Heating a ~1BBL jacketed fermenter - what's worked for you?

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
jcaudill

jcaudill

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2010
Messages
990
Reaction score
91
Location
VA Beach
So I moved to Colorado and never did I anticipate the idea of not being able to keep my fermenters warm enough! This is the first time I brewed here so I approached it like I did back in Virginia which in hindsight, I screwed up I should have kept the wort a little warmer when transferring to the fermenter. So this morning it was sitting at 60 and of course it's deader than a door nail.

The fermenters are glycol plumbed so I'm trying my best not to flush that out if I don't have to. In a pinch, I ran out and bought a 100W aquarium element (5.5 gallon tank) I'm currently using to try and heat the glycol bath up and if I can get it warm enough I'll see if I can switch to heating mode on the fermenter controller and warm that puppy up. But I need to come up with a long-term answer to this. I'm not sure if I have it already, or maybe I should think about some alternative solutions like fermenter wraps or a stronger element, etc.

Thanks!
 
I have a much smaller fermenter - 15 gal plastic conical in my Minnesota garage.
I'm using the DIY-type FlexWatt type plastic reptile heater stuff taped around the conical part. Using CraftbeerPi to control it (until I get Fermentrack up and working). The temps hold nice and steady when heating or cooling.

Here's the build thread: New Plastic Conical Fermenter build

And one point where I'm keeping decent temperatures with pretty cold ambient air: New Plastic Conical Fermenter build

I suspect the FlexWatt type heat material may not work well for you since you have a jacketed conical. In you case, I'd like the idea of the aquarium heater to heat the water/glycol tank. The thing is...if you need to cycle from heat to cooling, it may be tricky to get a good balance.

FYI, I keep my water tank about 5-10F cooler than my set temp in the fermenter in the warm months, or I get overshoot on the cold side. With the electric heat I have, there is no overshoot. I suspect you may have to watch the overshoot on the warm side if you're pumping warm water through the jacket.
 
Last edited:
rkhanso said:
I have a much smaller fermenter - 15 gal plastic conical in my Minnesota garage.
I'm using the DIY-type FlexWatt type plastic reptile heater stuff taped around the conical part. Using CraftbeerPi to control it (until I get Fermentrack up and working). The temps hold nice and steady when heating or cooling.

Here's the build thread: New Plastic Conical Fermenter build

And one point where I'm keeping decent temperatures with pretty cold ambient air: New Plastic Conical Fermenter build

I suspect the FlexWatt type heat material may not work well for you since you have a jacketed conical. In you case, I'd like the idea of the aquarium heater to heat the water/glycol tank. The thing is...if you need to cycle from heat to cooling, it may be tricky to get a good balance.

FYI, I keep my water tank about 5-10F cooler than my set temp in the fermenter in the warm months, or I get overshoot on the cold side. With the electric heat I have, there is no overshoot. I suspect you may have to watch the overshoot on the warm side if you're pumping warm water through the jacket.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I'll probably look into some kind of wrap as well - my concern with wrapping however is that with the jacket I'm not sure how well external wrapping will penetrate the insulation between the outer and inner layers. As I sit here and write this though I'm happy to report I was successful getting the fermenter up and primary has begun! I don't love this solution because it's going to make independent control of the fermenters a problem. But as for the immediate issue, phew I feel relieved!
 
Visual might help!

122142291_10160450225679968_2858720922744888474_o.jpg
 
With the jacket the only thing that's going to work is placing the heating element inside the fermente, i.e. in direct contact with the fermenting wort. I don't know if your fermenters have a suitable spare port and you'd also have to find an extremely low watt density element in order not to hurt the yeast.
If heating the glycol is the only way then you could build a dedicated "hot" glycol reservoir using the 100W heating element you've already acquired in order to be able to heat one fermenter at the same time as cooling the other one with the chiller.
 
There are other threads on HBT where people use fermwrap tape around a jacketed fermenter with success. Others also use an aquarium heater in the glycol/water tank (though this may not work when you need both heating and cooling during a ferment). I see some of these threads below here, in the "Similar threads" section at the bottom of this page.
 
