Chest freezer fermentation

[JamesGrape]

I use a chest freezer with an inkbird controller that cycles power between the freezer and a interior heating element. I put a fermentation bucket in the freezer, and this has worked very well to control fermentation temp.

I’m wondering if anyone here has used a chest freezer for larger batches and not used another container inside? The chest freezer could easily hold 100+ gallons.

My chest freezer interior appears to be food-safe white plastic. It has a drain and is of course well insulated. It would be a simple matter to drill a hole in the lid for an airlock. And it’s easy to tip on its end for cleaning. It seems like a $300-ish alternative to more expensive systems.

Has anybody done this?

 

[stickman]

It's not a good idea to be tipping a freezer, if you get the liquid refrigerant in the wrong place in the system, you will have trouble upon restart. I'm sure the refrigeration members will chime in with more information.

 

[JamesGrape]

Great point, thanks.

 

[meadmaker1]

Ref guy chiming in.
Tipping concearn is real. Oil migrates with the refrigerant and gets caught in traps to regulate its journey through the compressor if too much gets through it can lock up the compressor, because it can only compress gases .