Fermwrap on the cheap

[megalomani]

Got reptile heat tape to use as cheap fermwrap from here:
http://www.reptilebasics.com/flexwatt-heat-tape

Hooked it up to my analog johson (modifed for heating) and wrapped around my better botle. I started warming up but I got a shock from the end of the heat wrap. Now worried about fire and future shocks.

 

[bad67z]

I went with a heating pad. Sat the carboy on top, wrapped with a blanket got fermentation started. Now it is producing enough heat to to maintain the 72 deg. desired temp.

 

[noodle23]

Do you think if i had this hooked up with a temp controller that i could cool instead of heat?

 

[megalomani]

Almost got a heating pad but saw the heat flex tape is a good price. Shipping was a little high though. A little electricians tape over the copper ends may fix my shocking experience.

It got me to 64 f from ~56 in a little more than an hour.

 

[megalomani]

The tape only gets warm so no cooling. Some use it inside a refrigerator but not sure why.

 

[broadbill]

Some use it inside a refrigerator but not sure why.

You would do this if you wanted to ferment an ale in the same fridge/freezer than you were fermenting an lager....or if you were had a big chest freezer and did dual fermentation/serving.

 

[Kaz]

Ya....you gotta wrap the exposed (cut) ends with e-tape, it will fix your shocking proboem. I made the exact same thing last year, works great.

Sent from my ADR6300 using Home Brew Talk

 

[BeauFleuveCider]

Hey all - I've found this and a few other threads from around this time super helpful. blast from the past.

I'm a cider maker and my cider is in 59 gallon barrels in a warehouse that is about 41 degrees Farenheit. I'm planning to make my own fermwrap with the reptile basics and then put a sweater over each barrel.

I'm new to this part of it, so i'm hopeful someone might have some ideas/experiences... Is it possible to use one thermometer for multiple barrels? I have 14. Or should i get the ferm wrap and a thermostat for each one? I'd like to keep them around 60 degrees F.