Water instead of glycol

[shoengine]

I am picking up a jacketed fermentor, and I also got a 5 gal coleman water cooler, an aquarium pump and an aquarium heater. Reason being, I ferment in the garage and this time of year I will be warming instead of cooling.

My question is, is there any issues with using straight water in the jacket? Would that cause any electrolysis issues or damage of any kind to stainless?

 

[Vale71]

My question is, is there any issues with using straight water in the jacket? Would that cause any electrolysis issues or damage of any kind to stainless?

No but microbial and/or vegetative fouling does become an issue at the temperatures you'l be keeping the water at.

 

[shoengine]

Does a glycol mixture help to avoid that?

 

[Vale71]

Not really. Personally I'd use some iodophor but the drawback is you'll have to keep topping it up as it becomes inactive. Alternately change the water frequently.

 

[Cyclman]

Maybe cheap vodka?

 

[shoengine]

Considering it'll be swapped any time I finish a fermentation, I am thinking using RO water should be pretty safe. Once warmer temps roll around though I'll have to have another solution in place.

 

[shoengine]

Circling back to this, the glycol can definitely spoil! I got significant butterscotch notes off my glycol water solution which was disturbing.

Interesting to note, it took about four years for me to notice anything, and I use my solution to chill and to heat, going as high as 70° F, which I hadn't factored in when making the OP. Considering the usage that doesn't seem to bad. More frequent changes of maybe once every two years might not be a bad idea.