I will be using a regular old light bulb and a temp controller to keep my fermentation chamber warm this winter. Will I need to wrap my carboys with a towel or something to protect them from the light.

I understand the safety issue with glass and plan on getting a couple more buckets or better bottles in the future but right now I have glass.

Yes, buy a few BNA4 shirts from the store and put'em on your carboys.

Also, I use a Hard Duty, bulb like you would use in a garage light. It has a plasitc coating on the bulb so if it breaks it wont shatter, and it has a heavy fillament to last longer so your not surprised by a burnout from continuous use.

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You could also put the light in an enclosure so that you just get the heat from the bulb like this guy. http://brewstands.com/fermentation-heater.html

THAT, looks dangerous. I have done enough elecrical work to know that an un-grounded lamp cord in a metal can that can...
"bring the temp up from 58 to 68. and it only took a couple hours with a 60 watt bulb " site quoted
is asking for a fire or just a bit less bad, a tripped breaker on the fridge.

If I were doing the "bulb in a can" thing I dont think I'd go over a 25watt bulb.

I was thinking the same thing. That plan is so unsafe. Why not just use a heatwrap in the enclosure?

I like this Idea more. http://www.chicompany.net/index.php?mai ... cts_id=593

Get a ceramic heating element at the pet store ..... used for heating reptile cages at night without light

I've got one of those and it works great.

Wayne