Temp control

[Ardcore]

I just plugged in my chest freezer with a temperature control. I have it set to kick on at 65 degrees then it runs to the lowest setting on the freezer which is about 53 degrees. Is this the way most people ferment there beer in the chest freezers? Or is there a better way to set it.

 

[Ryush806]

So you have it set to 65 but it actually cools it to 53? That doesn't seem quite right. It should switch the power off closer to the set point. Most controllers have a deadband of a few degrees so it might switch it on at 67 and cool to 63 before turning off. The reason they have that is so that you won't be turning the freezer on and off as much, which could ruin the compressor. What temp controller are you using and how is it connected?

 

[OneHoppyGuy]

what temperature do you want to maintain?
If the freezer is outside during the summer you will most likely be setting the controller (freezer) to come on if it goes above the set temperature. During cool weather use an incandescent bulb and set the controller (light) to come on when the temperature goes below the set temperature.

 

[Ardcore]

So you have it set to 65 but it actually cools it to 53? That doesn't seem quite right. It should switch the power off closer to the set point. Most controllers have a deadband of a few degrees so it might switch it on at 67 and cool to 63 before turning off. The reason they have that is so that you won't be turning the freezer on and off as much, which could ruin the compressor. What temp controller are you using and how is it connected?

It is a Johnson digital temp controller. There is a way to set it where it turns off at a certain temp rather than it kicking on at a certain temp. Maybe I should try that setting to see if it works more like the way you are saying above.

Onehoppyguy that is a really good idea about the light bulb in the winter. We live in south Texas, so I am not sure if we will need it, but I will keep that in mind.

 

[Ardcore]

Researching it a little bit more found out that I set the cut in time, but not the cut out time. When I get home I will try and set the cut out time and see what happens.

 

[Hiccup78]

I had planned to get a used fridge with a temp controller to ferment (also here in Hell...er...Texas) but after talking with the folks at Midwest supplies decided to try setting my primary fermenter with towels wrapped around it into a pan of water + a fan blowing toward the fermenter. I used a thermometer between the towels and the fermenter and have managed to keep my temps between 64-67 degrees. It's been working REALLY well.

This is only my second batch of brew, but the first fermented too quickly with the ambient temp in the house near 75 degrees and developed an off flavor. The airlock activity had almost stopped within 36 hrs that time. This time, the airlock still has a steady bubble every 2-3 seconds and it's been 4 days. I'm planning to leave in primary until at least Sunday and may wait until next weekend to rack to secondary.

 

[hopsalot]

if 65 is the temp you want to maintain, then yes, if you need to be higher you may need a temp probe that will turn on the compressor at any set temperature

 

[SickTransitMundus]

Somewhat offtopic - doesn't the light bulb skunk the beer?

 

[Ardcore]

Thanks for all the help guys. I was able to set the high temp at 65 then set a cut off at 60 degrees. I would not of known I was doing anything wrong without your help.

 

[JakeFegely]

You might also consider a thermowell so that you are measuring the beer temp not the ambient temp. I recently set up a frig for fermenting with a ranco digtal controller and a thermowell. I'm able to keep the beer temp in a 2 to 3 degree range. That degree of control can be very difficult (if monitoring ambient) given how the beer generates a fair amount of heat during the first few days of fermentation.

 

[Hang Glider]

Somewhat offtopic - doesn't the light bulb skunk the beer?

Ultraviolet light skunks beer.

 

[SickTransitMundus]

Ultraviolet light skunks beer.

Well, yeah, mostly. While it isn't as intense as sunlight, incandescent bulbs do generate a measurable amount of sub-400nm light.
http://www.roperld.com/science/electromagneticspectraoflightbulbs.htm

Furthermore, isohumulones also react up to 500nm, well into the visible region where incandescents are quite radiant.
http://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/jf0486186

Perhaps an aquarium heater would be a better option?

 

[JakeFegely]

Williams brewing sells a "heating pad" that mounts on the wall of a refrigerator (or freezer). Very thin, with self-adhesive backing. No light worries.