FermWrap Heater/ temperature advice?

[Unusmundus]

Just curious if anyone has ever used this. We had our first snowfall up here in Nova Scotia the other day, and temperatures are just now dropping into the minuses (Celsius that is). It seems no matter how high I crank the heat in the house, the room temperature never get much higher than 60-62'ish farenheit, and this is just going to get worse in the next few months. So if anyone has ever used this let me know, and if so, is a digital thermostat really necessary ? Any other advice/ products/ methods for keeping my wort toasty would be appreciated.

Cheers.

 

[Hammy71]

I use one placed along the back of my fermentation chamber (not directly on the carboys). They do heat up nice. While you many not need a digital temperature controller, I would recommend you some kind (digital or analog). The pad is just a heater....so it may raise the temperature in the carboy 5 degrees or 15 degrees. Who knows? With a temperature controller you'll be able to set the temperature value where your yeast will be at their happiest.

 

[swackattack]

I use one taped to the side of my ferm chamber controlled by a 2 stage controller. Garage is 30 this time of year and has no issues keeping it 62-64

 

[Unusmundus]

Damn... I really don't have 150$ to order the whole setup so close to Christmas... Would a regular pharmacy bought heating pad, in conjunction with a packing blanket wrapped tightly around my carboy do me any justice if I kept an eye on the temperature?

 

[Golddiggie]

I would look into doing what I did just the other day...

Get some reflectix insulation (available at Lowe's, Home Depot, etc.) and a heating pad. Have a way to measure the temperature inside the fermenting vessel (I have a thermowell in mine, with a digital sensor sent down it, so that part's easy). Wrap the vessel at least twice with the insulation, and have something on the bottom (another layer works) to keep the cold away there. Then just monitor it while you're using the heating pad to warm it up. Many, newer, heating pads will turn off (or have the option to turn off) after two hours. I picked up one for under $30 that works really well (Sunbeam model) .

I'm using this with my sanke fermenting vessels with two batches, currently.

Using an older heating pad (no automatic shutoff, so I have to watch it more) in the kitchen (it's a 1/6 bbl keg in there):

With my barleywine in the finished room in the basement (a 1/4 bbl sanke keg).:

Ambient in that part of the basement was about 52F when I took the picture (the other day). Since wrapping it, the temperature loss has become far less.

Something to think about at least. I'm sure you could even wrap the fermenting vessel with a few layers of this stuff and not use any external heat source to maintain a good temperature. Oh, and a 25' long roll is about $25-$30 at the stores down here.

 

[Unusmundus]

Sweet bro ! Found both these things at local stores;

http://www.homedepot.ca/product/reflectix-bubble-pack-2x10/902355

http://www.canadiantire.ca/AST/brow...RD~0439551P/Sunbeam+Heating+Pad.jsp?locale=en

I think I'll give this a try, thanks a lot

 

[Golddiggie]

I picked up the 24" wide/tall roll since my fermenters are under 24" tall. You might want to go with the 24"x25' roll, if they have it.

I also use gaffer's tape to hold mine on, but you could use string, or a bungee cord if that's what you have. As long as you have a way to get the temperature reading of what's inside, you should be good. Much cheaper than ~$150 too.

 

[Unusmundus]

I picked up the 24" wide/tall roll since my fermenters are under 24" tall. You might want to go with the 24"x25' roll, if they have it.

I also use gaffer's tape to hold mine on, but you could use string, or a bungee cord if that's what you have. As long as you have a way to get the temperature reading of what's inside, you should be good. Much cheaper than ~$150 too.

I figure I'll just make it so that in can slide on and off the carboy easily, and use the LCD thermometer on the side.

 

[kwadric]

I use a heat wrap directly on my better bottles. I ordered it from Reptile Basics. When I'm close to room temp I just tape it to the better bottle. When I'm trying to increase the temp a lot, I wrap the carboy in an old sweatshirt. I did a lactic fermentation for a Berliner at 100F in my 66F laundry room.