Brew Belts and Glass Carboys?

[ibglowin]

OK So we got hammered yesterday with our first real Winter storm of the season and as luck err perfect timing would have it I picked up a Brew Belt this weekend and snapped it around my Carboy of Rio Grande Rojo which is in secondary to warm it up a bit.

The instructions basically state DO NOT USE THIS ON A GLASS CARBOY.....

No explanation. Says it can only be used on a primary. The temp in the carboy went from 62 to 69 overnight and it all seems fine, I can't figure this rule out.

Anyone have an idea as to why you should not or would not use a Brew Belt on a glass carboy?

 

[PeterZ]

The admonition not to use on a glass carboy probably came from the legal department, not the technical department. Lots of people here use them on glass carrboys without incident.

 

[ibglowin]

Gotta love those legal departments......

I would be in big trouble if I couldn't use this on glass.

 

[Brewgrrrl]

Yes, I'm sure it's for the outside chance that someone really cranks up the heat on a reallyreallyreally cold glass carboy and the temperature clash damages the glass. It seems like you'd really have to be extreme to do that though.

 

[ibglowin]

But thats just it, there is no setting to crank up.....

Its just a nice warm piece of rubber.

I really don't see any way this would cause a catastrophic failure of a (cold) glass carboy.

 

[Brewgrrrl]

Maybe they're just figuring glass + pressure + temp change + need for disclaimer?


Another thought - (since I obsess about stuff like this) I just pulled the .pdf file for the brew belt and here is the line you're talking about:


DO NOT attempt to affix the belt to a glass (e.g. carboy or demijohn), metal or wooden fermenter.




Maybe it's not about temperature change at all, but the potential for electrical conductivity and a possible fire hazard?

 

[JimCook]

I believe the concern is that the glass will crack due to increased temperature differences over a shorter span of distance. As glass is a liquid with rather special properties, heat stress can cause it to crack. There are heating plate and blanket options as well for those that are concerned. I personally don't take risks that would cause the work I have done on a batch of wine to find it on the floor and glass shards around me after the glass gets stressed. Whether or not that would actually happen or not is inconsequential to me - it's an easy step around - so I use the Brew Belts on plastic fermenters if and when I use them.


- Jim

 

[Brewgrrrl]

That's what I thought first too, but it doesn't explain why you wouldn't be able to use them on metal or wood...

 

[ibglowin]

Wood is combustible. Understand that.

Metal conducts electricity. Understand that.

Glass is non combustible and an insulator to boot...

 

[JimCook]

I don't believe it's an electrical reason as such. I believe that wood or metal could have sharp edges that could cut into the Brew Belt and expose wires, not so much that the heat from the belt would cause the wood to burn. The glass warning is due to the risk of glass cracking with specific temperature variations across its surface. As is stated each time this discussion comes up, there are people that use the Brew Belts right on the glass carboys without problems. I personally do not and thereby exclude myself from the possibility of having a broken carboy due to a Brew Belt, but that's my path.


- Jim

 

[xanxer82]

So, it would be fine on a better bottle?

 

[ibglowin]

I don't have that luxury.

Its either brew belt on glass or no more fermentation till it warms up next spring. I chose my location because its out of the main house (wife doesn't like the smell) and I can control temps easier in a smaller space.It doesn't make sense to heat up my finished and now bulk aging wines to 72 when the room is now a nice and cool 62-64 degrees.

Perhaps some secondary containment would be in order however (just in case)

 

[JimCook]

As the Better Bottles are made from a plastic and don't have sharp edges, I would surmise that the company that makes the Brew Belt would concur. You'll want to be careful of temperatures, however, as the Brew Belts are designed to apply a certain amount of heat that would work with a 5-6 gallon batch of wine. A 3-gallon Better Bottle, for instance, may heat up too high. Possible solutions for this that would still use the Brew Belt may include a Brew Belt around a primary filled with water with the Better Bottle sitting inside for more even heating or S-wrapping a single Brew Belt to heat two different Better Bottles. Always check your temperatures.
- Jim

 

[Brewgrrrl]

Too bad they've been out for a while - we could all offer to beta test them...

 

[xanxer82]

I thought I saw a post on this forum where someone cut up a heat resistant revulcanized rubber mat to act as a spacer for a brew belt. perhaps that could alleviate some of the worry.

I've got to get a 3 gallon carboy. There are some port kits I want to try.

 

[Scott B]

Look at Steve Hughes web site


http://www.stevehughes.org/Site/The_Winery/The_Winery.html


Look at the home made Fermentation Chamber. It would work for Glass Carboys too.


Looks easy to make. Insulation board and a Light bulb.

 

[Waldo]

A heating pad also works pretty well for these situations where additional warmth is required.

 

[Joanie]

I've used brew belts on glass at least a half a dozen times and usually this time of year when the house is on the chilly side. I have never had a problem with them. One helped save my 6 gallons of chocolate raspberry port. That's a VERY good thing in my book! =)

 

[Wade E]

Ive been using brew belts on glass for many years now with no problems but Ive only applied them on glass that was no colder then around 63*.

 

[hannabarn]

I agree with Waldo. I use a heating pad and set on low and it stays around 72*.