The Usual Concerns about Fermenter Temperature???

[Darren Andrews (Daza)]

Hey guys, I have some questions about my fermenter, it's warm. I went off the Heat Pad instructions not to use the heat pad in first 24 hours so I didn't well, just about a few hours earlier it was very cold so put it on. I also used pillow 3 with a bung cord around them around the fermenter. This morning it felt very warm so I turned heat pad off, at 4 when I got home checked it and it still warm, I have been told that the fermentation process will generate some heat, but not 100% on how accurate that will be so I am going to turn on heat pad tonight with no pillows it's a wet cold night so should be ok? the temp on the side is useless I think. I want to get a STC-1000 and hook that to the fermenter and heat pad, good idea? anyone have one for sale all ready to use? Thanks guys.

Daza.

[Darren Andrews (Daza)]

Yes intrigued too. Hey on my recipe instructions I got from Brewshop, it says under Bottle. that after the gravity in stable for 24 hours that then (bottle to 2 volumes of CO2.)This should normally require 5gm dextrose per litre. The part in brackets confused about!!! and do you add your dextrose in the bottles before filling them?? is there a knack to filling bottles? I have one of those bottling tubes that I think connects to the fermenter tap?

[Craig Howard]

The knack to filling a bottle is..

Drop in the carb drops (if you are using them instead of a priming solution ) and place the bottle under the bottling tube.  Lift it up to let the beer flow thru the valve. Stop whenit gets right to the top of the bottle an dthen drop thebottle dpown and away from the tube.  This will drop the level in the neck to aboyt 40mm from the top. ( ideal).

Cap the bottle immediately and then upend it a couple of times to let the carb drops "mix".

[Darren Andrews (Daza)]

It's been one week today.

[Darren Andrews (Daza)]

The stick on thermometers are a complete waste of time, can't read mine....Is feeling the side of the fermenter(30L plastic barrel) any way to gauge the temp? seriously it doesn't feel excessively warm nor does it feel cold, so am hopping that sounds about right. I have 3 pillows wrapped around it and a heat pad underneath it (it's in the garage) and a roll of autex, which was mainly to keep it in the dark, works good too. I feel the temp might drop tonight so will put the pillows back around it as I thought maybe it was nearly a lukewarm feel to it, it was sunny today, so warm outside but gonna be cold later. Cheers.

[Nathan]

How long has been fermenting for now?

[Darren Andrews (Daza)]

One week today

[Nathan]

dont stress now the temp isnt so critical after initial fermentation

[Darren Andrews (Daza)]

Ok sweet,what is the critical stage? The first few days while its bubbling like crazy? I think the bubbling has finished now and I think the large froffy head I could see on top of beer has come down too .

[Nathan]

Yeah first 5 or so days then its really not an issue...

[Darren Andrews (Daza)]

I'm making a start in wiring my STC-1000 will need a fridge for fermenter especially coming into the warmer months ahead! Anyone have one they have already converted for sale? Cheers.

[Darren Andrews (Daza)]

I did it!! just finished wiring up my new STC-1000 and it works perfectly (just need to figure out how to use it now). I think maybe I should have it a bit tidier though was going to use my plastic lunch box! if I was to fit to a plastic box how do you stop it from flopping down when you put it in the hole you cut out? is that what those orange bits on the side are for, and what do you do with those if it is? Cheers.

[URL=http://s909.photobucket.com/user/daza152/media/STC-1000%20002.jpg.html][IMG]http://i909.photobucket.com/albums/ac298/daza152/STC-1000%20002.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://s909.photobucket.com/user/daza152/media/STC-1000%20003.jpg.html][IMG]http://i909.photobucket.com/albums/ac298/daza152/STC-1000%20003.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[Darren Andrews (Daza)]

Not as hard as one would think to do either, I have found the perfect!! website to follow have a look please....

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=433985 Save it and pass it on to others who may be thinking of trying it out, easy to follow.