Ways to keep fermentor warm during winter

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Matteo57

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So, who uses what to keep their fermentors warm during the winter months? I'm in Cali so it isn't that long of a period but it does get sort of cold (around 40s) at night so slowly but surely my chest freezer I use for a fermentation box drops in temp. I have a heat pad I have thrown in there but it doesn't warm it up that quickly. If it's cold outside it might just stay about the same temp if it's on all night or might rise one degree F.
Anyways, looking for cheaper suggestions if possible but open to ideas in general.

Thanks!
 
I have an insulated box rather than a chest freezer but it should be about the same. I just use an small, old space heater that was lying around. It has 5 degree increments for temperature from 50-75. I put a little thermometer in the box and it turned that when I set it on 65, the box stays at a perfect 62 degrees. Everytime I open the lid, it always reads 62 so I'm happy with it.
 
I just made one of these last night: brewstands.com - fermentation heater. The only difference I did was to drill the hole for the cord through the paint can lid as then I could use the knock-out on the pancake box and it also lets a tiny bit of light out (so I know it is on or off). One final note on this...I first put a 100 watt light in it, but felt it was getting way too hot...I measured the paint can @ 150 degrees (and then shut it off). With a 60 watt bulb it gets to 120 degrees or so, which seems just about right.

I also wired up one of the ebay digital controllers: eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices. These little things are nice, I like it so much I just ordered another one to use in a keezer build (instead of using a Johnson Analog controller I have). If you are just doing cooling, you can find single stage models for around $16-17. (I ordered the dual stage "just because" it is only $8 more and provides better flexibility.)
 
I don't have anything like that-yet. So I have an electric oil heater in the room. I always have a dark tee shirt over the FV's when in use. If it gets really cold,I even throw an old fleece lined CPO over the fermenter as well. Ican hold it at a steady 68F (20C) this time of year.
 
I got my buckets in a plastic tote ($10 @ Walmart) and an adjustable aquarium heater ($30 at petco)... I plan on insulating the tote this weekend to make it more consistant. Fill the tote up just above the 4 gallon mark on your buckets and your good to go. So far each morning afternoon and night when i check the temp its pretty consistant.
 
I stole my wife's hair dryer a couple winters ago and plugged it into my (Ranco) temperature controller then set it to the heating cycle and desired temperature. The bonus is it has a low setting and it adds convection.
 
The simple solution is to brew a lager:mug: I do like copyrights idea and the aquarim heater. I might give one of them a try
 
You can buy "FermWrap" by the foot at - The Bean Farm , connect an AC cord and a dimmer switch then dial in your temperature. I use an AC voltmeter in my enclosure which allows me to calibrate my temp to voltage. You could also use the digital controller above (STC-1000) to control the FermWrap...I have 2 controllers, one for my cool ferm chamber (Restless Cellars - Photos) and another for my FermWrap when I need heat.
 
I'm just down the road in Irvine and have had good success with a brew belt. I wanted a ferm wrap but the timing didn't work out. I have it plugged into a digital temp controller and inside my unplugged mini-fridge. It's been holding steady at 68 for a couple of weeks now in my garage. The investment up front is a little more than some of the other ideas, but it's pretty much worry free. Just check the controller each time I get in the car and twittle my thumbs waiting for my brew to be done.
 
A clamp on lamp and ceramic IR bulb works for me. I only use the 60w so it doesn't generate too much heat but it is enough that when the controller kicks it on it keeps things from getting too cold.
 
Being in MI gets colder than CA (not so much this year), but I got a ceramic heater for the fridge in an unheated pole barn where I brew. Moves the air and keeps a constant temp with single controller. Cold crashing is as simple as removing the fermentor from the fridge. Bottling in the cold is interesting.
 
Here's what I did:
1) Got a 10 gallon utility bucket (the kind with handles)
2) Filled with water (keeps temperature stable)
3) Placed carboy in water
4) Got $15 100 Watt fish tank heater off Amazon & placed in water.

Result: rock solid temp readings of 66°F.
 
I just hug my fermenter when its cold. Seems to do the trick.

I think this is the best idea of them all! :)

Thanks for all of the ideas. I have a small space heater, the wife was just worried about putting it into a chest freezer for any period of time, but i think it would be fine.
Anyone have their doubts about doing this or being a big fire hazard?
 
I keep them in a chest freezer because I usually have 2-3 beers fermenting at once and some bottles carbing up sometimes as well.
 
I got my buckets in a plastic tote ($10 @ Walmart) and an adjustable aquarium heater ($30 at petco)... I plan on insulating the tote this weekend to make it more consistant. Fill the tote up just above the 4 gallon mark on your buckets and your good to go. So far each morning afternoon and night when i check the temp its pretty consistant.

+1. although I got a little "puckered up" the first time I tossed an electric appliance in a bucket of water. If you do this, be sure the heater will operate at the "lower" temperatures required by your yeast. Mine was a 100 watt tropical aquarium heater that did not have a setpoint below 70F. A little too warm for most yeasts. Not using it any more, but that's how I started. The water in the plastic tote acts as a heat sink to slow the temperature swings.

When I first got my ferm chamber, I bought a small quartz space heater but returned it when it kept shutting off due to a safety interlock. Apparently a lot of space heaters won't run more than ***** hours and then need to be unplugged to reset the interlock.
 
For inside your chest freezer, I would follow the advice from post #3.

Get a heating light bulb, and get a 2 stage temp controller. This will warm the freezer when it is too cold, and cool it when too hot. Just be sure the temperature probe is in water or something, so the temp doesn't swing too wildly. And set the temp differential to +/- 2 degrees.

A light bulb would do the trick and be much safer than a space heater. And draw less power (I assume, I won't pretend to know how to prove that).

Of course none of this is needed if the hugging works. :mug:
 
Here's what I did:
1) Got a 10 gallon utility bucket (the kind with handles)
2) Filled with water (keeps temperature stable)
3) Placed carboy in water
4) Got $15 100 Watt fish tank heater off Amazon & placed in water.

Result: rock solid temp readings of 66°F.

+1. I used this method this summer for my saison and it kept a consistent 86deg. Haven't used it this winter but my basement stays in the low 60s/upper 50s in winter so I don't anticipate any problems.
 
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