You might be able to add a small rims tube like heater for each of your fermentation vessels. The system would work by isolating the glycol in the fermenter's jacket and pumping it past a heater cartridge in a small circuit. You can use the alarm functions on your auber controllers to provide thermostatic control. A cycle timer would be required to provide control over the duty cycle of the heating element, so you don't scorch your glycol or overheat your beer. One additional solenoid control valve would be required at the glycol output of each fermenter for isolation. Nice setup BTW!
 
Winery chillers will often have heating and cooling capabilities. But if you’re going to have different ferments going at the same time that’s not gonna work.

One old guy taught us to put a space heater aimed at the cone. Takes a bit but it works. if this is a constant issue then easier to use 3 way valves into the glycol lines, with separate solenoids on heating loops, and with pump and heat element

if you built your own box you should be able to do it.

Best option is to never knockout below pitch temp. Learned that the hard way.
 
SanPancho said:
Winery chillers will often have heating and cooling capabilities. But if you’re going to have different ferments going at the same time that’s not gonna work.

One old guy taught us to put a space heater aimed at the cone. Takes a bit but it works. if this is a constant issue then easier to use 3 way valves into the glycol lines, with separate solenoids on heating loops, and with pump and heat element

if you built your own box you should be able to do it.

Best option is to never knockout below pitch temp. Learned that the hard way.
Click to expand...

As have I lol! But according to my temp gauge I should have come in right around 70-72 so I'm not sure why it dropped so much honestly. I really do think the environment had a lot to do with it and it just didn't have a chance to get going first. Now that fermentation is pretty much over it has already lost 4 degrees so to me, that confirms it.
 
Advance said:
You might be able to add a small rims tube like heater for each of your fermentation vessels. The system would work by isolating the glycol in the fermenter's jacket and pumping it past a heater cartridge in a small circuit. You can use the alarm functions on your auber controllers to provide thermostatic control. A cycle timer would be required to provide control over the duty cycle of the heating element, so you don't scorch your glycol or overheat your beer. One additional solenoid control valve would be required at the glycol output of each fermenter for isolation. Nice setup BTW!
Click to expand...

Thanks!
 
Vale71 said:
With the jacket the only thing that's going to work is placing the heating element inside the fermente, i.e. in direct contact with the fermenting wort. I don't know if your fermenters have a suitable spare port and you'd also have to find an extremely low watt density element in order not to hurt the yeast.
If heating the glycol is the only way then you could build a dedicated "hot" glycol reservoir using the 100W heating element you've already acquired in order to be able to heat one fermenter at the same time as cooling the other one with the chiller.
Click to expand...

Ya this is kind of what it's looking like. I think before I go an extreme route like this I'm going to see if I can knock out a bit higher, just get fermentation going then I'll get it down to the right temp. It might require knocking out a little higher than I would have back in Virginia lol.
 
you actually need to knock out above your pitch temp, and possibly quite a bit. if your tank has been sitting idle and trending down towards ambient then you need to remember that you're going to have to warm the tank up. all that steel in the inner shell needs to warm up. and the top and bottom of the outer shell where they are connected to the inner shell will pull heat away as well. as will all your penetrations for probes, valves, racking arms, etc.

run a test with water. you'll be able to see how much it pulls down the wort with probably 5-10 mins. then add that back on top of your KO temp. plus a little bit more for pump, hoses, etc in the transfer line.

you can always knock it down a few but as you now know going up is not nearly as easy. but the heat lamp/space heater thing does work if you're in a jam.
 
SanPancho said:
you actually need to knock out above your pitch temp, and possibly quite a bit. if your tank has been sitting idle and trending down towards ambient then you need to remember that you're going to have to warm the tank up. all that steel in the inner shell needs to warm up. and the top and bottom of the outer shell where they are connected to the inner shell will pull heat away as well. as will all your penetrations for probes, valves, racking arms, etc.

run a test with water. you'll be able to see how much it pulls down the wort with probably 5-10 mins. then add that back on top of your KO temp. plus a little bit more for pump, hoses, etc in the transfer line.

you can always knock it down a few but as you now know going up is not nearly as easy. but the heat lamp/space heater thing does work if you're in a jam.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I am always up for inexpensive solutions! Plus this being Colorado a space heater is never a bad thing to have :) I had considered that over the weekend as well. Any specific kind of space heater?
 
dont think so. we found one of the ones that looks like a little satellite dish, the ones you can aim. got it at the thrift store around the corner. plugged it in and after a few seconds it popped the breaker and the lights went out. somebody got a unexpected beer shower when they couldnt see what they were doing to get transfer hoses swapped quickly after the pump started going. lost a barrel or two. his boots were literally full of beer. hilarious.

re-wired the cord and got it working. had the tank up a good 4 or 5F by end of the day, on 15bbl. those tanks had standpipes, so there was a good connection between the outer shell and the wort, but on a small tank like yours id guess it do the same or better even given less mass.
 
