I picked up a very cheap maxi cooler this week (old pub going under - real shame) and am thinking of repurposing it for cold crashing and possibly even for lagering. I have a insulation jacket planned made from plastic pipework and insulation.
Anyone control one of these from an Inkbird? I want to be kind to the compressor so leave it only a 10 minute delay or so, but does anyone have any feedback?
Fermentation and cold crash with Maxi and inkbird
Fermentation and cold crash with Maxi and inkbird
It started with kits to save money and now look........!!!
Lots of kit, too many ingredients and not enough time, but a patient wife.... who loves my beer...........
Could be worse :-)
Lots of kit, too many ingredients and not enough time, but a patient wife.... who loves my beer...........
Could be worse :-)
Re: Fermentation and cold crash with Maxi and inkbird
Yup I did that based on stuff on here I'd seen, with an SS coil I placed in the fermenter bucket and used an inkbird too. You can set a delay with the inkbird.
I used heating wire to do the heating part.
There's also some cool posts on here where people have put a heater in-line with the maxi too.
You can see photos of my very rudimentary setup here - https://www.anfractuosity.com/projects/ ... kbird-308/
I used JG fittings to connect the SS coil to beerline to more JG fittings on the maxi.
I used heating wire to do the heating part.
There's also some cool posts on here where people have put a heater in-line with the maxi too.
You can see photos of my very rudimentary setup here - https://www.anfractuosity.com/projects/ ... kbird-308/
I used JG fittings to connect the SS coil to beerline to more JG fittings on the maxi.
Re: Fermentation and cold crash with Maxi and inkbird
OCRing the Inkbird display, well played that man!
Cheers,
Jamie
Cheers,
Jamie
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- Telling imaginary friend stories
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Re: Fermentation and cold crash with Maxi and inkbird
its do-able..
but i would suggest if you have the room for a brewfridge its probably a superior and cheaper to run and easier to manage solution. And unless you have invested in a large sized SS fermentor that wont fit inside anything other than a custom built fridge, its often better to buy new fermentors that fit the fridge you get imho.
But some project just cry out to be built so a good source of cheap hex coils is ebay where the square product coils from the larger chest chillers appear for £10-£15 a pop
be mindful they may appear and be advertised as 10mm but are probably 3/8" so wait till you get one before you spend on fittings (i didnt),,
but i would suggest if you have the room for a brewfridge its probably a superior and cheaper to run and easier to manage solution. And unless you have invested in a large sized SS fermentor that wont fit inside anything other than a custom built fridge, its often better to buy new fermentors that fit the fridge you get imho.
But some project just cry out to be built so a good source of cheap hex coils is ebay where the square product coils from the larger chest chillers appear for £10-£15 a pop
be mindful they may appear and be advertised as 10mm but are probably 3/8" so wait till you get one before you spend on fittings (i didnt),,
ist update for months n months..
Fermnting: not a lot..
Conditioning: nowt
Maturing: Challenger smash, and a kit lager
Drinking: dry one minikeg left in the store
Coming Soon Lots planned for the near future nowt for the immediate
Fermnting: not a lot..
Conditioning: nowt
Maturing: Challenger smash, and a kit lager
Drinking: dry one minikeg left in the store
Coming Soon Lots planned for the near future nowt for the immediate
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- Lost in an Alcoholic Haze
- Posts: 677
- Joined: Tue May 05, 2015 11:21 am
Re: Fermentation and cold crash with Maxi and inkbird
All good advice here, if you have a fridge use it, especially if you have crash cooling or lagering in mind.
In practice my setup will hold 4.5-5C
Insulation is really important especially on the coolant lines. Also don't get too ambitious with the power of the python pump.
Re: Fermentation and cold crash with Maxi and inkbird
Yeah that's a very good point about insulation, I skimped on that which I shouldn't have.
I think I got around 4C lowest fermenter temp too iirc, but that was in a shed in summer.
I think I got around 4C lowest fermenter temp too iirc, but that was in a shed in summer.
Re: Fermentation and cold crash with Maxi and inkbird
You don't need a very big coil. I use one of these cask cooling probes in a 12 gallon batch and it's fine.
https://ssli.ebayimg.com/images/g/iuEAA ... s-l640.jpg
https://ssli.ebayimg.com/images/g/iuEAA ... s-l640.jpg