Heating element for fermentation chamber

[jbsengineer]

What do you guys use for a fermentation chamber heating element? I hope to use a chest freezer and Ranco controller.

 

[_JP_]

I use a hair dryer ($1 from a garage sale).

I tried just a straight heating element (150W) before. Even though it was low wattage, without any air circulating all the heat stratified and melted the area directly above the element. So, use a fan of some sort.

 

[HellBentBrewCo]

I use a ceramic bulb used to heat reptile aquariums. Got it at petsmart

 

[Stevo2569]

I use a water bed heater belt. It has a built in thermostat and thermocouple.

 

[jburdett]

I have 3 feet of this wrapped around the inside of my frem chamber attached to a love controller and it works perfectly.

http://www.reptilebasics.com/flexwatt-heat-tape/11-flexwatt-heat-tape/

 

[Catt22]

I use a small, cheap ceramic space heater I snagged at a garage sale for a few bucks. It doesn't take much to warm a small enclosed space like that.

 

[iandh]

I have 3 feet of this wrapped around the inside of my frem chamber attached to a love controller and it works perfectly.

http://www.reptilebasics.com/flexwatt-heat-tape/11-flexwatt-heat-tape/

I also use Flexwatt Heat Tape and it works great. Reptile Basics has the tape and the cables needed. I think the will also attach the cord for free.

 

[Boodlemania]

I have an infared reptile heating bulb and replacement fan for a bathroom light/vent fixture. Both mounted in boxes. For cooling, I have no air circulation as the fan is wired in series with the reptile bulb.

 

[jafo28]

I use a ceramic bulb used to heat reptile aquariums. Got it at petsmart

Have the same thing works great.

 

[Tinga]

do you need an additional temperature controller to control the heating element if it is inside a refrigerated chamber on a temperature controller already?

 

[bbognerks]

I use a regular old light bulb inside a juice can. For temp control, make this dual stage(heat and cool) controller.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/ebay-aquarium-temp-controller-build-163849/

 

[kingmatt]

do you need an additional temperature controller to control the heating element if it is inside a refrigerated chamber on a temperature controller already?

You would want to unplug the refrigerator and plug the heating element into the temp control.

 

[ParadiseBeer]

the best thing i have found is an old water bed heater! they are slim, big enough to stick on wall of ferm box and low power usage, sometimes you can even get a temp control with them. Something like this...http://www.ebay.com/itm/Used-Thermal-Guardian-Temperature-Control-System-Waterbed-Heater-/330615664081?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4cfa3aadd1#ht_719wt_1396

 

[jzoscsak]

I have 3 feet of this wrapped around the inside of my frem chamber attached to a love controller and it works perfectly.

http://www.reptilebasics.com/flexwatt-heat-tape/11-flexwatt-heat-tape/

This works amazing for me. Many thanks for posting this link.

 

[arkham_razors]

I was lucky enough to pick a an upright freezer which has a built in defrost heating element under the cooling coil. I hooked the defrost element up to the "heating" side of my temp controller (after removing/bypassing the defrost timer widget). This allows me to heat my fermentor while keeping the interior free of any visible heat source.