Anyone Using an Inkbird (or other brand) Temperature Controller to Keep a Refrigerator at 65F for Storing Pot?

[Ringodoggie]

Ever since I moved to the SoCal desert I have been having issues with storing my pot at a decent temperature. Back in why oh why Ohio I had a basement that was always just perfect 65 to 70 degrees for storage. However, no basements in SoCal and being stored at 80F is killing my pot.

I grow primarily for taste and smell. You simple can't cure and store pot at this temperature. It made all my pot taste like shit.

I did manage to build a small storage area in the closet where my air conditioner is and that stays about about 65F most of the time. Perfect.

However, when Winter comes and the furnace goes on, this will no longer be an option.

The only solution I can find is to buy a full size fridge and use a temp controller to keep it at 65F.

Now, the way these controllers work is that they connect between the fridge plug and the wall and they simply cycle the power off and on as needed to keep it at 65F.

They even have a feature that won't cycle too often so the compressor does not go on too soon after cycling off. So, they figured out that part. OK

However, even with that I'm not sure it's a good idea to power off and on a fridge (or any appliance these days). Sure, back in the old days it was probably OK. However, nowadays the fridge probably has a chip and controller and who knows what else that might not agree with being cycled on and off.

Anyone doing this or know enough about new refrigerators to input here?

Thanks

 

[Tynehead Tom]

I don't think that would be good for a refrigerator but I honestly don't know for sure hehe
What I would do in your case is build a small , insulated storage closet with shelves for your weed on the sides.
At one end install a window type air conditioner..... depending on size of the room. A 4x8x8 room would be perfect for an 8,000 BTU window unit. The project will require 2 inkbird temperature controllers. There are excellent videos on yootube that I will try and find and link later but the set up works. I built a mobile cooler trailer that I can hold at 3 to 6 celcius with a 10,000BTU unit. It's for hunting and hanging meat but when it is not used for that, I can store root vegetables over winter and keep the temperatures in the trailer perfect for shelf life. I also installed a small dehumidifier and a small room humidifier that runs on an Inkbird Humidity controller.
All in the project will probably cost a bit more than a decent fridge but if preserving your weed at controlled temperatures is your goal..... it might be a viable option. If you are a renter, be sure to construct everything with screws so it can be diassembled and moved.

this video is really good
keep in mind, these set ups will control temps from ambient down to a few degrees above freezing depending on size of room, insulation properties and size of air conditioning unit. Which can often be found in good used condition for 1/2 of retail depending where you are located.

 

[mountainoutlaw]

Yes have used ink bird and auto pilot ect. Inkbirds aren't designed for refridge, I'd look into using another room or climate controlled area

 

[StonedPone]

I use an inkbird to control a freezer. I use it on the freezer to control temperatures for fermenting beer.I forget now but there is a reason they recommend a small freezer not a refrigerator. I have done this for a few years without any problems. Research on homebrew web sites, they offer the inkbird designed for controlling appliances.

 

[mountainoutlaw]

They have an amp and wattage rating, check the controller

 

[Ringodoggie]

I brew my own beer and that is where I first saw the option. When I lived in why oh why Ohio, if we wanted to cold crash lager, we had outdoors. LOL I never used a wort chiller back there. Had snow. LOL

Anyway, yeah the beer peeps have been doing this with some success. I'll look into the freezer vs fridge thing.

Thanks.

I wish I had room to build a dedicated room but my place back in why oh why Ohio had more square footage in bathrooms alone than I have in my entire condo here in SoCal. LOL I could make some room in the garage but that's about all the space I could have. Good idea, though. I'll measure off a space and see what I have.

 

[StonedPone]

Most of the big home improvement stores have appliances, if you decide to get a freezer, look for one designed to be placed in a garage.
That's what I have and it handles the heat in the garage without any issues.

 

[420PyRoS]

Just a pump/compressor cycling on and off in a freezer or fridge. No different using the inkbird or using a the tsx/temp control cycling on and off the pump/compressor. The freqency might be more and create extra wear but other than that, I doubt youre using a high tech touch screen fridge or something for this. Should be fine.

Im assuming you need a temp probe from inkbird to inside fridge? Crank the fridge temp control slightly lower than 65 so inkbird will always turn on/off the pump/compressor.

Just make sure the inkbird can handle the fridge power draw.

Just my 2 cents.

Ya ya tech's, i called it a pump too. Blah blah.

 

[Orange's Greenhouse]

If you get a dumb fridge it is fine to cycle it with an inkbird. They have no fancy electronics. That stuff costs money.

Alternatively you can get a wine fridge. They use more power but need no hacking.

 

[Rodehazrd]

That’s a harsh reply

 

[Stone]

"I grow primarily for taste and smell"

No you don't.

"You simple can't cure and store pot at this temperature. It made all my pot taste like shit."

Do you keep the spice rack in the fridge. No. Above the hot stove like everyone else. The giant mersh farm who grew your 99 cent garlic spice with a 5 year expiration date grew for flavor. Pot growers haven't grown for flavor in years. They pretend to. Talking about irrelevant essential oils and whatnot. Feeding the boof nutes, blaming bad flavor on everything except nutrient chemistry.

Boveda packs, picky about moisture content, subscribes to youtube potcasts, limonene terpinolene myrcene stuck in your pullstring vocab. Uses a water rig while preaching the medicinal benefits of water solubles. Tell me I'm wrong.

You just come through to dump, or you have any solutions?

 

[NEED 4 SEED]

Ever since I moved to the SoCal desert I have been having issues with storing my pot at a decent temperature. Back in why oh why Ohio I had a basement that was always just perfect 65 to 70 degrees for storage. However, no basements in SoCal and being stored at 80F is killing my pot.

I grow primarily for taste and smell. You simple can't cure and store pot at this temperature. It made all my pot taste like shit.

I did manage to build a small storage area in the closet where my air conditioner is and that stays about about 65F most of the time. Perfect.

However, when Winter comes and the furnace goes on, this will no longer be an option.

The only solution I can find is to buy a full size fridge and use a temp controller to keep it at 65F.

Now, the way these controllers work is that they connect between the fridge plug and the wall and they simply cycle the power off and on as needed to keep it at 65F.

They even have a feature that won't cycle too often so the compressor does not go on too soon after cycling off. So, they figured out that part. OK

However, even with that I'm not sure it's a good idea to power off and on a fridge (or any appliance these days). Sure, back in the old days it was probably OK. However, nowadays the fridge probably has a chip and controller and who knows what else that might not agree with being cycled on and off.

Anyone doing this or know enough about new refrigerators to input here?

Thanks

I don't know in which century you live but we in Europe know fridges with built in temp control for decades.

 

[doublezero]

I don't know in which century you live but we in Europe know fridges with built in temp control for decades.

I am also looking for a nice setup to store my herb. Until now I was not aware of fridges with a temperature range up to, let's say, 65°F. I will look into this.

@StonedPone
May a freezer be preferable because you can get to the desired temperature more quickly, which would lead to a more consistent temperature? Does that make sense?

---

So, we have freezer, fridge and wine fridge. I also take a controllable humidor into consideration, although with regard to price it seems so be much higher + there is little space. It looks nice though, maybe something for some premium herb

Is there some actual experience regarding those approaches and would there be a difference in controlling humidity?

 

[StonedPone]

I am also looking for a nice setup to store my herb. Until now I was not aware of fridges with a temperature range up to, let's say, 65°F. I will look into this.

@StonedPone
May a freezer be preferable because you can get to the desired temperature more quickly, which would lead to a more consistent temperature? Does that make sense?

---

My mentioning a freezer was in response to using an inkbird, so I'm not advocating a freezer as opposed to a refrigerator! It's just what I have used in the past and am familiar with.
With that said, a freezer has more insulation than a refrigerator so, unless you're opening and closing it often, it should give you more consistent temps.
While a freezer will cycle on and off less and uses less energy, a refrigerator will have better humidity control inside, so this all must be considered. If you have a way to control humidity in a freezer, then it may be the better choice.

 

[Orange's Greenhouse]

Is there some actual experience regarding those approaches and would there be a difference in controlling humidity?

There are many who have converted wine fridges to a DIY Coolatron. A branded cannabis dry + cure device.
After the cycle is finished you can remove it or just leave the herb inside. The lowered temperature and controlled humidity is good for long term storage.

I doubt the humidity control is needed after its properly dry. So you can just put the flower in and add a humidity sensor to tell you if there's a risk for mold.

 

[doublezero]

Alright, I get that with the insulation. That provides a better description.

My thoughts are also addressing power consumption, as costs for electricity are insane in my country seeing that in other countries I could run 10kW instead of 150W at the same price

Anyways, I would have to figure out power consumption of a fridge running all the time vs a freezer running on demand. A freezer consumes more power when running but overall should run at lower costs in the given situation.

@Orange's Greenhouse
Regarding humidity I just realized that I won't store my herb directly in a fridge/freezer but in jars, where I would put some humidity control packs into. So my question regarding this is obsolete.

 

[doublezero]

I remembered owning a mobile fridge for the car. This thing can also be operated via grid. So I just did a quick test to have some base parameters to begin with.

surrounding temperature: 25°C
power consumption: 8W
temperature inside: 18°C

There is more to consider (volatility of surrounding temperature, continuous operation) but so far I like the idea ... and the 8W

My device can do both, cooling and heating.

 

[Legalcdn]

RIU has a thread about this using wine fridge. Everything is on page one.

Search

Thermoelectric wine cooler drying and curing - DIY​

 

[growingcrazy]

@Ringodoggie I use inkbird temp controllers to keep deep freezers at exact temps between 35 and 45 for farmers market crops.

Buy a cheap freezer and go to it. They work great. I am on year 8 with the same freezers and no hiccups

 

[Stone]

RIU has a thread about this using wine fridge. Everything is on page one.

Search

Thermoelectric wine cooler drying and curing - DIY​

Could you point to where to search for this?
RIU?
Thanks