Newbie Building first Ferm Chamber

[haggis]

I've been looking at building a Fermentation chamber now for about a month. I'm going with a mini fridge version, but cannot decide on which method for heating. I'm in Northern Nevada and this time of year will be below 50 for the next few months.

I've gone through the various options (paint can, hairdryer, mini heater) and have not decided which is my preferred method.

To be honest this is the part that i'm least comfortable with, the wiring of the fridge and the heating source and what equipment to buy.

Is this as simple as people are saying it is, because it certainly does not feel like it is.

Help/advice greatly appreciated.

 

[mredge73]

It can be as simple or as complicated as you like.
I completely rewired a frost free freezer for my chamber so that the fan circulates constantly and will either fire up the defrosting heating element or compressor depending on heat/cold demand.

Simpler would be a dual output controller with receptacles for heating and cooling:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FTNL4DE/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
Plug fridge in one and a cheap heating pad or personal heater in the other.
I would avoid the "light in a paint can" when you can get a 100W ceramic heater with a fan for under $10 at walmart.
Unless you are getting hard freezes that last weeks, you don't need a big 1000W heater or hair dryer in such a small space.

 

[MMP126]

For heat, I got this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00I4UVGHO/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Works well, but my chamber fights itself most times.

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Heat is as simple as plugging a light bulb into the controller like any other lamp or plugging in a seed germination mat or anything else that gets hot..that part couldn't be any simpler. Chest freezer require zero wiring. Not sure about the need to override the thermostat on a mini fridge.

Aside from the possible thermostat the entire chamber is as simple as plugging a plug in the wall...not really worthy of worrying

 

[RER85]

I was looking for the cheapest possible option for for keeping consistent temp with ale fermentation. It doesn't do much for cooling but that's less of a problem for me. All in I probably spent about $95.
55 gallon storage tote - $20 Home Depot
Styrofoam insulation panels - $10
Spray insulation - $10
Clamp light - $10
Ceramic reptile heat bulb - $10
Inkbird temp controller - $35 Amazon

 

[calgary222]

@RER85 - that is a great design, very practical.

I have mine in an outside garage area, it's 2x4 construction with roxul batts for insulation.
The outside temp for mine goes (well) below freezing so I went the ceramic heater route and I have two 17 gal rotomould fermenters in there - works fine.

I found a window A/C unit for 80 bucks and I use that for cooling.

I used the Stc-1000 or whatever it is ($15) for the temp control and although the wiring may 'feel' complicated, its nothing a 5 minute youtube video cant clear up. I built mine to run to a split plug, I simply plug in the heater and ac to their respective plugs and let it do its thing.

good luck!

 

[Mike Page]

I went with a seedling mat like this... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071ZVRXW...t=&hvlocphy=9021431&hvtargid=pla-350203670361

it's slow constant heat so my chamber isn't fighting it's self. They are inexpensive and come in different sizes. I was too concerned about potential fire to use light bulb or mini heater. I also considered ceramic reptile bulbs.

 

[mongoose33]

You might think about whether you want to heat the ferm chamber, or the fermenter in the ferm chamber. You'll get better response using something to heat the fermenter, not the chamber. I use both a seedling matt like @Mike Page above, as well as a fermwrap heat mat.

Given that you're not dropping below 50 degrees, the seedling (sometimes called a reptile mat too) would work fine.

Here's a pic showing how I use them. If you don't have lifting straps, you can use bungee cords or similar to hold them to the fermenter.

The second pic shows how I passed the wires into the fridge without going through the side where the gasket is.

 

[Mike Page]

Yes exactly my thoughts exactly. Heat the fermenter not the ambient air.

 

[Jayjay1976]

I was looking for the cheapest possible option for for keeping consistent temp with ale fermentation. It doesn't do much for cooling but that's less of a problem for me. All in I probably spent about $95.
55 gallon storage tote - $20 Home Depot
Styrofoam insulation panels - $10
Spray insulation - $10
Clamp light - $10
Ceramic reptile heat bulb - $10
Inkbird temp controller - $35 Amazon

What a clever setup! Welcome to HBT!

 

[harry_the_face]

Mongoose33,
What is the purpose of a double jar for blow off that you have one the table above?

 

[Jayjay1976]

Mongoose33,
What is the purpose of a double jar for blow off that you have one the table above?

That prevents the starsan from getting sucked back into the fermenter during cold crash