I have a 7 cu. ft. freezer and a fermostat, with a lasko 200w space heater. i'm trying to heat the chamber to 124F for a lacto fermentation, but the space heater must have an overheat protector because it keeps shutting off at about 82F. any ideas for how to heat to 124F?
Heating a Fermentation Chamber
- Thread starter kaj030201
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I use a small crockpot with some water in it.
WileECoyote
Well-Known Member
Move it to Arizona in july/august, JK lol
You could try a heat lamp in a steel coffee can ! should do the trick.
Cheers
I'm supprised it shuts off that low. You could always disable it if your running it via your temp controller it shouldn't be an issue. does the space heater have a fan in it? I would think that by the time the ambiant temp was right the heater wouldn't be all that hot cuz it's a pretty small area to be heated.
MindenMan
Well-Known Member
My Lasko started shutting off at the worst possible times. The paint can heater works very well, as I been told. I do think you will have the best results running a small fan 24/7 to keep the temps more even.
thx for the responses guys. the fermostat isn't the issue really, i think it's the cheap space heater. i have the temperature probe submersed so it's registering the water temp at 82F, not the air temp which is likely a lot higher, and thats why the space heater must be shutting off.
i think i'll try the heat lamp inside the steel coffee can. will be an experiment!
i think i'll try the heat lamp inside the steel coffee can. will be an experiment!
WileECoyote
Well-Known Member
You will need the temp probe to be in the air or your chamber could be like a oven before the water gets warm.
Cheers
You will need the temp probe to be in the air or your chamber could be like a oven before the water gets warm.
Cheers
right, but I'm trying to ensure the wort I'm fermenting is at 124F, not just the air temp. thats why i submersed the probe in the water. make sense, or am i crazy?
Also, why the steel coffee can? does that help radiate the heat or something? or is it more for safety?
Depends on ambient...crockpot usually go well beyond 124, so with enough time you would think so in a house or in a garage not in the middle of winter.
I think in this case you would want to measure the ambient air temp for heating. By the time your wort would reach 124, the inside temp of your ferm could be quite a bit hotter. Not sure if it would be hot enough to melt the insides of the chamber or start a fire, but i would be cognizant of that.
MindenMan
Well-Known Member
If the ambient air temperature remains somewhat constant, the liquid will get there eventually. I haven't opened my Lasko heater up yet, but since there is a thermostat wired in series with the heater, maybe the external t-stat is the only one you want to use. Hint, hint, wink, wink. I'm just not sayin' well you know.
I did once upon a time have my fermenter on the bottom shelf, and my Lasko on the top shelf. The air was really hot, but the wort wasn't yet.
How about this: an electric heating pad. I have no idea how hot it will get, as I don't ferment at high temperatures, but you may want to try it. There are quite a few of us that use heating pads for "odd" applications. You will of course, need an older style heating pad that does not have a timer built into it. They are getting a bit scarce to find for what I have looked.
I did once upon a time have my fermenter on the bottom shelf, and my Lasko on the top shelf. The air was really hot, but the wort wasn't yet.
How about this: an electric heating pad. I have no idea how hot it will get, as I don't ferment at high temperatures, but you may want to try it. There are quite a few of us that use heating pads for "odd" applications. You will of course, need an older style heating pad that does not have a timer built into it. They are getting a bit scarce to find for what I have looked.
brewerJase
Well-Known Member
A space heater will probably be too much heat. I use a heating pad hanging in the freezer. It's a nice gradual heat that gets the job done without being to intense
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i decided to buy a ceramic heat emitting bulb, like for what you'd use for a reptile tank. the plus is that there is no light emitted, only heat.
it's only 100w, but i'm betting it will get the job done eventually. reptile tanks are usually non-insulated glass, and open-top, and i know temps inside need to be like 90F+ so i don't think i'll have any problem getting a fully enclosed, insulated chamber up to 124F
it's only 100w, but i'm betting it will get the job done eventually. reptile tanks are usually non-insulated glass, and open-top, and i know temps inside need to be like 90F+ so i don't think i'll have any problem getting a fully enclosed, insulated chamber up to 124F
brewerJase
Well-Known Member
The reptile bulbs are great. A slower heat is better. Otherwise the freezer turns into an oven before the controller turns off.
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