Burning Smell

So i recently added a two stage temp controller to my chest freezer and put a small ceramic space heater inside. I've noticed that there is a slight burnt smell inside when I open it up. Nothing looks melted or burnt. Should I be worried? or is this just a normal smell that's given off by ceramic heaters? I figure the worst that could happen is that the heater would burn out.

on second thought....i'd better go make sure my renters insurance is up to date!



anybody with space heaters in their fermentors experience this?

Space heaters always make me nervous. I'd take that out and see if the smell goes away. Perhaps use a light bulb for heat.

I've had the freezer for a year and never had any smell. The light in a can thing makes me more nervous than a heater on a can. Plus, web my garage gets into the 30s-40s I doubt a light bulb will raise the temp enough.

Ok, then! Good luck.

Do you smell any burnt smell in the ceramic heater's air output? Maybe it's heating the plastic in the fridge quite a bit, it seems like usually those things put out like 800 watts of heat even on the lowest setting, so if the side of the fridge is only a foot away from the heater output it might be getting quite warm.

it does smell like its coming from the heater.

That could be, I think those heaters often smell like that a bit. If they get any dust or hair in them whatsoever it's going to make a stink when it runs.

I use a light in a can and it works great. I set the can on a thick aluminum plate and have never had any issues with the aluminum getting hot. It keeps me at temp no matter what the outside temp is at.

rekoob said:

I use a light in a can and it works great. I set the can on a thick aluminum plate and have never had any issues with the aluminum getting hot. It keeps me at temp no matter what the outside temp is at.

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What range of outside temps?

Well, right now due to the storm it's about 40 out. It an get into the 30s. I have it in the garage and it can have some big temp swings. The light in the can works great.

I'd say with the light in the can you can really modulate it too, like using a 40 watt maybe if the differential isn't too bad, and maybe stepping it up to 100 watt if the diff is higher. Or even 200 watt or 300 watt if the gov't even allows those sizes to be sold anymore. Even in a 60F differential it just seems like 100 watt would pretty much handle it if the door isn't opened much.

Or maybe even buy some spare bulbs now. Will be worth $$$$ in the future, like the pre low-flow showerheads on Seinfeld. In Toronto I think you can't even buy incandescent anymore. Nevermind the fact that a broken or discarded CFL bulb is hazardous waste basically.

I use a 100 watt bulb and I have no problem warming up my fridge to 70 degrees when it is in the 30's and my fermenter is on my back patio.

I've been a firefighter for 6 years and I've seen some nasty fires started by space heaters...I'd highly advise against using one even in a ferm chamber. Instead use one of these ceramic bulbs. MUCH safer. If it doesn't raise the heat enough, use 2 (i've been using em in both my fermentor and my fiance's wine fermentor).

Just stay away from using a space heater, have you ever read the directions they come with? Basically if something goes wrong and it catches fire, the investigator will rule faulty appliance, your insurance company will send a private inspector out so they can figure out whose really to blame. When they see the way you used the heater you'll be SOL...I actually had a case study like that when i was training to be a fire inspector...just food for thought.

Thanks for the advice. I've ditched the heater and replaced it with a "brewers edge fermentation space heater". Works well. My garage is 48 and my chest freezer is 68.

sgraham602 said:

Thanks for the advice. I've ditched the heater and replaced it with a "brewers edge fermentation space heater". Works well. My garage is 48 and my chest freezer is 68.

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Awesome, glad you ditched that space heater, I'd hate to see your house burn down, especially with all that beer!

How's the heat pad been working for ya?

working well. I had to play around with the settings on my two stage controller because it is a "slow heat", but all in all I'm happy.

I work for a company that makes firefighter safety equipment, so i figured it wouldn't look good if i had a fire in my garage!

sgraham602 said:

working well. I had to play around with the settings on my two stage controller because it is a "slow heat", but all in all I'm happy.

I work for a company that makes firefighter safety equipment, so i figured it wouldn't look good if i had a fire in my garage!

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haha...as long as you turned it into a demo show for the equipment, then I think you'd be ok