Brew belt or heating pad or ????

[reeflections]

I want to have more temperature control of my primary ferment bucket. It's a 10 gallon plastic bucket (see pic) and I typically ferment 6 gallon batches.

The pads seemed to be the most efficient but I have seen some pics of burned plastic floormats that give me pause.

I would love to hear of anyone's experiences with pads vs belts, added thermostats, insulation, etc..

Also, how well would those stick-on temp gauges work with this kind of bucket?

 

[Rice_Guy]

I would strongly argue for a system where you are measuring and controlling temperature

My set up is an ink bird which is an accurate relay on a few feet of thermistor. Mine is rated 220 volt BUT THE INSTRUCTIONS ALSO LISTED 110 volt. Walls are foam board, heat is a $4.50 miniature electric heater from Goodwill. Heat load is minimal at a 20 or a 25 F delta T, therefore an incandescent should also work, ,,, if I was concerned about light I would put the bulb set up in a coffee can and use a porcelain fixture.
View attachment 72984

If you control the liquid less than 80F a plastic fermentor will not melt. The must inside will soak up the heat. A lot of food containers have a melt point above 200F and some plastics as teflon / silicone are above 300F

 

[Khristyjeff]

I've used this (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GWY847D/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) which gives you great control of temperature (note it doesn't cool, just maintains the heat you set). The only thing I get tired of is taping the wrap to the fermentor. (***Note*** the link shows unavailable, but I believe I saw other similar items on Amazon.)

I still use this setup when needed, but I just tried out a heat belt (https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B001D6IUB6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) that doesn't have a temp controller, but maintains the contents from maybe around 68-78*. I was kind of surprised how a thin belt could warm up the wine throughout, but it did a very good job. It takes longer to get to the desired temperature range than the wrap, but is much, much easier for me. I could see where 2 on one fermentor could be necessary on occasion.

So I will continue to use both, as this removes a variable that I don't have to worry about, and to me it's relatively inexpensive. But I plan to use the belt as often as it makes sense considering the fermentor I'm using and the wine that I'm making. Overall I like it better.

Regarding your question about burning of plastics, neither of these pose any threat of that in my opinion. They just don't get hot enough.

 

[sluff]

I use the Inkbird ITC-308 for temp control with the sensor probe inside a stainless steel thermowell. I use both a heat pad (brand name "Propagate Pro" under the bucket and a brew belt (Northern Brewer Fermotemp). I use 4 pieces of blue painters tape to tape the brewbelt to the bucket. Been doing it this way for years. Works great!

 

[jumby]

I have been using an adjustable aquarium heater for decades. Works perfectly!

 

[toadie]

I will second the heat pad and inkbird controller! I don't know if the 10 gallon pail is too big for most fermentation chambers but that is way to go if you have the space.

 

[mikewatkins727]

I have used a Roughneck tote filled with water into which I put the fermenter. Add an aquarium heater (sized for the amount of water in the tote). I suppose if there is a need because of use or temperature one could insulate the tote.

 

[Wayne Freeman]

I use an Inkbird, a brew belt AND a brew pad. Both are necessary because my winery is a small room under the entryway stairs next to the garage and it's between 55 and 60 degrees F year 'round. Great for storage, not so much for brewing.

 

[reeflections]

Well thanks to all for all the info. I'm now trying to take it all in and figure what will work best for me.

I hope this thread will help others in the future as well.

 

[JustJoe]

I use a heating pad that is for starting plants. It never gets more than warm to the touch. In my basement it is about 60 f in the winter and 68 in the summer. The pad warms my 10 gallon fermenter by about 8 degrees. If I need more heat I put a cardboard box around it but the fermenter always sits directly on the pad. The temp gets up to about 70 - 72 f max.

 

[Eddy Monsoon]

InkBird sensor hangin in the middle of a 2nd Hand Fridge

Rarely need a heat pad in my part of Australia, but just put it inside the fridge when needed

 

[Wayne Freeman]

The only thing I get tired of is taping the wrap to the fermentor. (***Note*** the link shows unavailable, but I believe I saw other similar items on Amazon.)

I use these big silicone elastic bands to hold the Inkbird sensor to the fermentor. They're a little too large to hold tightly, so I add a little block of wood between the band and the fermentor on the other side from the sensor to tighten it up a bit. I could also just tie a knot in the band to shorten it. They would be perfect on a 10-gal. fermentor, but mine are only 5-gal.

Grifiti Big-Ass Bands 18 x 1 2 Pack Insanely Stretchy Jumbo Size for Art, Cooking, Wrapping, Exercise, MacBooks, Bag Wraps, Dungies Replacements, and

 

[ruhbarb76]

I use InkBird which controls a light bulb that sets inside an Igloo Ice chest (with lid closed the chest will fit two 1.2 gallon fermenters). The drain hole is used to route the two wires inside: 1. Sensor 2. Light bulb.

 

[ASR]

I am trying to maintain the heat on a 6 gallon glass carboy. It is secondary fermentation so needs to still use an airlock to let CO2 out. How do I maintain its temp since I cant put a thermowell into the carboy like a do with a primary fermenter

 

[sluff]

I am trying to maintain the heat on a 6 gallon glass carboy. It is secondary fermentation so needs to still use an airlock to let CO2 out. How do I maintain its temp since I cant put a thermowell into the carboy like a do with a primary fermenter

 

[sluff]

I use a thermal well attached to a stopper with a hole to insert the airlock. Don’t remember where I got it…

 

[wbhutchins]

I've just been taping my thermometer probe to the side of my fermenter and side of my carboy so I don't have to worry about sanitation or oxygen leaking around the wire. I'm a newb and might be doing it wrong, but it seems to get a pretty good reading.

 

[Rice_Guy]

Glass is more fragile than metal or plastic but if the temperature difference is small as ten degrees F it will survive. A way to modulate heating/ cooling is to put the carboy in water like a kid pool/ hog feeder and periodically add milk jug ice or hot water (ex immersion heater).

@ASR I would strap a heating mat to the outside, or create a foam panel box with an incandescent bulb on an Inkbird controller (by now I have three)
Temperature Q? When running controlled temps I see that an active fermentation is about two F above the incubator/ refrigerator. ,,, an Inkbird sensor which is on the outside of the tank and covered with some insulation will follow inside temp well enough. If this is permanent you can use 3/8” foam with adhesive as used for wrapping water pipes.

Basically a heat pad that is safe for skin contact should work. A 15 amp cartridge heater/ hot pot would be bad.

 

[fwdevoe]

I use a Fermotemp wrap. Holds temps to what you set it at, easy to use, I tape it on to carboy using either painter's tape or electric tape. Cost around $35 .

 

[Wayne Freeman]

I use the Inkbird ITC-308 for temp control with the sensor probe inside a stainless steel thermowell. I use both a heat pad (brand name "Propagate Pro" under the bucket and a brew belt (Northern Brewer Fermotemp). I use 4 pieces of blue painters tape to tape the brewbelt to the bucket. Been doing it this way for years. Works great!

I use an Inkbird, too, but keep the sensor pressed tightly against the outside of the fermenter with a piece of foam packing stuff (to isolate from the ambient temperature), secured by a wide silicon elastic strap. I normally use both a brewpad and a brewbelt because my wine cellar/brewing room is a small unheated basement room so it's always below optimum brewing temperature, even in summer.