maintaining fermenting temperatures

[Thies]

what do most home brewers use to maintain the recommended fermentation temperatures for ales ?

so far i have kept the fermenting barrel in a dark space under the stairs. i like to try and keep the temperature closer to recommended fermenting temp. i see many of these heat belts or pads but these need monitoring to keep the temperature controlled ? so you would have to turn it on , keep checking then turn of again? Or do you plug these in to a temperature control device? I've seen these immersible heaters, like a tropical fish tank style, would these be any better/easier then the heat pads? ( i could imagine a infection issue here maybe ?) do you have a dedicated insulated plywood box where you keep the fermenting bucket in to maintain the temperature? one of the next brews i wish to make is a hefeweizen, and read it's important to keep this around the 17c to get that right flavour. 

thanks

[Barry]

"From China" — show me something that isn't.

[Barry]

Yeah the pre-wiring is always nice, but that device only switches one thing. Cooling or heating, not both. an STC1000 can switch 2 things (so you can have a heat source inside your fridge for winter fermenting when you can struggle to maintain 18°C)

[Max]

Oh right yep I see what's going on. Yeah that dual-control one would be better. Heh does quality or brand-name come into play with these devices - aside from dropping hundreds on something made for a laboratory or the likes.

[Barry]

Yeah not sure, but there are thousands of brewers worldwide using the STC1000 to control fermenting fridges

http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/45747-stc-1000-temp-controller/?h...

[Peter Smith]

I have three and they all work perfectly....   I am gagging to try the reprogram and have profile ability

[Max]

How does $22 sound, to your front door.

Looks like a piece of piss, find a double electrical socket or two female extension cord ends and you're laughing. The nerve of that guy on Trade Me to set it at $100 just because it's in a plastic box from Jaycar. 

[Julian Melville]

"Can't deliver to New Zealand" apparently. Other than that it sounds amazing. Looks like there are others on there for only a bit more that will ship though.

[Barry]

For me that page says "US $5.79 to New Zealand via China Post Air Mail".

Total US $18.34. BARGAIN.

[Julian Melville]

Huh, whaddya know, second time round it does for me as well. Might have to order one.

[Peter Smith]

almost this is a good schematic....

http://i905.photobucket.com/albums/ac260/carlajefferies/stc1000.png

[Barry]

The way I've done my single controller at home is thus:

• It's in a plastic electrical-type box
• The box has a male lead and plugs into the wall socket.
• The box has a female outlet on it that the fridge plugs in to (which could easily be 2 outlets — one for the fridge and one for the heat source
• The box has the temp probe lead coming out of it.

The advantage of this is that I can take the box anywhere and plug anything into it.

[Peter Smith]

heres one I got off trademe, needs to be in a box so wires not exposed....   and beer doesnt one day get spilt on it as the top of fermentation fridges make great places to put bottles, glasses that you dont want to knock over....  in fact the top of my fridges are crap magnets