Homemade Temperature Rigs/Solutions

[BEE-52]

Curious to see what other brewers out there are doing to reach and maintain ideal fermentation temperatures for their brews.

For me, I got a pretty decent deal on a used window AC unit that still blows fairly cool, so we slapped that on the house, covered the other vents, and have been able to keep our brew-room fairly consistently between 65-70 even through the summer.

I've heard of people using basements, cellars, even plain concrete floors (neither of which I have at my disposal) to keep a decent temp, so I was wondering what sort of intuitive schemes you guys might have floating around your setups.

 

[E_Marquez]

Search for Keezer, fermentation chamber, chest freezer, or swamp cooler

You will find tons of ideas and ways to do temp control.

Many, myself included built a simple and cheap used freezer into a fermentation chamber with the addition a digital temp controller (STC-1000) and some basic wiring.

I just built me second one a week ago..
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/fermintation-chamber-ii-436962/

Two batches are in that one now holding a steady 62-63 deg temp

 

[SDWW]

Check out Cool Zone Fermentation Control: http://www.inspiredbrewing.com/

It uses a temperature controller to manage fermentation temperatures and it works for carboys and buckets.

 

[E_Marquez]

Check out Cool Zone Fermentation Control: http://www.inspiredbrewing.com/

It uses a temperature controller to manage fermentation temperatures and it works for carboys and buckets.

$300 - $400 or more with accessories, and double or more if you're looking to do several buckets at a time..??? Sorry no... thats a solution looking for a problem to solve by throwing money at it.

It's neat. I'll bet it work great,, and if it solves some weird issue a Home Brewer has with too much money in his wallet and not enough room to put a $40 freezer with a $20 digital controller in a spare space,,, then It's a great buy

To each his own... if it works for you and solves your issues at hand... go for it.
But I doubt that is a workable $olution for most.

 

[Double_D]

$300 - $400 or more with accessories, and double or more if you're looking to do several buckets at a time..??? Sorry no... thats a solution looking for a problem to solve by throwing money at it.

It's neat. I'll bet it work great,, and if it solves some weird issue a Home Brewer has with too much money in his wallet and not enough room to put a $40 freezer with a $20 digital controller in a spare space,,, then It's a great buy

To each his own... if it works for you and solves your issues at hand... go for it.
But I doubt that is a workable $olution for most.

Yeah, those heaters are kinda cool. And the system is very clean but it's way easier to steal the wife's hair dryer and throw it in the fridge that I use as a ferm chamber.

 

[MindenMan]

The Lasko MyHeat is 200 watts, built in fan w/ceramic I believe. $15.00 at Wally World. STC-1000 with this heater is cheap and rock solid too.

 

[MindenMan]

After looking at the Cool Zone setup, what I see is a two step controller with a heat element, a cooler full of ice, a small pump, and an insulated jacket for a carboy/bucket. Damn, that is a lot of money if I have to provide my own ice to keep the thing cool.

 

[MindenMan]

double post

 

[SDWW]

It solved my issues. I can brew 15 gallon batches during the summer (can't fit three carboys in a frig), don't have space for an extra frig anyways.

You are right, they are not cheap, but they are not quite as expensive as mentioned above, and it's a lot cheaper than a temp controlled conical. BTW, don't need the heater during the summer, just the cooling wrap.

 

[E_Marquez]

It solved my issues. I can brew 15 gallon batches during the summer (can't fit three carboys in a frig), don't have space for an extra frig anyways.

You are right, they are not cheap, but they are not quite as expensive as mentioned above, and it's a lot cheaper than a temp controlled conical. BTW, don't need the heater during the summer, just the cooling wrap.

So tell us, what was the out the door cost on a complete set up using their products needed to cool three 5 gal fermentation buckets or carboys?

Adding the pieces and part from there web site to do that...seems to support the prices mentioned.. But thats not "real" your purchase would be.

Thanks

 

[SDWW]

About $570 for the hardware BUT when you add the tax, it was over $600, so you are right, it was double the $300 price for 3 carboys. BTW, I had a cooler, tubing and some "Y" fittings so I did not need those parts. But it solved my issues (not for everyone, but it works for me).

On a separate note, what is the diameter of the STC-1000's sensor? Would it fit in a 1/4" ID tube? I like the bright display, but I can't find a reference online for the sensor's dimensions. All I have seen is the STC's dimensions and the 2m cable length.

 

[E_Marquez]

About $570 for the hardware BUT when you add the tax, it was over $600, so you are right, it was double the $300 price for 3 carboys. BTW, I had a cooler, tubing and some "Y" fittings so I did not need those parts. But it solved my issues (not for everyone, but it works for me).

On a separate note, what is the diameter of the STC-1000's sensor? Would it fit in a 1/4" ID tube? I like the bright display, but I can't find a reference online for the sensor's dimensions. All I have seen is the STC's dimensions and the 2m cable length.

Thanks for the $$$ numbers.

The plastic sensor end on my three STC-1000's is .250" So not a great fit for a .250 thermowell.

I use a Brewers Hardware 16" straight wall thermowell for my STC-1000 with black plastic sensor.
http://www.brewershardware.com/16-Stainless-Steel-Thermowell.html
ID = .305"
OD= .375

 

[SDWW]

Thanks for the info and the link. I am going to try one of these controllers (put it in a box with a duplex plug). Thanks again.

 

[motobrewer]

i bought some stainless tubing and made some thermowells. then i use my fridge for fermenting lagers.

my basement is around 65F in the summer, but in the winter it dips into the high 50's. So i built a little box/lean-to out of rigid insulation and i have a reptile heater in there. then I use a thermowell and a controller.