which heating device?

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Clint

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Hello all
Until I get my brew fridge sorted I'm going to get a heater of some sort and an inkbird..
Homebrew online have the inkbird for £26.95 they also have a few heaters...a blue soft,round pad for around £16 and a square tray type,electrim, for £32. Wilko go a tray type for £25 but even after emailing them and Youngs who make it,can't seem to get any info...any pointers on fv heaters? I don't want to dip anything into the brew and the fv is in the house so won't be wanting to do a water bath. Temp seems constant at18/20 during the day but drops a couple of degrees at night. I also have a kit that requires high fermentation temps so want to do it justice.

Cheers

Clint
 
I use one of these just sat on the worktop ...

http://www.homebrewcentregy.com/electrim-heating-tray-for-5-gallons

... controlled by an Inkbird STC1000.

It happily keeps FV's and Kegs warm in temperatures down to 3 degrees (the lowest I've seen in my garage for three years) and will probably be okay at lower temperatures if the FV and the Keg are adequately insulated.

My Immersion Heater (one of these) ...

http://www.homebrewcentregy.com/electrim-75-immersion-heater

... went belly-up and refused to work only last week after completing over three years of sterling service. I'm not sure that I will bother re-newing it now that I have a Brew Fridge.

I've never used a Heat Belt on the basis that it just can't be as efficient as the other two methods.

The photograph is of the Heat Pad in use (carbonating a Keg of Fulstows Northfields IPA) with not the best of insulation! :whistle:

Exercise Mat No!.jpg
 
I have a Youngs brew belt circa 20 quid. Used it before I got a brew fridge and now use it as the heat source in the fridge. Saw a study someone did (I think posted on jims beer kit) that showed that a brew belt was as effective as anything else as the heat source in a brew fridge. I'll try to find a link. Works for me
 
I have a Youngs brew belt circa 20 quid. Used it before I got a brew fridge and now use it as the heat source in the fridge. Saw a study someone did (I think posted on jims beer kit) that showed that a brew belt was as effective as anything else as the heat source in a brew fridge. I'll try to find a link. Works for me

I hope it is ok to post a link to another forum, and apologise if not!

http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=68518
 
an insulating wrap may be all you need to retain the heat generated by the yeast when fermenting and stabalise the day/night difference ;)


when heating a brewfridge i would suggest a small radiating heat source such as the usual 12" tube heater may be the best option, belts, wires and mats can focus heat at one spot..
 
With the temperatures you said you get I would just wait until you get the fridge if I were you and do a brew that doesnt require higher temperatures for now. It'll also give you the extra excitement of doing the high temp one in the fridge.

I just got a fridge for free on freecycle (I'm getting bored of saying that) which I've cleaned and steralised but there is still a bit of a smell from it so Im going to put some Bicarbonate of soda in as that is meant to be as good an anything to get rid of smells. Then I'll probably give it one more clean with steraliser (although I doubt any living organism could have survived the cleaning its had already).

I will be putting my heat belt in there and it will be controlled with a STC 1000. As its in my garage I dont need the fridge atm and just have the heat belt on controlled by the STC working a treat. As the heat belt goes on the FV its fairly efficient as a lot of the heat goes directly into the wort. I have no issue with the tube heaters but they require a bit more modding the fridge to have a support for it and shelf for the FV which lets heat through judging from the photos Ive seen on here.
 
an insulating wrap may be all you need to retain the heat generated by the yeast when fermenting and stabalise the day/night difference ;)


when heating a brewfridge i would suggest a small radiating heat source such as the usual 12" tube heater may be the best option, belts, wires and mats can focus heat at one spot..

I'll be using a heat belt in my fridge but will be putting it around the FV the same as I do now. It focuses the heat into the wort rather than just heating the air so should be efficient and is also easier to use as the fridge doesnt need modding..
 
I used to do the same as darrellm. Used a aquarium heater from the range. £5. After a bit of trial and error using a thermometer got it to about 20 degrees and did my first 5 brews that way.
 

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