What do you think of my Ferm Chamber?

I got a Johnson temperature controller for Christmas and received a free deep freeze from my parents (Score!!!) and plan on using this for my fermentation chamber. The deep freeze is out in my garage which is currently about 55 degrees. I have an IPA fermenting that I made with WLP060 with a temp range of 68-72 degF.

I have been going back and forth with ideas for keeping this at the lower end of the temp range and settled on using a medical heating pad hooked up to my controller and placing the whole thing in my chest freezer. I taped the heating pad and temperature sensor to my bucket on opposite sides and wrapped the whole thing in bubble wrap. I have the controller set to "Heat" mode for 69 degrees with a 1 degree differential, meaning that when the temp drops to 68, the heating pad should kick on until the beer reaches 69 where it will shut off the heating pad.

I think I came up with a pretty good solution, but have been second guessing myself on this. I read in another thread about someone's heating pad melting, but mine, although very cheap, is UL listed, so I can't imagine that this would happen.

So what do you all think? Did I get it right? I need your approval so I can RDWHAHB

Here is a picture of the setup:

pic isn't showing up.

That's weird...I can see it. What browser are you using.

saluki_brewer said:

That's weird...I can see it. What browser are you using.

Click to expand...

FireFox and I can't see it either.

Ok...I think I found the problem. It was saved on a site that I was logged into so I could see it and no one else could. I moved it to imgur. Should work now.

Ah, looks good. Lucky live Hawai`i. I have the same problem all year just keeping temps down to about 63* or so. No need for a heater in my freezer.

I wouldn't think the heating pad would be "on" long enough to melt anything for what your trying to do. Keeping the temp at 69° when it's 55° in the freezer shouldn't require that much heat (the fermentation is creating heat in the beginning).

Just my 2¢

That's similar to what I do. I put the heating pad under my carboy with the controller on heat mode. I doesn't take much to keep the temp up to the mid 60's.

Awesome. Sounds like it should work. I think I subconsciously just wanted to show off my new toy :cross:

If it works it works, but you could honestly just use an incandescent lightbulb to heat the whole chamber. Thats what I use and it works. Then just tape your foam insulated temp. Probe to the fermentation bucket. Or If you are really styling, I think williams brewing sells a premade carboy stopper with thermowell you can wire to your controller.