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.

 

[HomelyFans]

"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.