Tightest fermentation temperature control range you get

[interplexr]

I'm tossing around ideas for a new fermentation temperature chamber and am curious what is the tightest temperature control range others are getting.

With my current chest freezer set up with an Auberins PID I set it at +/- 1 degF measuring the beer temperature. I'd like to get a tighter control range than that along the lines of +/- 0.5 degF. I've been tossing around the idea of thermoelectric cooler that can be cycled quickly to a freezer kept 10 or so degrees below the fermentation temperature with a heated wrap around the fermentor being controlled with another PID. What's the best setup you have?

 

[a10t2]

I'd like to get a tighter control range than that along the lines of +/- 0.5 degF.

I have to ask, why? What benefits do you think you'll see over a 1°F differential?

 

[Suthrncomfrt1884]

I have to ask, why? What benefits do you think you'll see over a 1°F differential?

+1. I highly doubt you'll notice any changes in a beer that was 1 degree off compared to .5 degrees off. Also, I wouldn't want my fridge to go through that kind of beating with it cycling on and off constantly. I have my temp controller setup to keep my wort within 2 degrees.

 

[interplexr]

I don't know how much difference you would see but I want to see what I can feasibly do. Even at +/- 1 degree the beer is still seeing a 2 degree swing in temp or 4 degrees at +/- 2 degrees. That just seems like a lot of variability to me but again I don't have any experience to say what is good enough. I just like building things and trying things is all.

 

[Catt22]

I can easily hold a very tight tolerance using only a Johnson analog controller. The temperature of the fermenting beer will change only very slowly. A +/- 1 deg swing in the freezer air temperature does not mean that the beer is experiencing that much of a swing. More likely it will be only a fraction of that which would be close to your +/- 0.5 deg target. It also helps to have a fan circulating the air in the chamber to keep everything at a more uniform temperature.

 

[Dunerunner]

Right now, even with a two stage PLC, 15 degrees!! Heat source inadequate, cooling source non-existent!!

I'm working on it!

 

[DeeDub76]

I have worked in the pharmaceutical industry for 6 years as a validation specialist and a metrologist and have never seen temperature specifications of +/- 0.5 C or F.