Cold crashing single digits outside

[yourlastchance89]

So we've had one of the most frigid winters in 30 years here. It's my first time brewing with the SS Brew Bucket and the FTSS temp controller. Fantastic products so far. My question is, would it be possible for me to cold crash outside and keep the brew heated at 35° F with hot water and an aquarium heater? I live in a small apartment with no room for a fridge for my bucket. We have a small closet on the porch outside. Is it feasible to pour hot water inside my insulated cooler with the aquarium heater at room temperature to warm my beer to 35° F and circulate that, versus the impossible task of cooling it to 35° F inside? We've barely been able to get above single digits here and the I'm using a heater equipped for 20 gallons to warm 3 gallons. I have an S shaped blow off outfitted with a sanitized balloon that's filled with CO2 wrapped around it for the vacuum. This is my first time cold crashing.

 

[DaWhip]

I'm not sure I 100% understand your setup, but it sounds feasible if I have it right. You have a temp controller on the aquarium heater? Put the bucket in an insulated cooler, fill it with water, and have the heater keep the water at 35*? I'd test it overnight with just water in the cooler and see if you are frozen in the morning, but it sounds feasible. I'd put the temp probe in the water, not in the beer. That would be a little insurance.

 

[zachattack]

Should work fine if the wattage of the heater is enough to keep up with losses in those frigid temps. Wrap a few old blankets/towels around the whole shebang to help it out.

 

[kh54s10]

I would do a trial with the aquarium heater in water without the beer and make sure it can keep the water from freezing.

 

[GJOCONNELL]

Second also I believe you can switch the programming on the SS brewtech to go from cooling to heating if necessary. SS brewtech....GREAT PRODUCTS!

 

[yourlastchance89]

Yeah I had it set to heating. I cooled it down with ice water to around 42°F then set it outside. Woke up in the middle of the night 4 hours later and it was right where I wanted it at 38° F. I did run into a problem when I woke up a few hours later earlier however. Temp sensor read 32.8°F. Pump was humming away going to town, water was still room temperature in the cooler, checked the lines going to and from the cooler, they were pure ice. Me being the excited idiot didn't even think about insulating the lines. I disconnected the lines, soaked them in hot water, brought the brew inside for about 10 - 15 minutes and had everything working again like a charm. This time I set everything back up, I purged the lines of water before setup, and wrapped them in towels. I've got class 1130am - 4pm today and its supposed to get right at 30°F for our high temp today. I'll post some pics later and let you guys know how it turns out