Small heater to maintain cooler tun mash temps?

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Wondered if anyone's tried something like this to maintain mash temp in a cooler tun?


Low wattage, submersible, and appears that it can be plugged into a controller that can be set for mash temps i.e. 152F (wouldn't use the included controller).

Thinking you'd mash-in, stir, and so forth first of course. Then plop this in somewhere in the center, and then a temp probe maybe a few inches away. Both would be plugged into a controller and set at the temp you want to maintain. As your mash inevitably starts to cool down, this would kick on to maintain it.

I realize a few degrees loss isn't a big deal, I just like to tinker, and wondered if anyone's already tried it?

 

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I think the thickness of the mash would put you in conduction heat transfer land, so would get potentially larger stratification of temperatures in the mashtun with all the fun fermentability variation that entails…

For maintenance of temperature, have you considered a pump with RIMS or the like inline that would provide the heat addition? Requires a port on your cooler, but has the added bonus of clarifying your wort through the vorlauf!

 

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Thanks for the reply. I have indeed thought about a RIMS type setup, and both tuns (a large igloo and a 10 gallon SS Brewtech Infussion) do have 1/2" NPT ports on the bottom and means to have a return flow near or through the top with a lid on.

This just seemed much simpler.

Although a RIMS type setup could help maintain temps during post-boil whirlpool hop additions. Hmm.

 

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Your link didn’t work, so wasn’t clear if it was more like an aquarium heater, coffee immersion heater, or sous vide.

Key is you need movement of your wort in some form or fashion or you will overheat the grist at the element (or worse scorch if its not low heat density type element), so you could drop something in as well, but definitely need the pump running to keep the flow moving. There might be other simpler setups if you search how the 1V BIAB guys do step mashing.

 

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Hmm, sorry, thought the link would get you there. It's a 50W heater intended for small aquariums, with a titanium shell around it. I'm thinking it's small enough to not scorch anything. Definitely not looking for 1000W or anything. Something just enough to keep that couple degrees from escaping.

If interested, search for "hygger 50W Titanium Aquarium Heater for Salt Water and Fresh Water". Ditch the controller and plug the heater into my Inkbird which works at mash temps.

I've got an Anvil Foundry, 6.5 gallon, good for making ~ 3 gallon brews indoors during the winter, and was just looking to easily emulate a few of its benefits (mainly heat on demand) when I am doing my normal propane / garage brew days for the much bigger batches.

 

[Brewdog80]

I tested an ink bird wifi controller running a roughly 30 watt lizard pad heater wrapped around outside if my anvil fermenter. Filled with water, it maintained a mid 60f temp in a 50f basement for a few days. I haven't used it, fermenting upstairs as temp fit my recent brews. I just dont like putting electric in my brew, and I sure don't want to run through a pump for 2 weeks. That totally isn't worth the expense or the trouble.

 

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I wrap my fermenter with a big seed heater and then a towel over that. Inkbird control with the temp sensor in a thermowell down the stopper. Works pretty well for me too.

But - loooking for something in the mash tun to keep things a bit hotter than that.