Keeping waterbath warm in winter?

[HLA91]

Hey everyone

Well the time has come that my mother has said no more brewing in my bedroom. My dad has cleared space out the shed for me and we were discussing ways of keeping the temperature right for fermenting. After much searching I realised that a brew belt or tray was out of the question without getting thermostats attached, I come across a picture Moley click me had put on of his water bath with what I assume to be a aquarium type heater in.

My question is if I get one of these for the shed with a plastic container to hold the water, in the winter how can I stop all the heat from the water just rising and leaving? My first thought would be to raise the heater temperature slowly day by day until I find the right water temperature at which the wine is staying at around 18-20 degrees. The only problem is that each time the weather/temperature changes then I would have to start messing around with it again.

Does anyone have any other ideas of how to do this?

Many thanks

HLA91

 

[Mark1964]

you need to put your fermenter inside another vessel which has the heated water in. Preferably with an insulated lid or hot water tank jacket. You could just wrap your fv in a tank jacket and just heat the wort using an aquarium heater. :thumb:

 

[Moley]

If ambient temperature is likely to fluctuate widely, just lag the bucket as best you can. Set the thermostat to your desired brew temperature and leave it alone.

What's the issue with you brewing indoors, aren't your parents drinking your brews?

 

[HLA91]

Well I'm talking about a bath for 2-3 DJ's not an idividual bucket bath so the surface area of the water will mean loss of heat which is what I am trying to prevent.
Cant brew indoors as mum deosnt want to see DJ's in the house I can only think that they "lower the tone"

 

[oldbloke]

I made a box out of leftover bits of kitchen which would hold my plassy waterbath plus a layer of expanded poly saved from white goods or furniture deliveries.
a sheet of explanded poly with suitable hole(s) goes over the top. Old teatowels cover any gaps.
I think I was daft enough to post a pic, somewhere...
NB the aquarium heater I got has a lowest settign of 20C and it turns out, on checknig with a Real thermometer that this is actually 22. It was very cheap though...
Thread:
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=14869
Pics:
http://oldbloke.livejournal.com/699781.html

 

[HLA91]

Ahh ingenious, I will remember that as the disaster has now been averted I have managed to scrounge some cupboard space in the house enough for 5 DJ's so that will suffice until I go back to uni then I can have as many as I want.
Thanks anyway should my DJ's be evicted then I will copy your setup oldbloke.