Just question for those who have built Son of a Chiller rigs... anyone experimented with using dry ice to power the thing instead of the jugs of water? Two advantages I can see are A) cooler temps and B) no drips.
I was considering the same scheme to cool a sankey keg. Was you thermoelectric device assembled and just need installed? Will you chiller got down to lagering temps in the low 30's? Is electronics goldmine on the web? Did you get the power supply with the peltier device or have to come with one?
Peltier devices are new to brewing, but are not so new to other avenues of science. This is a nice thread to test a market proposal (don't get mad, just seeing what interest is out there):
A pelitier junction complete with sink and fan (sink is machined to fit a
12" radius (ie. plastic fermenter with gamma seal lid, draws the heat away from the beer), water-tight seal, powder coated to resist corosion, and makes it easy to clean. silicone seal on the outside to ensure positive seal. Easy DIY install instructions for plastic primary users (sorry, glass primary is out of luck, steel primaries are doable, but require special calculations, since steel is a good conductor of heat.) Allows for a disturbance-free liquid temp drop of 10-15 degrees F without adding ice. Ale fermentation at 78 degrees ambient temperature (~68 degree wort). Lager without the box (in development; provides ambient drop of up to 30 degrees). This is not "drip proof" (yet), so plan ahead and keep it dry.
I'm a nerd, who likes beer (hence the founding of my Brew Club, NLBT (Nerds Like Beer Too!)). I've got the plans for the above product lined up, but am hesitant to go beyond prototyping. First-run issue (ale temp) worked fantastically! Theoretical temp pull-down of 30 degrees is very possible, just requires a bit more on the outset (I don't like lagers, so I'm not going to investigate unless I have interest (or at least interest in driking questionablly aged lagers)). Temperature sensor to provide real-time feedback to chiller is possible, although not incorporated into this iteration.
I did some research into it at one time and unless the marketing (supply and demand) has lowered prices you can buy a 7.0 cu ft freezer for the same price as a peltier set up. If space is a premium, and you don't want the freezer or fridge, then maybe. But you would also be fighting the wet t-shirt that can drop the temp 8-10 degrees with the right conditions.
DrinksForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.