Modify the Freezer?

[Gush]

Hi Stoners,

I am currently brainstorming for a new GR, and really want to go aeroponics. The only problem I am expecting is keeping the nutes at 20c. So, I have an old box freezer. I am hoping there is an easy way to adjust the thermostat, as to keep the nutes at 20c........please tell me there is :scratchin

[noobeedoobee]

Gush,

 

What a cool project...

 

I think you would find regardless of the temp of the water that if this is going to be full of water that the freezer would run continuously... it takes a lot of energy to cool water even a degree. You will find fish tanks of the average freezer size would need a 1/4 hp motor to drop a couple of degrees.

 

Hope you like power bills.

 

If it doesn't run continously you could try using an airconditioning thermostat - it may be a better range for.

 

ON the upside if this works you could keep a couple of cold brewskis in there too.

 

Have fun

[Gush]

I think you would find regardless of the temp of the water that if this is going to be full of water that the freezer would run continuously... it takes a lot of energy to cool water even a degree. You will find fish tanks of the average freezer size would need a 1/4 hp motor to drop a couple of degrees.

Hey Doob, thanks for the input :thumbsup

I would probably use ice to help in the hot summer days, and use the freezer to keep it right on 20c. The room hopefully wont get much hotter than 35c...do you think it would use much juice this way?

In winter the insulation would help keep the nutes heated aswell.

Just a matter of getting the thermostat sussed.... :scratchin

[Frazz]

Good idea Gush, I imagine it would be a matter of finding the present thermostat changing it over to one that is pre-set for something like 18-22 degrees (maybe one from an air conditioner?) then hanging it in the reservior.

Considering they normally operate at below freezing should use bugger all 'tricity to maintain 20 degrees.

Should be able to be done...let us know how ya get on

[Gush]

Thanks Frazzle,

I was thinking the same, but was unsure

The idea hasnt been shot down in a ball of flames....as yet, so it gives me enough motivation to investigate it further

I'll get back to ya's

[wildflower]

put one end of a tube (copper,rubber ok) through a hole in the side of the fridge/freezer coil the tube around a bit, pull the end out the other end. cycle water through tube and nute tub, it will cool the water more efficiently as it continually flows through the tubes, have the nute tub outside of the fridge/freezer. means you can also use the freezer to freeze ur chicken nuggets as well. and because its continually flowing it won't freeze the liquid, make the coil inside the freezer shorter if the oldput is too cold!

this is an idea i'm thinking about doin.

WF

[Gush]

Great idea! thanks wildflower :thumbsup

It wouldnt be that hard to have the pump setup with a thermostat, so it mantained that right temp aswell..

[WantDaChronic]

eiekel and i were talking about cooling the res down last night, with his dwc system he said to cool the res he is just gonna freeze bottles of water and throw them in the res to cool it down....

 

i reckon a couple of frozen 2L coke bottles in the res would keep temps down heaps for you, might even make it a tad too cool but i reckon you should experiment and see how it goes

 

put one end of a tube (copper,rubber ok) through a hole in the side of the fridge/freezer coil the tube around a bit, pull the end out the other end. cycle water through tube and nute tub, it will cool the water more efficiently as it continually flows through the tubes, have the nute tub outside of the fridge/freezer. means you can also use the freezer to freeze ur chicken nuggets as well.

 

i seen something very simular on mythbusters, they were trying to cool beer as quick as possible and jamie used a coil with dry ice in the middle, froze it on the way down but when he changed to salty water with mass ice, it worked a charm :thumbsup so yeah its a proven method of cooling liquids, but you'd have to find a way to constantly keep the tube cooled without burning out the motor in your fridge or freezer :scratchin

[Guest Eikel]

put one end of a tube (copper,rubber ok) through a hole in the side of the fridge/freezer coil the tube around a bit, pull the end out the other end. cycle water through tube and nute tub, it will cool the water more efficiently as it continually flows through the tubes, have the nute tub outside of the fridge/freezer. means you can also use the freezer to freeze ur chicken nuggets as well. and because its continually flowing it won't freeze the liquid, make the coil inside the freezer shorter if the oldput is too cold!

this is an idea i'm thinking about doin.

 

Very nifty Idea WF, something so simplistic yet so elegant.

 

2 Comments I wanted to make though.

 

1. Would you be better using metal as your tubing? Rubber would insulate rather than conduct temprature I think...

Dependant on the type of rubber, you would also make the tube "brittle" by having such extreme swings of temprature.

 

2. Dependant on what temp the freezer would set to, you may find you have an "ice" build-up through the tube over time. I'd be very careful to maintain my temps at 0 or 1 celcius to lower any chance of ice bloking the tube. (Either that or flush the tube daily with hot/warm water).

 

Anyway yeah, as WDC said I'm going to just be using frozen bottles of soft-drink for my temp-management

[Gush]

i reckon a couple of frozen 2L coke bottles in the res would keep temps down heaps for you, might even make it a tad too cool but i reckon you should experiment and see how it goes 

Thats if you can get to your grow every day, and in the peak of summer you'd probably have to drop a few in during day and night. Also, I am trying to build a system that will be very precise. I've done a few grows in a few different systems, but have never been bothered to get it all running %110.