I have been looking through many forums regarding fermentation chambers. I am interested in opinions on ways to heat the carboy (cooling will just be done with some sort of refrigeration device). I am looking to build a two part cabinet with separate heating elements in each, with a separate controller to each. Here is a list of options and the pros/cons I have thought of for each. All options have a recirculating fan and a temp controller. Any thoughts? What do you use? If you have used different versions, which is your favorite?
I plan on going with option 1 with the paint can. Seems to be the safest, provide uniform heat, easy to build, and only need one per chamber.
1) low wattage incadescent light bulb (40W or 60W):
Pros: Simple, safe if installed correctly, one bulb can be used to heat two carboys in one chamber.
Cons: Light could skunk beer, may get hot enough to cause a fire if installed next to flammable material (perhaps?)
Thoughts: Light skunking can be prevented by covering the carboys, but covers can be a little annoying (prevents convection acting on bottle and have to take on and off).
I also saw this lightbulb in a paint can idea. This seems pretty good as it is safe (fire retardant and prevents smacking and breaking light bulb, and contains the light)! http://brewstands.com/fermentation-heater.html.
2) Heat Wraps: (plenty of styles from home brew stores)
Pros: Seems safe, no electrical work needs to be done to heating element, likely to heat carboys pretty quickly as directly applied to carboy
Cons: I've read some reviews that these can wear down from just a little friction from removal after many uses. I would need one for each carboy, 4 in total. I would need to have an extension cord with multi outlets so that both wraps in one chamber can be turned off at the same temp control. Requires placement and removal for each time racking. Possible that both don't heat the same so both carboys might not be heated the same (unlikely but possible)
3) Heat Pads
Pros: seems safe, no electrical work needs to be done to heating element, likely to heat carboys pretty quickly,should not wear from use.
Cons: Need one for each carboy, multi outlet extension cord for each chamber, possible to have unequal heat distribution
4) Space Heater
Pros: has thermostat, no electrical work needed for heating element, heats quickly, one space heater per chamber, should heat more evenly if not directly next to one carboy
Cons: freaks me out due to fire hazard (even though new ones should have safety built in to turn off if tipped over and have ceramic covering to prevent burning hands), tend to have more wattage (two space heaters plus two fans plus the temp controller might be too much for my circuit).
5) Cozy heater
Pros: low wattage, no electrical work needed for heating element, one per chamber,
Cons: radiates heat which might heat one carboy more than the other, not sure how well these work for heating a big carboy (supposively doesn't heat air well)
6) Radiator (copper pipes built inside the chamber connecting to a submersible pump sitting in a water container warmed by an aquarium heater)
Pros: could look cool if done right, should heat uniformly if installed correctly.
Cons: More work, electrical lines sitting over water, need extra room for the water container, more parts that can go wrong, more expensive
I plan on going with option 1 with the paint can. Seems to be the safest, provide uniform heat, easy to build, and only need one per chamber.
1) low wattage incadescent light bulb (40W or 60W):
Pros: Simple, safe if installed correctly, one bulb can be used to heat two carboys in one chamber.
Cons: Light could skunk beer, may get hot enough to cause a fire if installed next to flammable material (perhaps?)
Thoughts: Light skunking can be prevented by covering the carboys, but covers can be a little annoying (prevents convection acting on bottle and have to take on and off).
I also saw this lightbulb in a paint can idea. This seems pretty good as it is safe (fire retardant and prevents smacking and breaking light bulb, and contains the light)! http://brewstands.com/fermentation-heater.html.
2) Heat Wraps: (plenty of styles from home brew stores)
Pros: Seems safe, no electrical work needs to be done to heating element, likely to heat carboys pretty quickly as directly applied to carboy
Cons: I've read some reviews that these can wear down from just a little friction from removal after many uses. I would need one for each carboy, 4 in total. I would need to have an extension cord with multi outlets so that both wraps in one chamber can be turned off at the same temp control. Requires placement and removal for each time racking. Possible that both don't heat the same so both carboys might not be heated the same (unlikely but possible)
3) Heat Pads
Pros: seems safe, no electrical work needs to be done to heating element, likely to heat carboys pretty quickly,should not wear from use.
Cons: Need one for each carboy, multi outlet extension cord for each chamber, possible to have unequal heat distribution
4) Space Heater
Pros: has thermostat, no electrical work needed for heating element, heats quickly, one space heater per chamber, should heat more evenly if not directly next to one carboy
Cons: freaks me out due to fire hazard (even though new ones should have safety built in to turn off if tipped over and have ceramic covering to prevent burning hands), tend to have more wattage (two space heaters plus two fans plus the temp controller might be too much for my circuit).
5) Cozy heater
Pros: low wattage, no electrical work needed for heating element, one per chamber,
Cons: radiates heat which might heat one carboy more than the other, not sure how well these work for heating a big carboy (supposively doesn't heat air well)
6) Radiator (copper pipes built inside the chamber connecting to a submersible pump sitting in a water container warmed by an aquarium heater)
Pros: could look cool if done right, should heat uniformly if installed correctly.
Cons: More work, electrical lines sitting over water, need extra room for the water container, more parts that can go wrong, more expensive
