FermWrap performance issue

[sdbbp]

Using a more heat-friendly yeast (Philly Sour) means I'm using the heating side of my chamber more. But I don't seem to be able to get above 75F (60-65F ambient). Do people have similar performance from their FermWrap, or is there something wrong with my setup?

Chamber is a fridge-only 4.4cuft. It will drop to 34F just fine (25-30F below ambient). Controlled by an Inkbird. Probe is in contact with the fermenter, with a block of styofoam on the other three sides of it, taped to the vessel. Chamber door seals fine, except for the bump in the rubber seal where the cords go. The FermWrap is velcro'd to the back wall and sides of the fridge and there's a small fan continuously circulating the air inside the fridge.

I just don't know if I need a higher-power heater, or if there's something wrong with it, power to it, or the controller, somehow.

 

[MaxStout]

If you're attaching the FermWrap to the walls of the fridge, you're transferring a lot of the heat outward into those walls--a big heat sink. It would be more effective to wrap it around the fermentation vessel itself. Try not to cover the area of your temp probe, so as not to distort its readings.

 

[sdbbp]

If you're attaching the FermWrap to the walls of the fridge, you're transferring a lot of the heat outward into those walls--a big heat sink. It would be more effective to wrap it around the fermentation vessel itself. Try not to cover the area of your temp probe, so as not to distort its readings.

Right now I'm heating to condition bottles. But I'll try placing the wrap in the middle of the set of bottles instead of along the wall. Then see if my max. temp acheivable increases. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[jerrylotto]

I use an oil pan heater with my inkbird, attached to a metal standoff that I glued to the side of a chest freezer. Standoff is just a metal sheet, bent into a box shape, about 4" deep.

 

[sdbbp]

I'm pretty sure at this point that my fermwrap is just broken. Unless the power delivery through the inkbird circuit changed in some way. I ordered a new fermwrap, hoping that this was just a rare occurrence.

 

[sdbbp]

Update: new FermWrap arrived. I swapped it in and it appears to be working as expected. At least, it will hold 24C. I'll test higher once I remove the conditioning bottles.

I'll attempt to debug and repair the old one, since I plan to eventually have a second fermentation chamber and will have a use for it. I assume some wire / conductive tape broke.

 

[Deadalus]

I've been using seedling heat mats for quite some time now. The 10"x20" sizes are usually 20 watts, which is less than what I am seeing for fermwrap but you can usually get two of the mats for $20-22 on Amazon. I use them in my unheated basement during winter for instance to ferment ales. I just throw a blanket on too, no chamber. I wrap them around the carboy or bucket sides.