Fermentation Temp

[Kark]

Not really sure why this is happening so I figured I would ask the question. I have fermentation temp control and I tested the probe to see if it was working, calibrated with my digital thermometer and the temp came up the same on a glass of water. The question is, I have an ambient temp in my house around 73-75 degrees, I have the ink bird set up to keep the temp within 1 degree of 68, and the past 2 days it has been between 66-67 and has not raised higher than that. I am not worried about the fermentation as it is bubbling just fine, I am just not sure how the temp can be below the set temp when the ambient temp is higher than that.

I have a 2nd fermentor going at the same time and it is staying above the ambient temp and not having the same issue.

 

[slayer021175666]

To me, it sounds like it is working fine. The inkbirds are plus or minus one degree so, when you set it to cool, it will keep things one degree lower than you set it for. By the same token, if you set it to heat, it will keep things about a degree hotter. This is to ensure the temp can't rise above or fall below your setting temp. I suggest turning it up a degree and see if that makes it hold at the 68 your're looking for.

 

[mcmeador]

To me, it sounds like it is working fine. The inkbirds are plus or minus one degree so, when you set it to cool, it will keep things one degree lower than you set it for. By the same token, if you set it to heat, it will keep things about a degree hotter. This is to ensure the temp can't rise above or fall below your setting temp. I suggest turning it up a degree and see if that makes it hold at the 68 your're looking for.

But it should allow the temp to rise to 69 before it cools back down. Overshoot would explain why it gets down to 66, but I would be wondering the same thing the OP is. Why doesn’t it rise any higher if the ambient temp is 73-75. Theoretically it should hit 69, cool down to 66-67, then creep up to 69 again and repeat the cycle. Only once fermentation is complete should the temperature start to hold steady for longer periods of time.

Kark, what kind of fermenter and temp control are you using?

 

[DBhomebrew]

I have my fermenter in a freezer with a heat lamp both controlled by a Inkbird ITC-308 with the probe held against the fermenter with a piece of closed cell foam.

Set at 67 with a 1°F differential up or down, it'll stay within 65.8-68.2.

When ambient is over 67, the Inkbird will be turning the freezer on at 68 and off at 67. Due to overrun, the actual fermenter temp will usually be 66.8-68.2.

When ambient is lower than 67, the Inkbird will turn the heat lamp on at 66 off at 67. Fermenter temp will be 65.8-67.2.

 

[slayer021175666]

I hadn't considered the yeasts tendency to warm things up. Still, the inkbird itself, should kick on to cool it down if it is set to cool. Maybe I'm missing something here. To my knowledge, it should turn on the fridge or whatever if the temp gets too high for any reason.

 

[marc1]

Not really sure why this is happening so I figured I would ask the question. I have fermentation temp control and I tested the probe to see if it was working, calibrated with my digital thermometer and the temp came up the same on a glass of water. The question is, I have an ambient temp in my house around 73-75 degrees, I have the ink bird set up to keep the temp within 1 degree of 68, and the past 2 days it has been between 66-67 and has not raised higher than that. I am not worried about the fermentation as it is bubbling just fine, I am just not sure how the temp can be below the set temp when the ambient temp is higher than that.

I have a 2nd fermentor going at the same time and it is staying above the ambient temp and not having the same issue.

Is the fermenter heater on constantly because it is reading below the set point?

 

[Kark]

Sorry for the delay, I have the anvil bucket fermenter and the cooling system with it. I think i am at around batch 12 now and this is the first one that has done this. I have overshot the temp and then it just warms up 1.1 degrees over the set point and just keeps going in that cycle.

I have 2 batches going and the other is acting normally.

The heating light is constantly on as well.

 

[mcmeador]

Sorry for the delay, I have the anvil bucket fermenter and the cooling system with it. I think i am at around batch 12 now and this is the first one that has done this. I have overshot the temp and then it just warms up 1.1 degrees over the set point and just keeps going in that cycle.

I have 2 batches going and the other is acting normally.

The heating light is constantly on as well.

Ok, now I’m confused. First you said you have it set to 68, but it hasn’t risen above 66-67 at all, which I agree would be odd with your warmer ambient temp. Now you say that it cools down and then warms up to 1.1 degrees over your set temp and then cools back down, which sounds like normal behavior. Can you clarify what the issue is?

 

[Kark]

Ok, now I’m confused. First you said you have it set to 68, but it hasn’t risen above 66-67 at all, which I agree would be odd with your warmer ambient temp. Now you say that it cools down and then warms up to 1.1 degrees over your set temp and then cools back down, which sounds like normal behavior. Can you clarify what the issue is?

Sorry I was kinda answering multiple questions without quoting.

It is staying below 68 and is fermenting.

Someone else said something about how it worked typically mine does the same where it comes on after it raised over 1.1 degrees above the setting. Just right now it isn't going over that temperature.

 

[mcmeador]

Well yeah, that seems odd. So does that mean the cooling system hasn’t cut on at all? Where are you keeping your temperature probe?

 

[Kark]

Well yeah, that seems odd. So does that mean the cooling system hasn’t cut on at all? Where are you keeping your temperature probe?

It has cut on, it does eventually get up to 68 degrees but when it comes on it gets down between 66-67 degrees. It has come on a total that I have seen 2 times since Saturday when I put it in there.
The other fermenter is set at 71 now, was originally set at 67, and gets up to 72.1 and cuts on then cools down to 71 and cuts off, overshoots about .2-.4 degrees on that one. It hasn't had any issues no matter what I set it up at.

The probe is in the metal tube that goes directly into the beer right between the 2 coils, it's never done it before this batch, so just seems weird.