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

[Stone]

Thermoelectric wine cooler drying and curing - DIY

I had read about these for a while before trying, this is not by any means a new idea nor did I come up with the idea. I was tired of over drying and drying too quickly in the winter, then freaking out about mold in the summer. A google search will give lots of other ideas, but I get a lot of...

www.rollitup.org

Never mind, here it is.

 

[Ringodoggie]

Thanks for all the input, gang.

I have read the specifications on dozens of refrigerators and apparently, refrigerators in the US have a maximum setting of 40F to 42F since storing food at any temp higher is dangerous. Blah blah

As for wine refrigerators and mini fridges, they are simply too small. Right now I have about 60 wide mouth 1 quart jars and I am harvesting so I am about to have 16 more. I usually have between 50 and 100 jars. And, that doesn't count the 50 or so jars of outdoor stuff that I mostly give away. So, a full size fridge/freezer is definitely on the list.

I have until the cold weather hits to make this happen. Right now I installed shelves in the closet where my A/C unit is located and it keeps it a perfect 65F. But, this Winter when the heat goes on, this idea is over so I need the freezer/fridge setup by then.

The beer people suggest a freezer or fridge without a freezer. That makes sense if we are going to use an Inkbird controller. You don't want 2 thermostats competing against each other. I assume that is the reason.

I don't worry much about humidity since the pot is in vacuum sealed jars.

So, what about frost free or not frost free?


Thanks again for all the help and input.

 

[Ringodoggie]

Well, well, well, there really is a Santa Clause.

My neighbor texted me yesterday and asked f I knew anyone who wanted a freezer.

It is an Insignia NS-UZ53WH9 5.3 cubic feet. Just the right size. Only about 4 years old.

It is a pretty basic with no obvious electronic extras. Not even frost free. Still, I am a tiny bit concerned about cycling it using the Inkbird controller. Cycling by pulling the plug does doesn't sit well with me. Even the cheap models have energy saving and safety bullshit built into the code on the motherboard. I wonder if the Inkbird controllers have a delay to prevent the compressor from cycling off and on too quickly.

Also, I wonder how easy it is to hack the built in thermostat on the freezer. At some point on the board there should be a resistor that is passing on the signal from the thermostat. Replacing that with a potentiometer might make it adjustable. On the other hand, it might just be all digital SOC or something. I know shit about freezers. I'll have a look later this week.

I am hoping this unit only uses about 1 or 2 amps. Any more and I have limited places where I can spare the amps.

I am also going to look at the Inkbird line to learn a little more. StonePone and growingcrazy both said it worked great for them. As have many others. Seems like the easiest way, for sure.

Well, we won't know for a couple days as it is New Year's Eve and it will be at least a 2 day hangover......maybe three.

Happy New Year, all.

 

[PlastikeRubba]

Throw your genetics and nutrients in the trash if you can't keep weed from tasting like shit at 80 degrees.


It's illogical, going by the cannabis you should be growing, to state that heat is an enemy.

 

[Wolverine97]

The best solution would be a chest freezer, top loading, which you can modify to act as a refrigerator. It's pretty common for off grid living, tons of "how to" videos on youtube.

Bonus is they run uber efficiently, much more-so than a fridge.

 

[Wolverine97]

Throw your genetics and nutrients in the trash if you can't keep weed from tasting like shit at 80 degrees.


It's illogical, going by the cannabis you should be growing, to state that heat is an enemy.

Why are you even here? I've yet to see you make even one semi non insulting comment. If this is all you intend to do here, why bother? Is your life that bad?

If you have all the answers as you constantly imply in every derogatory comment, then be helpful. Offer some ideas... but all you ever do is act ugly, and insult everyone you respond to. Every. One.

 

[flylowgethigh]

Well, well, well, there really is a Santa Clause.

My neighbor texted me yesterday and asked f I knew anyone who wanted a freezer.

It is an Insignia NS-UZ53WH9 5.3 cubic feet. Just the right size. Only about 4 years old.

It is a pretty basic with no obvious electronic extras. Not even frost free. Still, I am a tiny bit concerned about cycling it using the Inkbird controller. Cycling by pulling the plug does doesn't sit well with me. Even the cheap models have energy saving and safety bullshit built into the code on the motherboard. I wonder if the Inkbird controllers have a delay to prevent the compressor from cycling off and on too quickly.

Also, I wonder how easy it is to hack the built in thermostat on the freezer. At some point on the board there should be a resistor that is passing on the signal from the thermostat. Replacing that with a potentiometer might make it adjustable. On the other hand, it might just be all digital SOC or something. I know shit about freezers. I'll have a look later this week.

I am hoping this unit only uses about 1 or 2 amps. Any more and I have limited places where I can spare the amps.

I am also going to look at the Inkbird line to learn a little more. StonePone and growingcrazy both said it worked great for them. As have many others. Seems like the easiest way, for sure.

Well, we won't know for a couple days as it is New Year's Eve and it will be at least a 2 day hangover......maybe three.

Happy New Year, all.

Happy New Year back to you Mr Ringodoggie! Glad to see ya still growing

 

[Ringodoggie]

Well, this worked out pretty awesome.

I had to move some stuff around in the garage to get room by the outlet but it is up and running and maintaining 65F.

You can see the Inkbird controller in the upper right of the pic. I still have about 15 more jars so it's not big enough but I may transfer some jars to Grove bags to save some room.

 

[Old Piney]

Thanks for all the input, gang.

I have read the specifications on dozens of refrigerators and apparently, refrigerators in the US have a maximum setting of 40F to 42F since storing food at any temp higher is dangerous. Blah blah

As for wine refrigerators and mini fridges, they are simply too small. Right now I have about 60 wide mouth 1 quart jars and I am harvesting so I am about to have 16 more. I usually have between 50 and 100 jars. And, that doesn't count the 50 or so jars of outdoor stuff that I mostly give away. So, a full size fridge/freezer is definitely on the list.

I have until the cold weather hits to make this happen. Right now I installed shelves in the closet where my A/C unit is located and it keeps it a perfect 65F. But, this Winter when the heat goes on, this idea is over so I need the freezer/fridge setup by then.

The beer people suggest a freezer or fridge without a freezer. That makes sense if we are going to use an Inkbird controller. You don't want 2 thermostats competing against each other. I assume that is the reason.

I don't worry much about humidity since the pot is in vacuum sealed jars.

So, what about frost free or not frost free?


Thanks again for all the help and input.

Wow this controller makes things a bit easier. My buddy used to use a freazer to logar beer, I beleave that's temps around 55f but he would actually change the thermostat. The reason they don't use refrigerator freezers is one of the two would be useless in the unit. Most refrigerator freezers operate by just doing a controlled leek from the freezer to the refrigerator with only one cooling unit

 

[Hiddenjems]

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

Put sealed gallons of water in the fridge too. They’ll keep the temp steady and it won’t cycle on /off as much.

 

[Szkoła Zioła]

Another idea:

Get a wine cooler / vinoteca. Of course weed in jars or terploc bags.
It keeps 16°C / 60°F without any modifications.