keezers, lagerators, and condensation management

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by SFACRKnight, Jun 20, 2016.

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  1. SFACRKnight

    SFACRKnight Grand Pooh-Bah (3,274) Jan 20, 2012 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    How does everyone keep condensation at bay in their keezers and lagerators? I just fermented my first lager in a chest freezer set upwith a temp controller and noticed a buttload of condensation in the bastard. Hwhats the preferred method of keeping things dry?
     
  2. DrMindbender

    DrMindbender Initiate (0) Jul 13, 2014 South Carolina

    I'm following this thread too. My keezer has the same problem and I've just been cleaning it up with towels every couple of months when it starts to pool too much. Not a fun part of homebrewing! My refrigerator/kegerator doesn't have this problem though.
     
  3. SFACRKnight

    SFACRKnight Grand Pooh-Bah (3,274) Jan 20, 2012 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    @VikeMan do you have personal experience with that unit?
     
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  4. wspscott

    wspscott Pooh-Bah (1,934) May 25, 2006 Kentucky
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I have the bigger version that vikeman linked to, works great. Before that, I used a tub of Damp Rid
     
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  5. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,043) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Yep. It does what it's supposed to do.
     
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  6. DrMindbender

    DrMindbender Initiate (0) Jul 13, 2014 South Carolina

    Does the unit have a drip pan that collects condensation/moisture? If so, how often do you have to empty it?
     
  7. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,043) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    The unit is filled with some kind of beads that absorb the moisture. When they have changed color after a few weeks, you remove the unit and plug it into a wall outlet to recharge. You never empty anything.
     
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  8. KeyWestGator

    KeyWestGator Savant (1,147) Jan 21, 2013 Florida
    Trader

    I also have an Eva Dry and I think it is slightly bigger than the one vike linked to. The beads do change color on me and I guess it helps but not very much. I still deal with a lot of moisture. I do live in a totally different climate. If you're having issues in Colorado, I'll probably just give up on ever effectively combating it without spending hundreds on those things.

    Edit to add: I also keep my chamber and keezer outside and am sure it would do much better in the house.
     
    #9 KeyWestGator, Jun 20, 2016
    Last edited: Jun 20, 2016
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  9. JohnSnowNW

    JohnSnowNW Initiate (0) Feb 6, 2013 Minnesota

    I use DampRid, but looking at moving to @VikeMan 's suggestion. DampRid works pretty well, really...but every once in a while I have manually remove a small puddle of water in the back corner of my keezer.
     
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  10. Naugled

    Naugled Pooh-Bah (1,882) Sep 25, 2007 New York
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I found a deep square bucket that I keep under the evaporator, holds about 1 gal. I empty it about once per month depending on the season. To keep the evaporator from frosting up I have the cooler on a timer that shuts off the cooler for 3 hours during the wee hours of the night. It's enough to allow any frost to melt.
     
  11. DrMindbender

    DrMindbender Initiate (0) Jul 13, 2014 South Carolina

    How would you compare the 2? Which one is more effective overall? I've used DampRid before on another project, but tossed the set up after not using it for years...I guess I'm just interested in which one is a better bang-for-your-buck?

    Thanks to everyone for the advice and help here!
     
  12. fuzzbalz

    fuzzbalz Pundit (887) Apr 13, 2002 Georgia

    I use the one Vikeman posted along with a usb case fan
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    [​IMG]

    It works great, no moisture or mold issues so far.
     
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  13. SFACRKnight

    SFACRKnight Grand Pooh-Bah (3,274) Jan 20, 2012 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    My chamber is in the garage, and I was surprised to find standing water in the freezer on the floor and condensation on the sides of it. Being in a dry climate doesn't mean a damned thing when you're fermenting in a closed air tight space I guess. :rolling_eyes:
     
  14. billandsuz

    billandsuz Pooh-Bah (2,023) Sep 1, 2004 New York
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Shop Vac.
    It helps to have one end a bit higher than the other so the water collects. My keezer is 6 1/2' long, and it can get like a swimming pool down there.
    Cheers.
     
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  15. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,176) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Damp rid users -- do your crystals cake into a solitary rock? Mine has. At the same time, they don't seem to be very effective. I just mopped up a puddle. Sort of a regular event.

    Am I doing it wrong?
    (Well, yes, if wrong means not using an Eva-Dry system. But I have a big tub of damp rid replacement crystal. I'd like to figure out if I can make it work.)
     
  16. jbakajust1

    jbakajust1 Pooh-Bah (2,528) Aug 25, 2009 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I have a Eva Dry like many others, it sits on a shelf in my bar, out of the keezer because it didn't work. Had to charge it every other day and still lots of moisture. I'm with @billandsuz at this point, stick a wet/dry vac in the bottom and drain the pool.
     
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  17. KeyWestGator

    KeyWestGator Savant (1,147) Jan 21, 2013 Florida
    Trader

    I tried Damp rid before I tried the eva dry. Worked about as good as the eva dry. Meaning, it didn't.
     
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  18. pweis909

    pweis909 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,176) Aug 13, 2005 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah Society

    It seems to be OK with lower levels of humidity, like in a closet in a humid house. But not keezer humidity. Maybe not up to challenging homebrew needs
     
    #19 pweis909, Jun 22, 2016
    Last edited: Jun 22, 2016
  19. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,043) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I think it must depend somewhat on the environment. The eva dry works fine in my Pennsylvania keezer.
     
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