FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
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Contents:
Re: Walk In Cooler (Dick Adams)
Walkins/Bugs ("A. J. deLange")
RE: Walk In Cooler advice ("Mike Sharp")
Re: Diatomaceous Earth for Bug control ("David Houseman")
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Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2009 00:14:30 -0500 (EST)
From: rdadams at panix.com (Dick Adams)
Subject: Re: Walk In Cooler
"Susan Ruud" <susan.ruud at ndsu.edu> wrote:
> Hi, I am sure there are a ton of engineer/do it yourselfers
> out there and I could really use advice. My husband promised
> a walk in cooler and has been watching auctions, etc. for one
> at a reasonable price and has now decided it will be more
> economical to just buy the cooling system and build his own.
> If anyone has plans for building a cooler, good suggestions on
> things to do/not do, best location for parts, etc. I would
> really appreciate the help.
My powers of persuasion with my childbride can always use
new ideas. So I'd really like to know how you pulled off
this promise.
My experience with second-hand refrigerators and freezers
has led me to the conclusion that even "free" can be too much.
So DIY is a good idea.
Building it will not be complex or expensive. Getting the
correct size cooling system at a good price will be the
most difficult part.
Here are some things I found on a simple search:
http://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/Walk-in_Cooler
http://www.brewrats.org/walkin.cfm
http://www.cps.gov.on.ca/english/fv6000/fv6319.htm
Dick
- --
Richard D. Adams, CPA (retired)
Moderator: misc.taxes.moderated
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 04 Feb 2009 05:24:29 +0000
From: "A. J. deLange" <ajdel at mac.com>
Subject: Walkins/Bugs
The most expensive part of a walk-in is the refrigeration "split
pack" (compressor unit outside, fan coil unit inside). The walls are
just foam between galvanized sheets of steel or aluminum. They are
designed to fit together as modular pieces and it is thus possible to
configure one in all sorts of sizes and shapes. As restaurants and
bars go out of business all the time (and right now the rates must be
unusually high, used walk-ins should be readily available. If you live
in or near a metropolitan area there is probably a dealer in used
restaurant equipment. Such a dealer should have an ample selection of
used walk in bits. I would seriously consider getting a new split pack
but there are no moving parts to wear in the wall/floor/ceiling panels
and used they shouldn't be too expensive. New systems aren't that out
of sight either. Check Rapids Wholesale.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
For storage of grain you just can't (IMO) beat Vittles Vaults (Gamma
Plastics). These are small drums that nicely hold a 55 Lb sack of malt
and seal it in with an O-ring equipped screw-in lid. Moisture and
insects are neatly excluded. I've mashed grain I had stored in one for
5 years. I sure determined rats would be able to chew through but,
thank the powers above, I don't have those in my basement.
A.J.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2009 23:35:01 -0800
From: "Mike Sharp" <rdcpro at hotmail.com>
Subject: RE: Walk In Cooler advice
Susan Ruud asks about Walk In Cooler advice
"If anyone has plans for building a cooler, good suggestions on things to
do/not do, best location for parts, etc. I would really appreciate the
help."
Building the box is pretty easy; coming up with a reliable means of chilling
is a bit harder. The problem is many air conditioning units will ice up if
you try to cool the room too cold. I recently ran across this very clever
device that will allow you to use a conventional air conditioner as the
chilling unit for a walk-in cooler without the problem of icing up.
The way it works is that it heats up the thermostat sensor on the air
conditioner, fooling it into running until the coolbot setpoint is reached.
Then it's tiny heater shuts off, and the air conditioner thermostat senses
the cold temperature, and shuts off. The coolbot also senses the when the
A/C is icing up, and shuts off as well. The essential part is that you'll
get as much cooling capacity as you can from your air conditioner, and it
will shut off when it can't do any more (rather than continue to run if you
simply bypassed the thermostat).
It's primarily aimed at farmers who need to quickly chill harvested produce
and flowers to extend shelf life, but seems like it would work great for a
brewing application:
http://www.storeitcold.com/index.php
They have some good advice on the walk-in room itself, as well as advice on
which air conditioner brand to buy (they say LG, because it doesn't shut
down when the outside air temp gets low, and doesn't need to be reset in the
morning). It's a bit spendy, but worth it, I think.
Regards,
Mike Sharp
Kent, WA
[1891.3, 294deg] AR
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 04 Feb 2009 07:21:59 -0500
From: "David Houseman" <david.houseman at verizon.net>
Subject: Re: Diatomaceous Earth for Bug control
To those working with DE: Take care with this material. Read the health
warnings. This is not to be breathed. One should wear a good quality
mask (not a cheap painters mask) when working with DE. The sharp edges
damage lungs similar to asbestos. It's serious stuff.
BTW I tried to make a home version of a DE filter with limited success. I
need to spend more time on the design to get the right surface area to DE
volume so that it will filter in a reasonable time. Why use DE? Well it
is literally as cheap as dirt. If I get back to this project, I'll provide
an update.
Dave Houseman
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End of HOMEBREW Digest #5495, 02/04/09
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