Heating Fermenting Chamber

[rob6239]

Ive built myself one of the popular insulated plywood boxes collared around a compact freezer.

But I'm having trouble finding something suitable to use with my inkbird controller for heating. I tried a couple of different electric portable heaters which heated fine but I came down the next day to find them temporarily dead. They must have an overheat shutoff or some such thing to prevent them from running too long.

I was interested in the heating bulbs (reptile aquarium bulbs maybe?) but wasn't confident that would be hot enough to actual impact the temperature of wort in a bucket too much.

If you feel like sharing, what are some other options? I know of the light bulb in a paint bucket but like another recent post suggested, I'd like to avoid a toxic paint bucket

 

[Sailingeric]

I have one of these and they work great for my 5 gallon batches keeping them right in the butter zone. I have it hooked up to a temp sensor, like the ST1000 and it has never let me down. http://www.northernbrewer.com/fermo...ation-heater?gclid=CPnGypWmjtICFQx9fgods8IOug

 

[rob6239]

I like those and have looked at heating pads too, but I'd rather heat the chamber in case I have two batches fermenting at same time for example

 

[rob6239]

I guess portable plug-in heater and light bulb are the options to go with then?

 

[Boydric]

I use a cheap heating pad that I got off of amazon. I took the fabric cover off and set the Carboy right on top. This is sitting in my chest freezer controlled by an stc1000. Works good.

 

[Tarpon87]

I have a seedling mat I got off Amazon, its big enough for 2 6.5g Big Mouth Bubblers to sit on plus my water bottle full of starsan that I have my temp probe from my inkbird-308 in.

 

[BillyBeer]

I have been using the light in a paint can for years and it works great. I can keep the temp stable in the chamber and it is big enough to ferment 2 10 gallon batches at a time.

Here is a link to the one I built:

http://www.brewstands.com/fermentation-heater.html

 

[Crazyeyes]

I run (2) 15w heater belts on two 60L Speidel fermenters inside of my chest freezer/ fermentation chamber they don't seem to have any problems keeping beer at temperature in a 40 degree garage, If your fermenting in a insulated chamber remember it doesn't take many watts to maintain temperature.

 

[bfish]

I use a floor lamp (up light) with a halogen bulb. Works great. It was a just a tad more than building a paint can light from scratch too.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Hampton-Bay-6-3-5-in-White-Uplight-Floor-Lamp-EP266WH/202103252

 

[govner1]

Go with a ceramic reptile bulb in a std socket. No light exposure to skunk your beer and less chance of a conflagration!

 

[wishingiwasfishing]

Using a hair dryer solves not only the heating requirement, but also circulates that heat around.

I use hair dryers in my fermentation chamber, which is in my basement. But also in a keezer and beer fridge that are both in my unheated pole building. It keeps the temps solid even during our Chicago area winters (weather below zero is not at all uncommon)

 

[rob6239]

Go with a ceramic reptile bulb in a std socket. No light exposure to skunk your beer and less chance of a conflagration!

This was what I thought of doing but other posts suggests those bulbs don't put out enough power to heat the chamber and any fermentors in there. I have an insulated plywood box collared around a mini fridge, probably about 2 feet wide and 3 feet long from front of fridge.

 

[govner1]

My ale ferm chamber will hold 4-5 6gal carboys & the reptile bulb works well. My chamber is insulated w/1 1/2" foam all around & I use a small fan to continuously circulate the air.

 

[Soulshine2]

Ive built myself one of the popular insulated plywood boxes collared around a compact freezer.

But I'm having trouble finding something suitable to use with my inkbird controller for heating. I tried a couple of different electric portable heaters which heated fine but I came down the next day to find them temporarily dead. They must have an overheat shutoff or some such thing to prevent them from running too long.

I was interested in the heating bulbs (reptile aquarium bulbs maybe?) but wasn't confident that would be hot enough to actual impact the temperature of wort in a bucket too much.

If you feel like sharing, what are some other options? I know of the light bulb in a paint bucket but like another recent post suggested, I'd like to avoid a toxic paint bucket

what is your maximum goal temperature? long term heating ...I use a crockpot in my tobacco kiln. I run it for months straight , hooked up through a digital controller (with temp probe,ebay/$15) . Depending on the high ,low or warm setting of the crockpot and the digital controller, I sustain 125*F easily but the controller has the capability of going up to I THINK 198.

 

[rob6239]

Doubt I would ever have wanted it heated above 80 degrees. I ended up going with one of those red lamp heat bulbs you get at any hardware store, and it seems to be doing the job just fine so far

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

A light bulb in a sealed chamber works just fine....no need to over think it

 

[eric19312]

Another vote for the reptile ceramic bulb. I previously used light bulbs but they tend to burn out. Usually on a really cold night.

 

[IslandLizard]

Small 200W space heater here. The built-in fan helps to recirculate the hot air.

I do Saisons at 80-85F in a separate hot "fridge." The heater comes on for about 30-60 secs every half hour or so. A small wattage hair dryer would work great too.

 

[Transamguy77]

I use one of these, has a fan and low wattage works great.

Lasko #100 MyHeat Personal Ceramic Heater https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XDTWN2/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[Brewer-Joe]

I was ready to buy a Lasco 100, but then found Honeywell Heat Bud (HEC100) a possibly better option... mainly because it has two heat settings ( 170 and 250 watts ). But then, I found that Staples had them for $9.99 each , and if shipped to local store, no shipping charges... so ended up ordering two of them, should be in on Monday...

https://www.staples.com/Honeywell-Heat-Bud-Ceramic-Heaters-White-HCE100W/product_1034671

I for what I'm doing, I still looking at heat tape options, but well the little Heat Buds at $9.99 was too good to pass up.