Fermentation chamber r-value

[surreal_trip]

So I've lacked a fermentation area for about a year now... But SWMBO just agreed to a fermentation chamber build! The down side is that it's going to be out in my shed. So this is the plan, build a chamber big out of 3/4 inch ply layer in two inches of extruded poly and seal with foam gasket sealant. For ac ill be using a 5000 btu window unit and for heat it'll be a lightbulb. Will this handle temperatures of -25 to +35 Celsius? Cheers!

 

[n240sxguy]

I'm in the middle of a fermentation chamber build right now. Mine's jn a garage that can be from 35-100f. I don't think the upper range would hurt you. Unless you're using a heat lamp, I don't think the light will be nearly big enough. While I was using my old fridge as a chamber this past winter, I used a 1500 watt space heater to keep temps up. Mine has a thermostat, and it worked just fine. I plan to put it in the new one I'm building too.

 

[Geordan]

Unless you're using a heat lamp, I don't think the light will be nearly big enough. While I was using my old fridge as a chamber this past winter, I used a 1500 watt space heater to keep temps up.

Just to add some perspective, my ferm chamber is heated by a 60W incandescent bulb in an old metal coffee can wired to the "hot" side of an STC-1000. The ferm chamber is in my wood room, which often got down to -10c, and I never had an issue keeping temps at 12-16c all winter (I spent 3 months doing lagers). I have no doubt that a 100 or 150w bulb in a properly insulated ferm chamber could keep your heat where you want it in even very cold weather.

 

[n240sxguy]

Just to add some perspective, my ferm chamber is heated by a 60W incandescent bulb in an old metal coffee can wired to the "hot" side of an STC-1000. The ferm chamber is in my wood room, which often got down to -10c, and I never had an issue keeping temps at 12-16c all winter (I spent 3 months doing lagers). I have no doubt that a 100 or 150w bulb in a properly insulated ferm chamber could keep your heat where you want it in even very cold weather.

Nice to know it can be done with less. Do you use any kind of fan to circulate the air?

 

[Geordan]

I do have an 80mm fan in there that I use sometimes, though it died on me in February -- I relied mainly on convection to keep the air circulating!