My fermentation chamber's temperature is fluctuating within 2 degrees celsius up and

[Finlandbrews]

I have my fermentation fridge set at 19 degrees celsius with an inkbird itc 308 but the temperature fluctuates between 17.5 and 19.5 degrees as shown on the temp controller. I have two cables, one for the controller and one for the heating unit which impede a perfect seal of my fermentation chamber(a fridge door). If that only would be the problem what trick do you have to be able to get cables inside the fridge with the door being perfectly sealed?

I also believe the temperature of the air outside my fermentation room might be the problem even though changes in temperature are low. Would an insulating material inside my fermentation chamber help? And if so what material would you recommend? Thanks!!!

 

[Altrez]

I have my fermentation fridge set at 19 degrees celsius with an inkbird itc 308 but the temperature fluctuates between 17.5 and 19.5 degrees as shown on the temp controller. I have two cables, one for the controller and one for the heating unit which impede a perfect seal of my fermentation chamber(a fridge door). If that only would be the problem what trick do you have to be able to get cables inside the fridge with the door being perfectly sealed?

I also believe the temperature of the air outside my fermentation room might be the problem even though changes in temperature are low. Would an insulating material inside my fermentation chamber help? And if so what material would you recommend? Thanks!!!

Mine does the same thing but I have the CD differential set to 2 degrees what is yours set at?

It is located under set CD and should show 2

http://ink-bird.com/asset/file/ITC-308 V2.1 EN.pdf

-Altrez

 

[Finlandbrews]

Mine does the same thing but I have the CD differential set to 2 degrees what is yours set at?

It is located under set CD and should show 2

http://ink-bird.com/asset/file/ITC-308 V2.1 EN.pdf

-Altrez

That can be the thing! I didn't change anything regarding this CD and HD so I believe they re set at 2.0 degrees differential.

Insulation might still be a good thing to do though... Can anyone comment on that?

 

[day_trippr]

If this is an actual refrigerator the insulation should already be plenty good enough.

- Where do you position the temperature controller probe?
- Do you run a small fan 24/7 to prevent temperature stratification?

Cheers!

 

[Finlandbrews]

Hi day tripper thanks for the info. I put my probe on the wall of the fermenter with some tape. I'm only considering insulation because of a small gap caused by the two cables getting between the door.

What is meant by temperature stratification? I do not have a fan inside my fridge. Thanks for the help.

 

[Finlandbrews]

Should I correct my heating and cooling differentials by the way?

 

[Altrez]

Should I correct my heating and cooling differentials by the way?

I left mine alone but you could adjust to dial in the temperature a bit more.

-Altrez

 

[william_shakes_beer]

The purpose of the controller range is to ensure your frige doesn't short cycle and burn itself out. In reality, you aren't reading the temp of the wort, you're reading the temp of the fermenter that contains the wort. Furthermore, the temp in the fermenter is stratifying as well. Once just for fun I read the wort temp directly by dropping a (sanitized) temp probe in through the airlock bung. The wort was 3 degrees higher than what the bucket pro be was reading. This during active fermentation. Once active fermentation has completed and the yeast is cleaning up after itself, you may find you actually need to add heat to keep the yeast active. That's why some people start the ferment at the low end of the range for the first 7-10 days, then ramp the temp up 1 degree per day intill they get to the upper end of the yeast range. I have my temp controller set at the same temp heating and cooling, with the default 3 degree swing. I set it at the middle of the range and let it ride for 4 weeks. Never had a batch that didn't make beer or failed to complete. Remember, man made beer for centuries with nothing more than the brewmaster's thumb to measure temperature.

 

[Finlandbrews]

The purpose of the controller range is to ensure your frige doesn't short cycle and burn itself out. In reality, you aren't reading the temp of the wort, you're reading the temp of the fermenter that contains the wort. Furthermore, the temp in the fermenter is stratifying as well. Once just for fun I read the wort temp directly by dropping a (sanitized) temp probe in through the airlock bung. The wort was 3 degrees higher than what the bucket pro be was reading. This during active fermentation. Once active fermentation has completed and the yeast is cleaning up after itself, you may find you actually need to add heat to keep the yeast active. That's why some people start the ferment at the low end of the range for the first 7-10 days, then ramp the temp up 1 degree per day intill they get to the upper end of the yeast range. I have my temp controller set at the same temp heating and cooling, with the default 3 degree swing. I set it at the middle of the range and let it ride for 4 weeks. Never had a batch that didn't make beer or failed to complete. Remember, man made beer for centuries with nothing more than the brewmaster's thumb to measure temperature.

Thanks for the feedback. What happens when a fridge short cycle, what mechanism breaks and why?

Maybe I'll put 18 degrees next time. If I put 1.5 heating differential and cooling differiential would I risk short cycle?

 

[martinlarosa]

I'm trying to see what to do as well. I think my freezer is to big and have a lot of inertia.
Set at 18° and a delta of 0.3°. But wen the freezer starts at 18.3 and stops at 18°, the fermenter keeps going down until 17,2.
I guess it is because the freezer is much colder by the time the fermenter gets to 18.
I guess the only way to prevent this is doing what the brew pi does

 

[ncsuwerewolf]

I always pin my temp probe between my 2 fermenters as it is a better indicator of actual wort temp and always ferment low as stated. Fermentation produces heat and all you can do is attempt to control it. After my krausen falls in i wait a few days and bump the temp up to warm the fermenters to allow for clean up. I am using a STC-1000 controler in a 7 cf chest freezer. And you do not want you heating element and cooling element to fight each other. Thats why you have a buffer zone. You do not want to burn up the compressor in the fridge as they cost more to replace usually than the fridge is worth. A small fan helps to prevent this.

 

[troglodytes]

I was in the same boat as you as far as temp fluctuations. Based on support on this forum I moved my temp prob around to all different places and finally with this last batch think I found the right solution for me.

I tried the probe in water off to the side of the carboy, but then the actual fermentation temp in the carboy is higher than ambient. So then I got a thermowell and measured the internal temp of the wort. That helped in that my heating and cooling were on much longer cycles, but my overshoot and undershoot temps were way higher due to the amount of time to change the internal temp of 6 gallons.

My final solution is that I put my probe against the outside of the carboy and bungee corded 2 old white t-shirts tight over top of it to insulate the probe for the most part. I'm probably reading about 80% wort temp and 20% ambient temp. My freezer cycles far less often and my temp fluctuation are now much lower. My current batch is set at 19.5F and the temp range is now at 19.1 - 20.1F which works perfectly!