I am currently using a 60qt Igloo Cube with a Zoo Med reptile heating pad as a heat source.
The Zoo Med heat pad is a 6 x 8 and is slid under a bungee chord, which is wrapped around the bucket. I keep heavy blankets covering the bucket atop the cube to keep the heat in.
I am intending to build a square, box top to cover the top, out of the pink foam board insulation. Figure a few inches will give me room for the bucket airlock.
For the first few days of fermentation this keeps the bucket warm (70F), but I believe part of that is due to fermentation upping the temp. After the first few days the heating pad keeps things around 64 to 62 F. The nice thing about the pad is it has low wattage and can run continuously for weeks, but does not create alot heat.
As my basement is 8 feet under ground, it will start to get into the mid 50's and impossible to ferment or bottle condition.
As a means of keeping my operation in the basement I am looking for a more consistent heating source, for low cost.
My thought was using an aquarium heater, filling the cooler with a few gallons of water.
Since the 60 qt cooler will have a 5 gallon bucket, I figure at most I would need to heat 5 gallons of water, since I would not need to completely submerge the bucket, only partial to keep warm.
However the heaters I am finding (links below) for under $15 are all 200W and can heat up to 75 gallons.
So has anyone done a similar set up?
if so were there issues?
Looking for cost effective suggestions or guidance.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QGFXMTO/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006QI8304/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
Thank you
The Zoo Med heat pad is a 6 x 8 and is slid under a bungee chord, which is wrapped around the bucket. I keep heavy blankets covering the bucket atop the cube to keep the heat in.
I am intending to build a square, box top to cover the top, out of the pink foam board insulation. Figure a few inches will give me room for the bucket airlock.
For the first few days of fermentation this keeps the bucket warm (70F), but I believe part of that is due to fermentation upping the temp. After the first few days the heating pad keeps things around 64 to 62 F. The nice thing about the pad is it has low wattage and can run continuously for weeks, but does not create alot heat.
As my basement is 8 feet under ground, it will start to get into the mid 50's and impossible to ferment or bottle condition.
As a means of keeping my operation in the basement I am looking for a more consistent heating source, for low cost.
My thought was using an aquarium heater, filling the cooler with a few gallons of water.
Since the 60 qt cooler will have a 5 gallon bucket, I figure at most I would need to heat 5 gallons of water, since I would not need to completely submerge the bucket, only partial to keep warm.
However the heaters I am finding (links below) for under $15 are all 200W and can heat up to 75 gallons.
So has anyone done a similar set up?
if so were there issues?
Looking for cost effective suggestions or guidance.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QGFXMTO/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006QI8304/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
Thank you
Last edited by a moderator: