temp control?

I want to convert an old frig to have temp. control. I understand how the cooling side of it would work but what about heating the batch in the winter. Texas is crazy weather, one week it is hot and cold the next. i will be setting up the frig in the garage and will need to control the temp. Does any one have a suggestion on an eficiant way to add heat

First you will need a dual stage temperature controller that can activate a heating element and a cooling element.

I've seen a few methods of adding heat. Electric blankets, small space heaters, brew belts, aquarium heaters(place fermenter in tub of water, put heater in tub) or even a simple incandescent lightbulb.

The method you use largely depends on how much heat you have to add. A lightbulb will work if you only need to heat a few degrees but more than that and you should look into getting a brew belt or aquarium heater.

The cold spells do not last to long here i think i will try to start with the light bulb and see. Winter is over here any way and i wont have to worry much about heating until next October thanks for the info!!:cross:

Im new to the hobby myself. I have successfully brewed my first partial mash. It's St. Arnolds Christmas Ale clone. I stuck to ales in the beginning so that I didn't have to worry too much about temps.

I am going to try a Kolsch for my next batch and I too am going to convert a refrigerator to get the correct fermenting temps.

What part of the State do you live in? I live in Houston and I never gave any consideration to the heating issue you bring up. While our temps in winter time sometimes dip into freezing, the garage itself will keep temps above freezing and the refrigerator's own insulation will keep the inside fairly even. That is, if the temps don't drop below freezing and stay there for a day or two. That happens very rarely.

I will be very interested in knowing if anyone else in the Houston area has a heater in their fermenting fridge.

Great Question!!

cherrob...Im in the Dallas area which isnt to much of a diffrence here. Mabe im being over cautious. Better safe than sorry i guess. There were a few weeks last year that were below freezing. This year not so much. Im sure the frig insulation would sufice in the short coold spells we get here in texas. thanks

you can get a 25 watt heating mat from Williams brewing it just a Mat that sticks to the side of the fridge and takes up no space at all
http://www.williamsbrewing.com/BREWERS-EDGE-SPACE-HEATER-P518.aspx

The Bean Farm (www.beanfarm.com) also sells the FermWrap material by the foot so you can make it any size you need. You can also order the clips, cords, etc. if you need to.

thanks the matt sounds way better..

In live in Baton Rouge which is similar temps to Houston and I used heating in my fermentation fridge the last few weeks. It was getting too to cold at night and wanted the temps in the fridge to stay above 60. So I used the "light bulb in a paint can" trick, from this link:
http://www.wortomatic.com/articles/Fermentation-Can-Heater

and i built the temp controller from this link:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/ebay-aquarium-temp-controller-build-163849/

both worked great. but, out of curiosity, does anyone know if there is any danger to the fridge by putting a heating element in it? Could it burn up the fridge?

I hope you guys don't mind the intrusion of a complete newb here.... But... what the heck are you guys talking about? You are putting the FV in a fridge, then heating the inside of the fridge? I don't get it. I understand the need to keep the FV in a certain temp range, and not below a certain level, in order to ensure that fermentation occurs. But if the issue is it's too cold in the fridge...why not just put the FV somewhere else, like inside the house? What am I missing?

Thanks for any insight, I am genuinely confused.

Mark

Haha

What they are talking about is using a dual stage temp controller. The controller has a probe that measures the temp of the beer. You then have the FV sitting inside the fridge on top of a heating pad. ( in my case) Both the fridge and the heating pad are plugged into the temp controller. Depending on the temp of the beer, it will switch on either heating or cooling, and when it reaches the temp you set, it switches it off.

So, if it's warming the beer, the fridge is not on as well the fridge just insulates, whether it's warm or cold

Just-a-Guy said:

...why not just put the FV somewhere else, like inside the house? What am I missing?

Click to expand...

When I heat/cool my ferm chamber, I am still keeping the beer at a specific temperature. When I just put in in the house, it ferments at whatever temp it wants, with day/night temperature swings. The fermentation chamber, even if you need to heat it sometimes, is still the best way to make consistently good beer.

Just-a-Guy said:

I hope you guys don't mind the intrusion of a complete newb here.... But... what the heck are you guys talking about? You are putting the FV in a fridge, then heating the inside of the fridge? I don't get it. I understand the need to keep the FV in a certain temp range, and not below a certain level, in order to ensure that fermentation occurs. But if the issue is it's too cold in the fridge...why not just put the FV somewhere else, like inside the house? What am I missing?

Thanks for any insight, I am genuinely confused.

Mark

Click to expand...

Many people feel they are fine just placing the fermenter in a location that averages something within the yeasts recommended range.

Others like to keep the temp within a degree or two. This is pretty hard unless you have equipment (A fridge or freezer and a $25 temp controller) to do it automatically. There are other methods.

The nice thing about a dual stage controller is not having to move or mess with a fermentation if the temp goes above or below the specified setpoint enough to affect the beer.

It's a fairly inexpensive set-and-forget solution that can improve the flavor of the beer at the end.

Figure $50 for a fridge or freezer on Craigslist, and $25 for the Chinese 2 stage control, and for less than $100 you have a dedicated fermentation chamber.

