fermentation temp control - in carboy?

[andycook]

I have a plastic carboy. I'm considering the following

Cooling - mounting a coolworks ice probe on my carboy by drilling a hole in the carboy for the probe. The chiller would be mounted around the 3.5 gal mark in the carboy.

Heating - seating a titanium aquarium heater inside the carboy for heat. The heater would be seated on the carboy bottom.

Temp control by a dual stage temp controller that will turn off and on the heater and the chiller as needed. This will require the temp probe also.

I assume I would still wrap and insulate the carboy so the chiller and heater don't have to work as hard.

Thoughts?

 

[Bigdaddyale]

Why?why not just set the carbo in a water bath?
what is your temp. controller? STC1000

 

[andycook]

Hi. Thanks for the reply. I have an inkbird itc-308.

There seems to be a lag in the temp control when setting the carboy in a water bath.

 

[Bigdaddyale]

I think you are asking for trouble drilling a hole in a plastic carboy. If you add a small aquarium pump in the water bath to keep things moving you can keep tight control of the temp.

 

[andycook]

Thanks for your help. What kind of trouble?

 

[kombat]

Why not just use a thermowell stopper to measure the beer temperature, and control it by putting the carboy in a freezer and wrapping it with a heating belt?

 

[andycook]

Because I have this equipment on hand and don't have a freezer and a heating belt.

So what kind of trouble?

 

[kombat]

I think he meant it's going to be very difficult to drill holes in plastic and not end up with leaks.

 

[andycook]

I have done so with protein skimmers and other plastics.

Are there any other issues?

 

[zachattack]

Hi. Thanks for the reply. I have an inkbird itc-308.

There seems to be a lag in the temp control when setting the carboy in a water bath.

A lag in temperature control is fine. If you were to use a fridge it would first cool the air then the air cools the beer, in the case of a water bath you'll heat/cool the water which then heats/cools the beer. Just place the temperature probe on the fermenter and there's no issue. It'll take a little while to change the temperature, then it should essentially stay parked there with all that thermal mass.

I think people are saying you're "asking for trouble" because you're doing some relatively risky things whereas if you were to buy a $6 plastic tote there would be no risk. You could be potentially compromising a carboy, and putting heating/cooling equipment in extended direct contact with your beer could lead to corrosion/off flavors, not to mention it would be very hard to thoroughly clean and sanitize.