Temperatures for Clearing/Stabilizing
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Thanks, Wade. I think I'll have to buy a couple more brew belts so I can keepmaking winethrough the fall/winter months, here in Idaho and especially in my basement where I have my beer/wine making space.
I actually, think the heating pad with bungies is better since it has potential to put out more heat and I can control it from low-med-high settings. I do worry a little bit about the effect of the heat on glass, though.
I actually, think the heating pad with bungies is better since it has potential to put out more heat and I can control it from low-med-high settings. I do worry a little bit about the effect of the heat on glass, though.
JimCook
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I know there are quite a few people that use brew belts directly on glass, but for those of us that can't keep moving it or don't want to risk cracks in glass from heat variations, here's another option: http://www.finevinewines.com/wiz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3365
A little more work up front but a lot more hands-free overall.
Jim
A little more work up front but a lot more hands-free overall.
Jim
Hi Jim,
Thanks for that link. I read through it and really like the idea...very creative!
I think I'll be making a trip to my pet store to get one or two of those...I kind of like the side by side ideaand might make them large ones so I could make a bigger boardfor two carboys. That way, I could unplug one if I'm not using it.
I'll have to make a trip to my local hardware store for plexiglass and will look in my garage for some wood. How thin is that wood? Any suggestions on where to ask for some scraps...I like the cost of those.
Thanks again!
Thanks for that link. I read through it and really like the idea...very creative!
I think I'll be making a trip to my pet store to get one or two of those...I kind of like the side by side ideaand might make them large ones so I could make a bigger boardfor two carboys. That way, I could unplug one if I'm not using it.
I'll have to make a trip to my local hardware store for plexiglass and will look in my garage for some wood. How thin is that wood? Any suggestions on where to ask for some scraps...I like the cost of those.
Thanks again!
That is awesome and looks better but uses more electricity. I believe the brew belt uses 6w. Does that have an adjustable thermo on it Jim. I have never had a problem with the brew belt and believe that the person who started this problem had a hairline crack in there carboy and when heated it expanded as i seen this for myself this year with a carboy that i got from the recycling center and if you ever had a crack in your windshield in the winter and put on the defroster to defrost your windshield and actually seen it spread like it always does youll know what happens. Have ou ever had 1 crack just from turning on the defroster without a crack in it first, NO. I love your idea and it looks better and probably isnt even noticeable in the electric bill. For those of you that are going to do this, Most Home depots and Lowes have small pcs. of 1/4" plexi or Lexan for sale as a 4' x8' sheet is very expensive.
JimCook
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Laney,
The wood was 1/4", which is the same thickness as the lexan. The setup is more expensive than a brewbelt, but it's so hands-free and keeps a full carboy at 70-72 degrees, if I remember correctly. The wattage will be more than a brew belt, as Wade noted - my initial concern was the fire hazard and incosistency of using a heating pad, which uses much more electricity and the ones I found had auto-shut off, which didn't help for wine. I know there are people on the forum that go with other ideas and that's great. This works for me as I'm not able to babysit my wine all the time with my schedule, so I like the ability to have 'autopilot' settings that help with degassing or secondary fermentation and keep my brew belt free for primary fermentation needs. It also works well when the temperature drops in the room thanks to Old Man Winter in the Midwest. Like wine, a different taste for each person.
JimEdited by: JimCook
The wood was 1/4", which is the same thickness as the lexan. The setup is more expensive than a brewbelt, but it's so hands-free and keeps a full carboy at 70-72 degrees, if I remember correctly. The wattage will be more than a brew belt, as Wade noted - my initial concern was the fire hazard and incosistency of using a heating pad, which uses much more electricity and the ones I found had auto-shut off, which didn't help for wine. I know there are people on the forum that go with other ideas and that's great. This works for me as I'm not able to babysit my wine all the time with my schedule, so I like the ability to have 'autopilot' settings that help with degassing or secondary fermentation and keep my brew belt free for primary fermentation needs. It also works well when the temperature drops in the room thanks to Old Man Winter in the Midwest. Like wine, a different taste for each person.
JimEdited by: JimCook
Dean
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What about a water bath? I've seem some people place a carboy in something like a plastic storage container, add water to it so the carboy is 1/4 to 1/2 immersed, then used aquarium heaters to heat the water. This keeps the temperature extremely consistent, and uses hardly any power since water will retain heat much better than air.
Personally, I just purchased an oil filled heater to keep my fermentation room warm. The oil filled radiators are very energy efficient as well, because once oil is up to temperature, it doesn't take much power to keep it at temperature. It's certainly helping with MLF on my blackberry and I don't have to wait until spring for it to warm up and complete.
Personally, I just purchased an oil filled heater to keep my fermentation room warm. The oil filled radiators are very energy efficient as well, because once oil is up to temperature, it doesn't take much power to keep it at temperature. It's certainly helping with MLF on my blackberry and I don't have to wait until spring for it to warm up and complete.
Wade, Jim and Dean -
Thanks for all the tips/help on this one. I also have some concerns about fire hazards and not to be non-environmental or not careful with money, but am looking for a safe way to get consistent temperatures as my main priority and then the wattage usage is sort of a secondary concern. I have considered some space heaters and maybe it's not logical/rational but have fear of fires with those more than brew belts or the terrarium heater.
I was also thinking it would be more consistent than a heating pad...it'd be really cool if it came with a regulator and would self control temperature. I do end up babysitting it and checking temperatures twice per day and flipping switch up or down based on where it's at. My brew belts will only keep the ones in stabilization/clarification around the 68 degree mark.
I hadn't considered the oil heater and don't know too much about them, but might have to research them some more. I think the extra container to put a carboy in with water sounds like it'd be really hard to handle...I already consider it a work out to manage the carboys and don't want to introduce that complexity although am sure the temperature consistenty would be great.
Thanks for all the tips/help on this one. I also have some concerns about fire hazards and not to be non-environmental or not careful with money, but am looking for a safe way to get consistent temperatures as my main priority and then the wattage usage is sort of a secondary concern. I have considered some space heaters and maybe it's not logical/rational but have fear of fires with those more than brew belts or the terrarium heater.
I was also thinking it would be more consistent than a heating pad...it'd be really cool if it came with a regulator and would self control temperature. I do end up babysitting it and checking temperatures twice per day and flipping switch up or down based on where it's at. My brew belts will only keep the ones in stabilization/clarification around the 68 degree mark.
I hadn't considered the oil heater and don't know too much about them, but might have to research them some more. I think the extra container to put a carboy in with water sounds like it'd be really hard to handle...I already consider it a work out to manage the carboys and don't want to introduce that complexity although am sure the temperature consistenty would be great.