Just-a-Guy said:

I hope you guys don't mind the intrusion of a complete newb here.... But... what the heck are you guys talking about? You are putting the FV in a fridge, then heating the inside of the fridge? I don't get it. I understand the need to keep the FV in a certain temp range, and not below a certain level, in order to ensure that fermentation occurs. But if the issue is it's too cold in the fridge...why not just put the FV somewhere else, like inside the house? What am I missing?

Thanks for any insight, I am genuinely confused.

Mark

Click to expand...

The goal is to keep the FV within a degree of the target temp. The insulation of the fridge helps to stabilize the temp. If you have wide swings in your ambient temperature, you will have a better product if you can control the temp to a very tight tolerance. Then you can do things like start the fermentation off at a lower temp and then raise the temp at a stage during the process to aid in better attenuation.

Thanks, guys, those responses are tremendously helpful. Problem is, now I have a new project to undertake!

Just-a-Guy said:

I hope you guys don't mind the intrusion of a complete newb here.... But... what the heck are you guys talking about? You are putting the FV in a fridge, then heating the inside of the fridge?
Mark

Click to expand...

What is an FV? They are talking about maintaining warm enough fermentation temps in the fridge when it gets too cold outside in winter.

I just wrap a simple 60 watt light bulb with foil and turn it on in the fridge, works great here, but it doesnt get colder than 40 here.

morbothegreat said:

....is any danger to the fridge by putting a heating element in it? Could it burn up the fridge?

Click to expand...

I guess that depends on the heating element, but I've never heard of anyone doing that. The ferm wrap that morebeer sells only uses 40 watts. I'm not an engineer, but I wouldn't stress this.

If you're talking about the fridge's motor, that's not an issue. The heating element is powered by the electrical outlet and doesn't use the motor.

Just-a-Guy said:

Thanks, guys, those responses are tremendously helpful. Problem is, now I have a new project to undertake!

Click to expand...

Yeah, I'll be using a dual stage next winter. In Gainesville, FL, the temperature can swing from 80s during the day, to the upper 20s at night. And sometimes it stays cool for a few days on end. I'd like the added control of a dual stage. Plus, less carrying a full carboy from the detached garage to the inside and back.

morbothegreat said:

In live in Baton Rouge which is similar temps to Houston and I used heating in my fermentation fridge the last few weeks. It was getting too to cold at night and wanted the temps in the fridge to stay above 60. So I used the "light bulb in a paint can" trick, from this link:
http://www.wortomatic.com/articles/Fermentation-Can-Heater

and i built the temp controller from this link:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/ebay-aquarium-temp-controller-build-163849/

both worked great. but, out of curiosity, does anyone know if there is any danger to the fridge by putting a heating element in it? Could it burn up the fridge?

Click to expand...

In Louisiana here as well, I built the temp controller from this link as well, and use a small ceramic heater purchased from walmart for $11. Here is a link to the heater
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XDTWN2/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Brewchitect said:

What is an FV? They are talking about maintaining warm enough fermentation temps in the fridge when it gets too cold outside in winter.

I just wrap a simple 60 watt light bulb with foil and turn it on in the fridge, works great here, but it doesnt get colder than 40 here.

Click to expand...

I guess I was under the impression people use the abbreviation "FV" to refer to the fermentation vessel (bucket, carboy, etc). So I was asking if people actually put that in the fridge and then also add a heating element. Seems like the answer is yes. I'm still learning, so if I used the wrong abbreviation I apologize.

im still hunting for a frig but i got the heating pad and the duel temp controler:rockin: dallas craigs list sucks. the good deals are gone before i get off work uggg

i got the frig today im about to start the fabrication

Post pics!

no problem i will post pics when i finish.

Here's the build I just completed a month or 2 ago.

Using a Kenmore 12.1 Cu Ft freezer.
The STC-1000 Controller and a 25 watt heating mat.

The first pic you can see the whole freezer with the black heat mat on the side.


The next one shows the back of the controller box with a live socket and socket for the mat to plug into, also a switch to turn the compressor off if ever I need just a hot box.


The last pic shows the front of the controller and a conversion chart under for F*-C*, it also shows the extra power supply that I put through side of door for the controller and extra sockets on the inside


See more on my build here

wow...NICE!

That is awesome!

Have you completed a batch yet to the point of tasting it? How's it working?

Also, how did you get that nice face on the front of the door for the controller? Is the controller made to mount like that?

Wow, great job on that project!

Just-a-Guy said:

That is awesome!

Have you completed a batch yet to the point of tasting it? How's it working?

Also, how did you get that nice face on the front of the door for the controller? Is the controller made to mount like that?

Click to expand...

My first full batch is fermenting in to right now, I actually transferred the last batch into the fridge to secondary ferment as I didn't complete the build till it had already been fermenting for a week or so. I was then also able to cold crash before keging. will try this beer in a few days. just put in kegerator tonight.

