finished new chamber

[bthurston]

I finished my curing chamber and thought i'd share abit on it. It is a whirlpool model et8gtmxkq00. It has freezer on top. Everything was pretty straight forward. First I disconnected the thermostat and light in the fridge compartment. Then using a Dremel cutoff wheel I cut through the plastic from the freezer side. I knew there was wiring more than likely in the center. Slowly chipped away all the foam that seperates the two compartments. After that I removed the shroud that covers the chiller coil and fan. I wanted to tuck the internals of the thermostat and PCB behind the shroud when I reassembled but the connectors were too large to fit. So I just clipped all the wires, eliminating the light and pressure switch that controls the light. I used pvc heat shrink tubing to reassemble and tidy up.

Next I pulled the doors off and sanded and repainted. This is a 15 year old fridge after all.

I used a waterproof tape to seal the exposed foam between the two compartments and then covered in aluminum foil tape. Using a 2.25" hole saw I drilled a hole in the left side toward the front. I did this after much deliberation. Ive seen threads of many ruining their fridges by hitting a freon line. I did look up diagrams on the model and could not see anything in the sides of it. I also dug around abit before taping up. So I ran an extensoin cord through along with the two probes from the inkbird 608T. Filled the hole with foam.

All in all it seems to be running well. I threw in some chorizo i had in my wifes wine cooler to rest in its new home.

All in all a simple build that had no gotchas.

 

[Slow42]

Very nice what are you using to control humidity and heat if needed. Any air flow added such as a small fan?

 

[bthurston]

Very nice what are you using to control humidity and heat if needed. Any air flow added such as a small fan?

im using the Inkbird ITC-608T. It controls the temp and humidity. I am using the fan in the fridge to circulate air for now. Im waiting to see how it works to determine if i need to swap.

 

[crazymoon]

BT, Looks good, I can't wait to see some finished products!

 

[Slow42]

im using the Inkbird ITC-608T. It controls the temp and humidity. I am using the fan in the fridge to circulate air for now. Im waiting to see how it works to determine if i need to swap.

The inkbird controls the heat and humidly but it needs to be attached to some equipment. How do you hold the humidity at a certain %. And temperature for that matter? Are you just using the abilities of the refrigerator itself?

 

[SmokinAl]

It sure looks like a great setup!
But I have to ask too, do you need a humidifier or a de-humidifier. Mine just needs a humidifier. But depending on where your located you may need a humidifier, de-humidifier, heater, & of course cooling. But so far everything looks good!
Al

 

[bthurston]

It sure looks like a great setup!
But I have to ask too, do you need a humidifier or a de-humidifier. Mine just needs a humidifier. But depending on where your located you may need a humidifier, de-humidifier, heater, & of course cooling. But so far everything looks good!
Al

I have it inside the house so at the moment I only need a humidifier. I will probably put it out on my back porch this spring. When that happens im sure i will need both as its always shaded and next to a creek. Leaving inside was just easier for the immediate future, also less hardware needed.

 

[SKade]

Your setup looks nice. What did you use for the humidifier? I have a fridge that I'm going to try and build a chamber out of. I have the temp and humidity controls. I have a fan. The only thing I know that I need is the humidifier. What works well for this and am I forgetting anything?

 

[bthurston]

Your setup looks nice. What did you use for the humidifier? I have a fridge that I'm going to try and build a chamber out of. I have the temp and humidity controls. I have a fan. The only thing I know that I need is the humidifier. What works well for this and am I forgetting anything?

Just a small ultrasonic humidifier. Depending on where it's located and/or the time of year you may need up to both heater, humidifier and dehumidifier.

Currently mine is inside so with 70 degree ambient temps the chamber only has to cool. If it were outside I'd have the need to heat. You just need to keep in mind the environmental factors outside the chamber also.

Plus, as the unit cycles, you will be adding dry air. Just think of it as a garden with interplay between elements. There is some tolerance, just be diligent.