temps

Should the probe from a temp controller be in water while in the fridge? or just hanging in the air?

 

ideally would be in a thermowell in the beer. without that, I like to tape it to the side of the carboy and then wrap it (the carboy) with something insulating, so that it more accurately registers the temperature of the beer, not just the fridge.

 

I just let mine hang in the air and adjust down 2ºf since fermentation creates some heat.

 

I just have mine hanging in the air. I watch the thermo tape on the side of my carboy and adjust the temp controller as necessary to get the thermo tape where I want it. Often times I have the controller down to 59F during active fermentation to keep fermentation temp around 65F.

 

you guys should try taping to the carboy and insulating it (blanket or bubble wrap or something), it'll make your life easier!

 

I leave mine in the air. IMHO it takes a long time for 5 or 10 gallons of beer to swing in temp. So when the beer goes out of range it tells the unit to turn on, it will stay on until the beer reaches temp and then the ambient could be well below freezing. The beer continues to cool and then takes a long time to warm to set off the controller again so now the ambient could be 45°-50° or more.

my 2 cents ..

 

I put a glass of water in the fridge next to the carboy and put the probe in the water. Theoretically the water will be the same temp as the water in the container. Works for me. Some people take a White Labs vial and drill the top and put the probe through the cap and fill the vial with water. If I didn't do that I would tape the probe to the side of the carboy.

 

are we talking during fermentation or after here?

 

Well, you just threw a big wrench in the works with this post. You have a very compelling argument. I use a liquid chiller that maintains temps in a big rubbermaid container that my carboys sit in. So my situation is a little different, but I was about to say tape it to the carboy. Now I am now more inclined to say leave it hanging in open air.

 

I do fermentation the same way a big swamp cooler with frozen water bottles . That why I asked if we were talking fermenting

 

it would be during fermentation.

 

Fermentation at it's peak is about 8 degrees higher than its surrounding air. I tape my Ranco controller probe to the vessel with bubble wrap over it so the probe picks up the actual vessel temperature. If you do put it into the vessel it must be in a sterile stainless tube. Those of you that use a freezer with a Ranco should be careful because if your wort is really warm with the sensor taped to it will experience freezing of smaller containers also in the fridge until the fermenter get's closer to the set temperature of the Ranco. I just let mine hang in the air until the fermenter gets close to the set temperature and then tape the sensor to the fermenter with the bubble wrap over it. This eliminates any freezing of smaller items like bottles of beer.

 

I use a swamp cooler for fermentation so I cant help you there. I only used a small fridge once to do a lager but it was a wine fridge so I could set it the desired temp .