So just to follow-up on this - a 100w aquarium heater took care of it! I rigged it up to my glycol chiller and just used the built in pump to circulate warmed glycol. Within' just a couple of hours I was back up to ferment temp and things took off. This worked shockingly well so I feel like it's a pretty durable solution. I may still keep a few other options in my back pocket like a space heater but I'm pretty pleased with this solution!
 
I'm getting an 8 gal jacketed fermenter, and to prepare for it I picked up a 5 gal Coleman beverage cooler, an aquarium pump and a digital aquarium heater for exactly this problem. Inelegant, but the alternative is to keep the space warmed and that is quite wasteful.
 
shoengine said:
I'm getting an 8 gal jacketed fermenter, and to prepare for it I picked up a 5 gal Coleman beverage cooler, an aquarium pump and a digital aquarium heater for exactly this problem. Inelegant, but the alternative is to keep the space warmed and that is quite wasteful.
Click to expand...

Ya even keeping my space somewhat conditioned wasn't really enough. It's a lot of cold metal and hard to defeat the insultation from the outside! But the aquarium heater I'd argue is quite elegant lol! Just gotta be sure to keep the liquid moving and not let the heater run without any circulation.
 
jcaudill said:
Ya even keeping my space somewhat conditioned wasn't really enough. It's a lot of cold metal and hard to defeat the insultation from the outside! But the aquarium heater I'd argue is quite elegant lol! Just gotta be sure to keep the liquid moving and not let the heater run without any circulation.
Click to expand...
Got a call from Fedex Freight about today. May be getting an 80lb fermentor soon! Got some overnight lows in the 30s so I may be able to get some good testing in on this.
 
I wonder if two glycol sources would work also. Aquarium pump in one (let's say that cooler) with a one way valve on both of them leading to a T and then to the fermenter. Hardest part would be figuring out how to get the output to the right source. Maybe a valve with a solenoid tied to the power of the pump? Then you could have instant hot glycol and instant cold glycol.
 
3-way solenoid valve.

Just wire it up electrically to either the hot or cold pump and route the glycol lines appropriately so that the glycol always flows from the correct reservoir and back to the same. Of course you'll need a pair of valves working together to switch the in and out lines at the same time.
 
kitr said:
I wonder if two glycol sources would work also. Aquarium pump in one (let's say that cooler) with a one way valve on both of them leading to a T and then to the fermenter. Hardest part would be figuring out how to get the output to the right source. Maybe a valve with a solenoid tied to the power of the pump? Then you could have instant hot glycol and instant cold glycol.
Click to expand...

Yep! I don't even think you'd need anythjng fancy. A recirc pump and a bucket with the appropriate glycol mix would probably be fine. What I noticed is when I got things up to temp the pump itself was enough to maintain. But I like the ease of just tossing the heater into the glycol reservoir and flipping the temp controller. Thing is you're not particularly likely to need both heating and cooling at the same time. The energy produced by the ferment is more than plenty to maintain!
 
I have separate "tanks". One is cold one is hot. It is ran off of cheap solenoid valves to switch on the heating or cooling loop along with the specific pump. I only have one fermentor but I can add to my system if I get more.
 

Similar threads

fljim
SS Brewtech 1BBL Unitank - BEWARE!!
Replies
22
Views
916
Indian_villager
I
shoengine
Warming the beer
Replies
3
Views
470
shoengine
shoengine
Brooothru
Glycol chiller controller replacement
Replies
10
Views
1K
Brooothru
Brooothru
TinkerLynx
New Brew System Sanity check.
Replies
7
Views
376
TinkerLynx
TinkerLynx
SFC Rudy
Secondary Fermentation Yes, no or maybe?
Replies
10
Views
465
hottpeper13
H
Williams Brewing 300

Latest posts

Back
Top