I actually cut a hole in the front of the freezer and mounted the thermostat through the door into the project box on the back. it is not set up for this thickness of the door and insulation as the mounting brackets on the side only catch up to maybe 1/2" or so, I ended up putting it in with a little clear silicone to hold in place.

you can see more about the controller I used here.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/ebay-aquarium-temp-controller-build-163849/

Thanks, wurzel. Interesting controller project. Looks more useful than the simple Johnson I have on my kegerator.

Just-a-Guy said:

Thanks, wurzel. Interesting controller project. Looks more useful than the simple Johnson I have on my kegerator.

Click to expand...

I have the Johnson controller on my kegerator as well, it works great. But I do like the 2 stage that can control both heat and cold without switching jumpers.

I sold my Johnson to fund an STC-1000. I like the way it mounts better. I like the box you added behind the unit. I may have to do something like that when I get to mounting my STC permanently.

I'm currently using it in a Sous Vide control box for kicks until my lager is done fermenting and I can get right into the fridge for the build.

You know, if they could only enable a Fahrenheit mode on that thing it would be completely awesome!

I have a small Coke box on my patio I use for my "beer spa". On cold days I throw my charcoal grill cover over the Coke box and put a small space heater under it to keep the outside air warm around the box. The Johnson controller keeps the inside at the proper temps. I don't get it hot around the box.......just warm. It's not the most efficient method but it works for me here in Garland, TX.

Hey All,

Hope you don't mind if I throw a question out there.

I have a 7 cu ft chest freezer in the basement, the temp inside has been a solid 61 without plugging anything in. I may have to move this to the garage eventually, so I picked up the Ranco 2 stage ETC, and a ferm wrap heater. For now it seems I only need to heat the chamber while it's in the basement...

Will I be okay setting both settings the exact same (68 w/ 2 deg differential), or does it matter since the freezer isn't plugged in anywhere?

I want to get this figured out before I get som carboys in there.. Thanks for any incite!!

Ttownbrewer said:

Will I be okay setting both settings the exact same (68 w/ 2 deg differential), or does it matter since the freezer isn't plugged in anywhere?

I want to get this figured out before I get som carboys in there.. Thanks for any incite!!

Click to expand...

You'll be fine, that's what you want to do. If the temp goes above 68, the freezer turns on. If it gets below 68, the ferm wrap turns on.

Sorry to dig up an old thread...I'm a newb and I have no space in my house for carboys, but my workshop isn't continuously heated, so my question is will the fear wrap be sufficient to keep my carboys in a temp range of say 48-55 degrees? My workshop will be sufficiently insulated, but it's Michigan and November so it'll be cold still...I will occasionally be out there and heating with a wood furnace but I'm concerned about keeping my beer in the temp range sufficient for lagers. And it'll be even harder for Ales. I could possibly pick up a used fridge, but my landlord pays electric so I don't want to jump the bill upby building a temperature controlleld chamber....I've also been thinking about the cooler and aquarium heater method. Also with the temperature controller how can I be sure the probe is measuring the beer temp and not the temperature of the atmosphere around the carboy? Such as the water in the aforementioned cooler method.

The STC-1000 is a great solution. For the probe question, the best way is to use a thermowell. But if your like me you don't have a good way to use a thermowell with your carboy. In that case, I tape the probe to the side and then I tape pieces of a koozie over the probe. That at least gives some insulation from the ambient temp.

If you can find an old upright freezer on Craigslist or something (got mine for 50 bucks), they make great fermentation chambers when coupled with an STC-1000 controller. During the summer, my controller cycles the freezer to keep things cool. Now that temps are dropping, I have a small space heater inside that plugs into the outlet controlled for heating by the STC-1000.

This cheap heater does a fine job. (though it was only 10 bucks last year...)
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Lasko-Products-My-Heat-Personal-Heater/16503222

Nagorg said:

The STC-1000 is a great solution. For the probe question, the best way is to use a thermowell. But if your like me you don't have a good way to use a thermowell with your carboy. In that case, I tape the probe to the side and then I tape pieces of a koozie over the probe. That at least gives some insulation from the ambient temp.

If you can find an old upright freezer on Craigslist or something (got mine for 50 bucks), they make great fermentation chambers when coupled with an STC-1000 controller. During the summer, my controller cycles the freezer to keep things cool. Now that temps are dropping, I have a small space heater inside that plugs into the outlet controlled for heating by the STC-1000.

This cheap heater does a fine job. (though it was only 10 bucks last year...)
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Lasko-Products-My-Heat-Personal-Heater/16503222

Click to expand...

Was the change in the electric bill noticed or minimal?

Cant say I noticed any impact to my electric bill. In Texas, it's always high during the summer and I haven't noticed any higher bills. In fact, this year my bills seemed lower but I did get radiant barrier and we actually had a real spring and now a fall. It usually go's from nice weather to hotter than hell in 1-2 days here.. But I digress...

No detectible impact in electrical bill...

I haven't checked this thread in awhile but I have been using the friig I got with just the Johnson controller for the last year and a half no problems. I placed the probe in a plastic bottle filled with liquid from those blue freezer packs. It has been working great and no corrosion to speak of. Electric bill hasn't changed much. Many an extra 3 or 4 dollars.