Heat source for my fermentation fridge?

[Ranger9913]

I picked up a fridge last spring to ferment in and have it controlled with a PID/SSR combo. Now that it's getting colder I'll need to add heat to control the temps. I'll need to stay about 30 degrees above ambient air temps in the winter. Anyone have a suggestion for a heat source? I was thinking a heat lamp, small space heater, infrared element.

 

[woodardg]

what about a light bull

 

[MJDore]

I've got a $10 ceramic space heater from wal-mart in mine. Has the added bonus of a built-in fan. Warms up quickly.

 

[Daybis]

I would probably use a infrared element like some use for their reptile tanks.

 

[Catt22]

I've got a $10 ceramic space heater from wal-mart in mine. Has the added bonus of a built-in fan. Warms up quickly.

+1 I also use a small ceramic element space heater. Been doing it this way for about 10 years. The built in fan really helps maintain more uniform temperatures. The element never gets hot enough to ignite anything, so it's inherently safer. I use it with a GFCI too. So, odds are I won't burn the house down or get electrocuted due to keeping my fermenter warm.

 

[Ranger9913]

Sounds good. I'm going to go pick up a ceramic heater today. Thanks guys.

 

[MonkeyWrench]

A 40w light bulb has been way more than I ever needed in a 4 carboy ferm chamber out of 2x2s and polystyrene.

Mine's wired to a line voltage wall thermostat. Cheap and easy.

 

[ebeer]

Years ago I bought a Fermwrap...it's really nice. I cut mine into two pieces, wired the up, and now have one for each of my fermentation fridges. I just looked up the price and they're $40 now...seems pretty expensive. Then I happened across this DIY for $11.50. Kudos to the author.

http://mattmegbrew.blogspot.com/2009/11/cheap-fermwrap.html

 

[Clifton]

what about a light bull

+1 for the "light bull"

 

[slakwhere]

don't you want to keep light away from your wort? a light bulb is a good solution but do you take measures to keep the light away from the wort?

i used a bulb covered in tinfoil for a while but it got too hot and burnt out. so i switched to a $10 ceramic heater/fan from a big box store. has built in circuits for overheat/tipover so it shouldn't ever be dangerous.

 

[DeBrewer]

I use a cheap heating pad. It radiates well and only cost maybe $12.

 

[NiteOwlBrewing]

Wife's old hairdryer works great with the ebay 2 stage controller.

 

[Homercidal]

I don't think an incandescent bulb would be a problem. I think the dangerous wavelengths are from a flourescent bulb.

All of these ideas are going to work I think.

 

[robertvrabel]

I just picked up this heating pad, which sticks to the inside of my chest freezer. I'm still setting up my fermentation chamber, but from my test it went from room temp 70F to 95F over night. I like this because it heats the whole freezer, its small and out of the way.

http://www.williamsbrewing.com/BREWER_S_EDGE_SPACE_HEATER_P518C100.cfm

 

[Ranger9913]

It gets down in the high 20's and low 30's here in Nashville so I don't think this would work for those winter months.

 

[LeftTurnOnly]

I'm currently using a fermwrap taped to the back wall of my fridge in a detached garage. Not exactly sure of the temp in the garage, but i have a water bottle frozen solid in there for a while and fridge set at 63-64F with a Ranco, and it's holding there nicely.

I am thinking of building a bigger ferment box though, and considering this 150watt reptile heater with perhaps a small computer fan for some air movement maybe.

I have one of these small heaters with the built in fan, but thought it might actually get perhaps too hot too quick, but it does sound like other people are using something similar, so perhaps that's not an issue.

Cheers...
Kyle...

 

[Clifton]

I hooked up my ceramic heater and left the bulb stuck to the side of the fermenter. I checked on it and the heater had shut down (built in safety) before I reached 68 degrees. I moved the temp probe from the fermenter to the top of the fridge. It was 110 degrees up there. Now, I have it at the top set at 70 and my fermenter reads 66-68. Not perfect but good enough.