Cold box wine storage project

NorCal · Jul 14, 2014

I' have a design, bought the initial supply of 2x4's and getting ready to frame it out. It is being designed as a cold box / work table / tasting table. It will house 2 barrels, 1 30 gallon flex tank and as many carboys and bottles as possible. I will be using a coolbot and window AC. I'll post progress and appreciate feedback as I proceed.

Kraffty · Jul 14, 2014

Sounds like a good project, looking forward to seeing how it goes.
Mike

Thig · Jul 14, 2014

NorCal said:
I' have a design, bought the initial supply of 2x4's and getting ready to frame it out. It is being designed as a cold box / work table / tasting table. It will house 2 barrels, 1 30 gallon flex tank and as many carboys and bottles as possible. I will be using a coolbot and window AC. I'll post progress and appreciate feedback as I proceed.

Amazing, I just read about the Coolbot today and searched to see if anyone here had used one and I see this post. Might be the solution to my problem, I just want to cool my basement (which is now at 68 degrees) about 10 more degrees.

Do you have any experience with the Coolbot?

NorCal · Jul 14, 2014

Thig, I don't have any experience. It came with a garage full of stuff that I bought. The guy I bought it from used it for the same purpose. I'll let you know when I come to that point. I am buying own of the window AC units that they recommend, so I'm assuming it will work pretty easily.

NorCal · Jul 21, 2014

Basic frame coming together.

Rocky · Jul 21, 2014

NorCal, very interesting project. I just spent some time on line learning about the Coolbot unit and some of the designs that people have completed. From your pictures, it seems that you are constructing a "reach in" rather than a "walk in" cool room, correct? I saw some video and some time lapse photographs on-line. It would seem a very tidy solution for cooling a portion of my basement for a "wine cellar" that could be kept at or near 55 degrees F. I will be very interested in your progress. From what I have seen on-line, people are generally very pleased with the system.

Good luck.

Kraffty · Jul 21, 2014

How are you insulating the box, I would think thicker walls might help hold the cool.
Mike

mikewatkins727 · Jul 21, 2014

Cool box

Yup, you're gonna need that cooler in Loomis, I should know; lived there for 35 years (on Craig Street).

NorCal · Jul 22, 2014

The cold box will have two three foot wide, seven foot tall doors that swing wide open, allowing full access. It will be fully sealed and be completely insulated with the insulation foam board with an R value of 13 and all the edges taped off. A little progress today.

Wood and screw cost so far $140

AC unit planned $120. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Haier-Mini-5-000-BTU-Mechanical-Window-Air-Conditioner-HWF05XCL-L/17477197

Insulation planned: $170. http://t.homedepot.com/p/Thermashea...Rigid-Foam-Insulation-Board-613010/100573703/

With the doors, hinges, peg board, some trim work to make it look nice, I may have another $200 in it, totaling $650 ( plus cost of coolbot that came with equipment I bought).

Rocky · Jul 22, 2014

looking good. Do you plan to put a floor in it? At the least, I would recommend tying the two side together at the bottom front to "complete the cube" and give you more structural integrity. Also, Is R-13 what is recommended or did you pick that number? Neat project and should be a real asset to your wine making.

Runningwolf · Jul 22, 2014

As far as a floor goes you could lay a 2-3" piece of foam cut to size on the floor.

NorCal · Jul 22, 2014

No plans to insulate the floor as I plan on having my barrels on rollers. I also figure the floor with the cement and earth will be my best insulated side. Nothing special about the R value I chose, just the best foam board R value, for what I wanted to spend. If the AC is constantly running, I will have the space to double up on it.

NorCal · Jul 24, 2014

Ceiling and top shelf completed. I'm using some old "barn wood" for the shelves and I will also be using it for the doors.

mikewatkins727 · Jul 24, 2014

My curiosity - what is the tank in the corner of the coolbox going to be used for?

NorCal · Jul 24, 2014

mikewatkins727 said:
My curiosity - what is the tank in the corner of the coolbox going to be used for?

Mike, it is a flextank, allowing long term wine storage with the benefit of micro-oxidation. I picked it up from a local winery. It is 30 gallons, the same as the two barrels I have coming. It may sit empty this year and I'll use it to hold the wine while I'm racking it. Or I'll use it to rotate wine in/out of the new barrels to control the oaking.

tshank · Jul 24, 2014

That is looking like a really neat and well thought out cold box, where are you going to mount the a/c? I've been wanting to build something like this to eliminate all the refrigerators I have.

Sent from my iPad using Wine Making

NorCal · Jul 24, 2014

tshank, the AC will be mounted up high on the left hand side of the box. The cascading of the shelving should allow good airflow to all levels.

NorCal · Jul 26, 2014

I calked the seams, added th rear insullation, installed the lower shelf and stained the outside. I got started on door number one.

NorCal · Jul 28, 2014

Finished the outside of the doors. Unfortunately, they weigh a lot. I'm starting yon think that I may need to add a wheel at the end of each of the doors to support the weight. My little operation will be named K & K Winery, thus the two Ks. I used some rustic cedar that I had left over. I do a lot better working with metal than wood. I'm going to make some large Ks out of metal to double as door handles.

4score · Jul 28, 2014

What a fabulous addition to your wine hobby. Well done! Can't wait to see it completely finished and stocked!

Cold box wine storage project

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