Using a refrigerator for the first time.

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by tvthayer, Jul 5, 2016.

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  1. tvthayer

    tvthayer Initiate (0) Mar 7, 2016 California

    Salutations,

    I just acquired a full size refrigerator for free, yeah me! I am super stoked!

    The fridge has been cleaned up and I've picked up a temp. control device from my local brew store. I have a 6 gal. fermentor.
    My questions are these; Were you all concerned about the weight of the full vessel on top of a glass shelf? And if so, how did support the shelf to be able to handle the weight of 5 gallons of wort? And what did you do?
    I am trying to figure out if I need to engineer something, or not.
    Any help will be appreciated.

    Thanks in advance!
     
    #1 tvthayer, Jul 5, 2016
  2. boisebeerguy85

    boisebeerguy85 Initiate (0) Oct 6, 2013 Idaho

    I turned my fridge into a beer fridge and I got worried about the weight on the glass. So I found a wire rack shelf with the right dimensions and works great
     
    #2 boisebeerguy85, Jul 5, 2016
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  3. fuzzbalz

    fuzzbalz Pundit (953) Apr 13, 2002 Georgia

    You should post your question in the homebrewing forum, there you should get more feedback. I'd say though you might try making a shelf out of plywood.
    Cheers
     
    #3 fuzzbalz, Jul 5, 2016
  4. PapaGoose03

    PapaGoose03 Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,057) May 30, 2005 Michigan
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    I don't think that you can put a 60 lb. weight on a glass shelf without suffering a calamity, so I hope your shelves are removable. I took out my shelves and hydrator drawer on one side (my fridge has split shelves that are adjustable) and then put down some scrap wood boards on the plastic bottom. I think these boards disperse the weight of the carboy to relieve the pressure points on the plastic.
     
    #4 PapaGoose03, Jul 5, 2016
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  5. DrMindbender

    DrMindbender Initiate (0) Jul 13, 2014 South Carolina

    I gutted/removed all of the shelves and drawers in my old fridge and then decided I'd much rather use it for kegs than a fermentation chamber. :slight_smile:
     
    #5 DrMindbender, Jul 5, 2016
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  6. Beejay

    Beejay Pooh-Bah (2,559) Dec 29, 2008 Virginia
    Pooh-Bah

    I'd remove shelves or install more stable ones..
     
    #6 Beejay, Jul 6, 2016
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  7. GreenKrusty101

    GreenKrusty101 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2008 Nevada

    Mine have supported up to 5 full cornies for years after removing drawers and installing 2) vertical 2x4s to length underneath glass. I sleep like a baby :slight_smile:
     
    #7 GreenKrusty101, Jul 6, 2016
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  8. tvthayer

    tvthayer Initiate (0) Mar 7, 2016 California

    I tried the simple approach, thanks to the suggestions above. I removed the glass and cut one 1" x 6" to the length of the shelf twice. I put 5 gallons of beer in my plastic fermentor today, at my desired fermenting temperature (yeah me!).... So far so good.... Shit, I hope it works. I've already got plans for a lager...
     
    #8 tvthayer, Jul 11, 2016
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