Bought a Spike CF10 in 2017, brewed a lot of great beer with it.
BUT...in November 2022 the heater that wraps around the bottom cone of the fermenter died. I contacted Spike and they said that they don't last forever, and I needed a new one. So I bought a new one.
Fast forward to Sunday. I have a batch in the fermenter, wanted to bump up the temp for the yeast to clean up, and...nothing. Connected the heater directly to an extension cord instead of the controller and...nothing.
Again. This time after less than 3 years. In that time I've done just 18 brews with this equipment. Contacted Spike and got the same response as I had 3 years ago: "Electric parts like the heater and cooling pump do wear out over time and tend to have a lifespan of a few years."
I can understand a pump going out, as it's a moving part, but there are no moving parts with a heater. It's tucked inside the neoprene cover on the fermenter and it's never moved.
So--anyone else had this happen, and is there a fix? I can't remove it yet--I still have beer in the fermenter and have to take off the neoprene sleeve to do that. Maybe there's a broken trace or some other connection prone to breaking?
TIA--a new one, with shipping and taxes, will run me about $130, which seems awfully high for a product only good for 18 brews (that's over $7/brew!).
PS: In 2023 I got involved with a local brewery, did a bit of brewing for them, ended up with a fair amount of their beer in my keezer, which helps to account for the decline in my personal brewing tempo. But now I'm back to brewing.
BUT...in November 2022 the heater that wraps around the bottom cone of the fermenter died. I contacted Spike and they said that they don't last forever, and I needed a new one. So I bought a new one.
Fast forward to Sunday. I have a batch in the fermenter, wanted to bump up the temp for the yeast to clean up, and...nothing. Connected the heater directly to an extension cord instead of the controller and...nothing.
Again. This time after less than 3 years. In that time I've done just 18 brews with this equipment. Contacted Spike and got the same response as I had 3 years ago: "Electric parts like the heater and cooling pump do wear out over time and tend to have a lifespan of a few years."
I can understand a pump going out, as it's a moving part, but there are no moving parts with a heater. It's tucked inside the neoprene cover on the fermenter and it's never moved.
So--anyone else had this happen, and is there a fix? I can't remove it yet--I still have beer in the fermenter and have to take off the neoprene sleeve to do that. Maybe there's a broken trace or some other connection prone to breaking?
TIA--a new one, with shipping and taxes, will run me about $130, which seems awfully high for a product only good for 18 brews (that's over $7/brew!).
PS: In 2023 I got involved with a local brewery, did a bit of brewing for them, ended up with a fair amount of their beer in my keezer, which helps to account for the decline in my personal brewing tempo. But now I'm back to brewing.
