Two Ferm Wraps connected to one controller?

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rottencommie

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I apologize if this has been covered and I missed it. I promise I looked, albeit very quickly.

I'm curious to know if anyone has experience connecting two Ferm Wraps to one controller? I'm moving from 5-gallon batches to 10-gallon, and I'd like to be able to simply buy one more Ferm Wrap and avoid the cost of another controller. I believe the Ferm Wraps only use 40 watts, so I assume it'd work just fine... but I bring this up in case there's something I'm missing!
 
I've done it using a power strip for 10 gallon batches in two different carboys. Seemed to work fine. Watched the fermometer on both carboys and they stayed at the same temps.
 
I do it routinely, using a small outlet expander (expanding 1 outlet into 3 outlets). The only issue I occasionally worry about is that whichever one of your carboys has the thermocouple attached is the one that gets to decide whether BOTH Fermwraps are on or off.

The scientist in me says that it is incorrect to assume that the fermentability of the wort in both carboys is exactly equal ("exactly" being the operative word), since the volumes came from different parts of the kettle. Even the yeast pitch into the two carboys HAS to be different, even if it comes from the same starter flask, because even IT stratifies a bit in the time it takes to get from the stir plate to the carboy mouth. I always allow my wort to settle down for 30-45 minutes after I stop the chill/whirlpool cycle, so I'm sure more than just hops and trub are settling down; I'm surely getting some sort of stratification going on as well.

That said, I still do it, and I cannot discern the differences between the two volumes. I maintain their separability all the way to the keg, and can't tell the difference between the kegs. I guess if I were REALLY worried about it, I could blend the two volumes together before I kegged them, but that would expose the now-finished beer to oxidation, and THAT worries me even more!!

I need a homebrew... I'm worrying too much...
 
You could probably use 10 or 20 ferm wraps with no problems. which controller do you have?
 
I do it if I have 2 batches going at the same time. Even with totally different beers - not splitting a 10gal batch in half. I've never noticed a problem. Sure, there may be slight variations in temp between the two carboys, but it's better than nothing and still results in tasty beer.
 
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