hog
confinement buildings to control fans, drip cooling, etc., with good
results.  Confinement agricultural controls are typically very tough with
the exposed parts built of stainless steel or plastic.  They are
manufactured to withstand the somewhat corrosive environments of confinement
buildings (always a lot of water, as well as some ammonia and hydrogen
sulfide gases).  Typically these types of thermostats can be wired for
cooling or heating.  They typically have about a 3 degree F. temperature
differential from where they kick on, to where they kick off.  They will
handle pretty good sized fans, so I think they should handle a freezer
motor.  If memory serves, these types of thermostats handle a 15 amp load.
The thermostats have a piggy back pig tail (I'm not trying to make puns,
that's really what they're called) you plug into the wall, then you plug the
pig tail of your appliance/freezer into the thermostat pig tail.  The
thermostat open or closes the current to the pigtail, thereby turning the
freezer on or off.  The thermostat would have to be placed directly into the
freezer, and a small hole would need to be made to feed through the
thermostat pig tail.  Then the hole would need to be caulked shut.

I've never tried these type of controls with a freezer.  They may not be any
better, or as good as, the brewer controls, but they are cheaper.

Here is a thermostat that has a range of 30F to 110F.  I've done a lot of
business with this company, and they are reputable.

http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10052&storeId=10001&productId=50305&langId=-1&division=FarmTek&pageId=ItemDetail&isDoc=N

Mark
KS


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "K Q" <>
To: <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Thursday, September 25, 2008 1:11 AM
Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Chest fridge, was additional questions on storage


> I found these two controllers on the internet. They are meant to either
cool or warm fermentation areas. The reviews make them look like the bees
knees!
>
> http://www.williamsbrewing.com/CONTROLLER_II_P183C100.cfm
> http://www.williamsbrewing.com/CONTROLLER_P762C100.cfm
>
> There could be others from different companies, but this company I have
known about for over a decade.
>
> Ken
>