controlling fermentor temp

[Darrin Smith]

Id like to controll my fermenter temp better especially in summer, im guessing someone can point me in the right direction.

 

some sort of cabinet with cooling and or heater would be ideal

 

cheers

Darrom

[JackoNZ]

Get yourself a fridge off TradeMe, a temp controller like this http://craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=2592 and a heat pad and away you go.

[Richard Jack]

Or get one of the cheapies off ebay :)

[Brett Mason]

I can recommend the ebay controllers. I've wired up both and they are identical but the ebay one is way cheaper.

[Darrin Smith]

so you hooked it up to a fridge or microwave?

[Brett Mason]

It was to run a fridge and heatpad.

 

Which reminds me, both units need to be wired up before you can use them. Ideally by an electrician unless you are brave. I went with two mains outlets to avoid wiring anything to them permanently. If you do a search on this forum and the photos above for fridgemate or tempmate it should turn up some examples.

[Dougal]

Wow, that is cheap. Does that ebay controller have the 2 stages for heating and cooling like a fridgemate?

[Richard Jack]

Yup.

[MrC]

So with these temp controllers hooked up to a fridge do you really need a heat pad or is just wiring up the cooling part to your fridge sufficient?

[James P]

If you let the fridge run it's compressor for the correct time, you could over cool the wort. Having a heat pad allows you to regulate the temperature better.

 

Personally I sacrafice the fridge to ensure the beer is saved.

[JackoNZ]

Mr Cherry, you're probably right, the heat pad is not necessarily needed. My fridge is small enough that it just fits a fermenter so the temp doesn't vary much at all, except the first few days during fermentation and then the fridge set on about it's mid setting seems to work well, it kicks in when needed and doesn't overrun that the heat pad needs to then kick in. 

However having the heat pad does help for things like a D rest, if you want to crank it up a few degrees (with accuracy) at the end of fermentation then you can do so easily. I can't remember if my heat pad comes on in the cooler months of winter to maintain ferment temp, but that's another reason I can see the heat pad being handy. 

I guess if you really want to be able to have full control over your temps then the heat pad is needed. Having the controller has certainly been my best money spent in my home brewing kit.

[MrC]

Thanks Jacko.

[Stu H]

I agree with Jacko,

 

I live in Auckland, and with the weather as warm as it is, I've not needed a head pad. I might buy one in winter though.

 

S