Window Unit air conditioner size for fermenting room

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tucker0104
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Window Unit air conditioner size for fermenting room

Post by tucker0104 »

Hey to everyone out there. Currently constructing a room in my garage to ferment in. It will be 4 foot by 8 foot (32 square foot). The garage can get really hot during the summer (110). Also, not sure how much heat the actual ferment puts off. I was thinking a 5,000 BTU unit would be more than enough to cool to 75-80 degrees. Anyone else have any experience with this that could provide input. Thanks in advance.
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frunobulax
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Re: Window Unit air conditioner size for fermenting room

Post by frunobulax »

The ferment puts out alot of heat, not enough to change the heat in a room but alot.
You can buy a cheap stc (temperature controller) and tape the probe to the side of your fermenter, then plug your A/C unit
into it and set it to the temp the yeast likes. The yeast will reward you for it.
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Re: Window Unit air conditioner size for fermenting room

Post by RedwoodHillBilly »

tucker0104 wrote:Hey to everyone out there. Currently constructing a room in my garage to ferment in. It will be 4 foot by 8 foot (32 square foot). The garage can get really hot during the summer (110). Also, not sure how much heat the actual ferment puts off. I was thinking a 5,000 BTU unit would be more than enough to cool to 75-80 degrees. Anyone else have any experience with this that could provide input. Thanks in advance.
I don't know about you, but I do 50gal ferments, pitching at 90°F and the barrel stays at 90°F for a day or 2. I can't see it adding any appreciable heat to your room.
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bilgriss
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Re: Window Unit air conditioner size for fermenting room

Post by bilgriss »

I ferment in the basement or kitchen.

If you use bakers yeast, a warm room is going to be fine, even in the 85-90+ range, but 110 is excessive. I don't know your garage, whether it has any insulation or not. But a 5,500BTU window unit would be fine to keep a regular room inside within the temperature range you are specifying.

I tend to use ale yeasts (in particular US-05) for grain ferments, and like the temperature below 75. I've had good luck with bakers at warmer temps.

As for the ferment generating heat - it does. But not much. It's enough to raise the temperature of your liquid five or so degrees above ambient, but it won't impact your room condition at all, in my experience. Less than a human, for sure.
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BDF
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Re: Window Unit air conditioner size for fermenting room

Post by BDF »

The smaller a leak is, the smaller the pump you need to bilge the water. Same goes for pumping heat away from one place to another.

Insulate the room well, walls, ceiling, floor, and that window unit, or possibly a smaller one will do just fine.
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