Will an aquarium heater be ok to heat my FV?

[PokeHer]

Hi All,

Will this be ok to submerge into my 25l fermenting vessel?
Currently I don't heat, I ferment in the spare room but it can get quite cold in there overnight (15 degrees or so) which is a little too cold.

Thanks
Rod

 

[31bb3]

If you can sit the fv in a vat of water and put the heater in that

 

[pittsy]

yes its ideal but a little pricey you can get em for £14 try a local pet shop

 

[Fender Precision]

Personally I think 15 degrees overnight is great. My house is about the same and its not a problem. My brewbelt has been retired for ages now and I actually think it gave a couple of brews a dodgy taste. I really wouldnt be bothered at that temp. :idea:

 

[StrangeBrew]

50W is fine for up to 10 gallons / 50 litres so is ample for home brew FV.

Here's a better deal...

http://www.ketteringkoi.com/acatalog/Aq ... 38103.html

:

 

[abeyptfc]

I've got one like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/25W-50W-1...UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&var=&hash=item6fc8683326 from ebay, they work fine and keep the water at an ideal 20 degrees, i have my fv submerged in a water bucket.

 

[StrangeBrew]

I've got one like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/25W-50W-1...UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&var=&hash=item6fc8683326 from ebay, they work fine and keep the water at an ideal 20 degrees, i have my fv submerged in a water bucket.

That link only has options to buy 100 or 150 Watt ... 50W is plenty enough. Presumably all the lower Wattage ones are gone...

 

[PokeHer]

Thanks guys, some much better value for money ones posted there, will try one of those.
Is the submersion in water completely necessary? I will have to source a bucket or container for that if so, np of course.

Thanks

 

[StrangeBrew]

Thanks guys, some much better value for money ones posted there, will try one of those.
Is the submersion in water completely necessary? I will have to source a bucket or container for that if so, np of course.

Thanks

You can use it in your FV as well ... just make sure it's sanitised and find some way of getting the power lead out through the lid...

:

 

[shearclass]

Heating the surrounding water to 20 degrees will probably mean the brew gets hotter than 20 degrees when it is fermenting.


I don't know how much hotter, but it will be a few degrees.

 

[jonnymorris]

Heating the surrounding water to 20 degrees will probably mean the brew gets hotter than 20 degrees when it is fermenting...

Assuming the room is cooler than the desired temperature the heater's thermostat will keep the brew at said temperature regardless of the heat generated by fermentation.

 

[PokeHer]

You can use it in your FV as well ... just make sure it's sanitised and find some way of getting the power lead out through the lid...

:

I can just drill a hole through the lid, I don't think its needs to be airtight (and I read somewhere that it shouldn't be airtight?) right?

 

[StrangeBrew]

I can just drill a hole through the lid, I don't think its needs to be airtight (and I read somewhere that it shouldn't be airtight?) right?

No it doesn't have to be air tight ... although bear in mind if you have an airlock it wont bubble so you could just use the airlock hole if your lid has one... I'd perhaps just put something over any hole so stuff cant fall in ... or if you retain the airlock put the cable through some kind of grommet / split bung etc...

 

[PokeHer]

A quick update, at the weekend I found a 60ltr FV that I plan to transfer my beer to after the SG is stable (following the advice in this post). I bought a 60ltr as it can double as my heating bin! I can put my 25ltr FV inside the 60ltr, add water to the 60ltr and heat the water (as suggested by 31bb3 above). Obviously during the 2nd phase, the fermentation has already completed so the now beer doesn't need to be heated.

Thanks for all your help everyone.