temperature control

[Thirsty Boy]

Dammit Mexican,

you got that in while I was typing my reply.

Must learn to type faster. Glad to hear that you have had extended periods of success with the aquarium heaters. Mine have worked a treat so far, but I haven't got that many brews under my belt yet and thought that something might yet go wrong.

Starting to have to think about cooling over summer. I have a cunning gadget on the drawing board and will post details of my stunning success or dismal failure. Either way should be entertaining.

Thirsty

[mexican]

hehehe, just beat ya to it Thirsty !

I'd have to agree here with Thirsty, JMUbrew. You could use an aquarium heater to larger BUT, you would need an external temperature controller connected. You may be able to get a heater that goes lower but I'm not sure about that. The main thing about aquarium heater is that they are REALLY stable once set. I've never seen the temperature change at all once its stabilised in my fermenters.

The only annoying thing about aquarium heaters is getting the temperature set to what you want. Its a fiddly job to have to change the settings depening upon what temperatuer you want to ferment at. As Thirsty indicated thats where an external temp controller comes in.

JMUbrew, remember that a full carboy has a big thermal mass. It would take a while to cool down to freezing point. As long as the aquarium heater generates enough heat to offset any heat loss off the full carboy then the thing won't freeze up.

mexican.

[mexican]

Must learn to type faster. Glad to hear that you have had extended periods of success with the aquarium heaters. Mine have worked a treat so far, but I haven't got that many brews under my belt yet and thought that something might yet go wrong.

Yep. I used aquarium heaters around 8 years ago when I first started brewing. Got out of it and been brewing again for the past two years. I've got two heaters now, one for each fermenter, and have had no problems with them. Plug 'em in and turn the suckers on. No need to bugger around.

Starting to have to think about cooling over summer. I have a cunning gadget on the drawing board and will post details of my stunning success or dismal failure. Either way should be entertaining.
Thirsty

Can't wait for that one ! After the $50 conical experiments I'm already interested as I still want to brew over summer as well. I've got a chest freezer full of kegs but I'm thinking there's gotta be a way of using that cold to keep fermenters cool enough as well...

mexican

[JMUBrew]

hehehe, just beat ya to it Thirsty !

I'd have to agree here with Thirsty, JMUbrew. You could use an aquarium heater to larger BUT, you would need an external temperature controller connected. You may be able to get a heater that goes lower but I'm not sure about that. The main thing about aquarium heater is that they are REALLY stable once set. I've never seen the temperature change at all once its stabilised in my fermenters.

The only annoying thing about aquarium heaters is getting the temperature set to what you want. Its a fiddly job to have to change the settings depening upon what temperatuer you want to ferment at. As Thirsty indicated thats where an external temp controller comes in.

JMUbrew, remember that a full carboy has a big thermal mass. It would take a while to cool down to freezing point. As long as the aquarium heater generates enough heat to offset any heat loss off the full carboy then the thing won't freeze up.

mexican.

That's a good point, and I had kind of figured that (the carboy's mass plus the water that it will be sitting in), but then the question is, how do I keep it just warm enough that it doesn't go above lagering temps? (~38F)

Maybe another temp controller would do the trick, kicks on when the water is just a bit too cold? Thinking about it though, I think I might just have to do the 60QT igloo cooler thing and use 2 liter ice bottles changed every 12 hours. Probably more controllable!

[mexican]

That's a good point, and I had kind of figured that (the carboy's mass plus the water that it will be sitting in), but then the question is, how do I keep it just warm enough that it doesn't go above lagering temps? (~38F)
[/quote]

I'm a little confused now. Are you in a cold environment and want to keep the beer WARMED to 38F or in a warm environment and want to keep it COOL enough ?

If its a cold environment then an aquarium heater with an external temp controller would work. I've heard of people putting 40watt globes in a box with a fermenter getting reasonable heating results. If, on the other hand, you are in a warm environment trying to keep it cool enough, then the ice blocks should work.

mexican

[im1dermike]

Dont know bout the US etc, but in Australia, thermoelectric coolers are the latest thing. like this one

They are cheap. You can pick em up in kmart for well under $50.00

The lids with the cooling unit come off. You could buy 1 or 2 of them and make yourself pretty compact cool box.

Thirsty

I have something like this...

It's called a refrigerator.

[Thirsty Boy]

But my wife wont let me buy another refridgerator! Building a cool box on the other hand......

[mexican]

But my wife wont let me buy another refridgerator! Building a cool box on the other hand......

Same here Thirsty.

My wife is ok with the chest freezer full of kegs, as long as there's a beer she likes in it, but I reckon she'd kill me if I came home one day with a fridge for fermenting.

If you decide to buidl a coolbox with insulated foam board and manage to find some in Melbourne Thirsty then give me a yell. I haven't been able to source any as yet though there is some around from what I've heard. Your local Bunnings doesn't have the stuff, I've checked mine.

mexican