chest freezer v's standard fridge....?

[triggertrevor]

Hi all i'm after your expert advise if you would.

i'm after building a brew fridge in time for the cold winter months and wondered if a chest freezer of a standard fridge would be better...?

I would also like to know your thoughts on the atc 800 v's the tc 10.

thanks again........kev

[Philipek]

I'm not an expert, but I was researching the same thing. I heard on a podcast, and had it supported in my reading, that a fridge is what you want - ideally. The freezer works on a different system than the the fridge, and if you have it adjusted to temperatures higher than it was designed for, it can get very wet and grow moulds. Ideally you want a larder fridge (I think that's what it's called) without a freezer compartment because those with freezer compartments, again, works on different systems and you'll have the freezer compartment continually defrosting.

[adm]

I'd say a chest freezer myself as the space is typically bigger (and ideal for corny kegs if you have them). However, the downside is that you need to lift stuff in and out. I currently have a larder fridge and a chest freezer, and I notice no difference between how wet or mouldy they get. At 10-12C, both will get condensation and mould growth if you don't keep them clean. A quick clean every month or so and a spray with Iodophor solution keeps 'em sparkling!

Can't comment on ATC800 vs TC10, but I do have an ATC800 and it's been great. The only downside on it is only goes down to 5C so it;s no good really for lagering. I also have two TempMate controllers from CraftBrewer in Aus, and they are better than the ATC800 as they go down stupidly low and have 0.1C granularity vs the ATC800's 1C.

[boingy]

There is a new model of the ATC-800 called the ATC-800+ that has an extended temperature range of -19C to +99C. Methinks the nice people at Forttex have been listening to brewers...

http://www.forttex.com/index.php?main_p ... ath=1_5_17

[Subsonic]

I wish you hadn't posted that... I just went to have a look at it and before I knew what had happened my fingers clicked on their own and I ordered one. My 'plug timer' kegerator has been working fine, but that new ATC 800 was too good to resist! Cheers for the link. Subsonic