Trouble with temperatures

[blondevenus]

Hi there I'm desperate for some help!

Just to clarify, I am currently testing temperatures with tap water in my fermenter before I begin the actual brew.

I'm getting ready to start my second brew after a failed first attempt, I'm using a kit mix.
Basically the kit requires the temperature of the wort at the first fermentation to be at a constant between 18-32c but when I use a thermometer the liquid is never higher than 10c. I bought a 100w aquarium heater but after hours the temperature had only risen to around 12c (I have followed the instruction for the heater exactly). I'm not sure if I'm doing anything wrong but I can not seem to raise the temperature in my fermenter. The heater was on and was warm. Would a brew belt be a better solution?

Thanks!

 

[PD]

an aquarium heater will heat a fermenter above 60C easily. Have you got its thermostat turned up ?
If possible use the water bath method to keep your fermenter warm i.e stand the ferm. in a tub of water that has the heater in it which will warm your brew up nicely...better than putting the heater in the brew.
The water bath only needs to be luke warm, as the yeast action will also give out a little warmth into the brew, aim for a brew temp of 18-19C constant not fluctuating.

 

[guyb]

Hi there I'm desperate for some help!

Just to clarify, I am currently testing temperatures with tap water in my fermenter before I begin the actual brew.

I'm getting ready to start my second brew after a failed first attempt, I'm using a kit mix.
Basically the kit requires the temperature of the wort at the first fermentation to be at a constant between 18-32c but when I use a thermometer the liquid is never higher than 10c. I bought a 100w aquarium heater but after hours the temperature had only risen to around 12c (I have followed the instruction for the heater exactly). I'm not sure if I'm doing anything wrong but I can not seem to raise the temperature in my fermenter. The heater was on and was warm. Would a brew belt be a better solution?

Thanks!

where is your fermenter? is it outside or in an outhouse.

When I fermented outside last year (in the shed in winter), I had three aquarium heaters in a big flexible bucket (but I was doing 50L of wine), which made a water bath.

Either take the fermenter indoors, or get a heating tray, another aquarium heater in a water bath and add some insulation to the fermeter (is the heater working or turned up? usually by twisting), i've not used a brewbelt before - although am sure it would work - just seem to remember that it will hear a specific area around the fermenter, rather than from the bottom.

 

[blondevenus]

Hi thanks for the replies!
I'm brewing in my kitchen. My heater has been turned up full (38c) and to the temperatures I need the water but neither made any difference.
I do plan on doing a water bath but I was just testing to see how to 'tune' the heater ready for use.

 

[rpt]

Is your thermometer OK? My digital kitchen probe thermometer shows 95C in boiling water - it should obviously be 100C so it's worth checking.

 

[Baz Chaz]

Your immersion type heater is more for maintaining temperature than heating it up, you need to have your Fv near enough the right temperature to start.
If you've space knock yourself up a 'brewbox', this was my original, since then bubblewrap has been replaced with polystyrene, or others have bought a cheapy immersion tank blanket from BnQ and wrapped it up in that :thumb:

 

[Vossy1]

Basically the kit requires the temperature of the wort at the first fermentation to be at a constant between 18-32c but when I use a thermometer the liquid is never higher than 10c.

Your immersion type heater is more for maintaining temperature than heating it up, you need to have your Fv near enough the right temperature to start.

Bingo A 100watt heater will take for ever to heat 20+ltr of cold tap water. Use a mix of cold water and boiled water from your kettle to get it to 18 -20 deg c then use the thermometer to maintain it Worth a mention, are you treating your water if it has chlorine/chloramines in it :hmm:

 

[blondevenus]

Thanks again everyone for your replies!
I'm going to get the water the water to temperature first and then use the heater to maintain it. I going to try insulating it as well and see if that does the trick.
Thanks again for all the help I really appreciate it, I owe you all a bottle of my brew!