Temperature Control Suggestions

[jbraaten]

So I have a 7.5 gallon conical fermenter and just picked up a fermwrap and Inkbird controller. This is fine for the winter but I am looking forward to warmer temperatures and trying to think of beat options for cooling during fermentation.

Any good ideas below $200?

 

[Morrey]

So I have a 7.5 gallon conical fermenter and just picked up a fermwrap and Inkbird controller. This is fine for the winter but I am looking forward to warmer temperatures and trying to think of beat options for cooling during fermentation.

Any good ideas below $200?

For years before shifting to glycol chiller systems, I used an Inkbird controlled chest freezer with a fermwrap for heat control and of course the freezer for cooling. If your conical is too tall for a chest freezer, a used upright refrigerator or upright freezer with the shelves removed works fine. See them all the time on CL within your budget.

 

[RM-MN]

There are always trade offs in life. In this case you can trade dollars for time. Since fermentation only really needs temperature control for the first 3 or 4 days, it isn't too big of a trade off but your conical makes it more difficult. Easy way is to switch to a bucket fermenter and a tub of water. Set the bucket into the tub of water and add ice as necessary to maintain the ferment in the proper range. You can't do that with your conical so you have to spend more money. Size matters and you didn't list the dimensions but your conical may not fit into the cheaper options, like a mini-fridge and it may not fit into a chest freezer without making some modification so you probably will need a full size refrigerator and a controller like an Inkbird. Now you get to decide if the conical is so important to your brewing that you are willing to give up the space and money to control its temperature accurately or if you might be able to use a bucket fermenter part of the time and use a cheap tub.

 

[jbraaten]

For years before shifting to glycol chiller systems, I used an Inkbird controlled chest freezer with a fermwrap for heat control and of course the freezer for cooling. If your conical is too tall for a chest freezer, a used upright refrigerator or upright freezer with the shelves removed works fine. See them all the time on CL within your budget.

Thanks much.

My conical is about 4.5 feet tall. I was looking around and found that the cooling jacket is getting made for conicals now. I saw an old forum post where someone Jimmy rigged one, but does anyone have recent experience with it?