Cold basement

[bstnh1]

My basement runs about 65 degrees. To keep things warm, I'm planning to put the primary and later the carboy in a plastic rope tub ($5 from WallyWorld); fill the tub with water and keep it heated with a submersible aquarium heater and circulated with a small fountain pump. Anyone have any experience using this method to keep things toasty? I read about this method somewhere along the line and supposedly it's much easier to hold an even temperature than using a brew belt, etc.

 

[dangerdave]

My basement is the same---about 65 year around. It's awesome for wine storage, but when I'm fermenting, I use a brew belt. They are cheap and simple and keep the fermentation right around 75F. About $20 each.

 

[Wade E]

I to use the brew belts and have for many years and yes, even on glass carboys with not one problem at all.despite the warning on the packsge. Just dont put a brew belt on a carboy that just came fromoutside in the winter or if it was in uour fridge cold stabilizing.

 

[tonyandkory]

I to use the brew belts and have for many years and yes, even on glass carboys with not one problem at all.despite the warning on the packsge. Just dont put a brew belt on a carboy that just came fromoutside in the winter or if it was in uour fridge cold stabilizing.

You must have a pretty big fridge to fit a six gallon carboy with airlock on top.

 

[dangerdave]

You must have a pretty big...

Yes, we tell him that all the time.

 

[robie]

My basement runs about 65 degrees. To keep things warm, I'm planning to put the primary and later the carboy in a plastic rope tub ($5 from WallyWorld); fill the tub with water and keep it heated with a submersible aquarium heater and circulated with a small fountain pump. Anyone have any experience using this method to keep things toasty? I read about this method somewhere along the line and supposedly it's much easier to hold an even temperature than using a brew belt, etc.

You are right. I like a brew belt, too, but after fermentation starts, it just keeps on adding heat. If you turn it off, then when fermentation slows, there is nothing to keep the temperature from dropping too low.

Use the longer aquarium heater and use two, not one - one on each side. That way you have a safety and one doesn't have to do all the work.

 

[dangerdave]

I like a brew belt, too, but after fermentation starts, it just keeps on adding heat.

I haven't noticed that problem, robie. I check my temp each time I check my SG during fermentation, and have yet to get more than 75F. I'm sure it has to do with the basement being cool to start with.

 

[tingo]

I have found that simply placing the carboy on a plank of wood and wrapping a sleeping bag around it does the trick. I prefer this over brew belts bc of the maintained temperature rather than an ever increasing one. Duct tape or bungee straps work well for holding it in place.

 

[olusteebus]

I use the tub and a aquarium heater. Worked good for me. I also put two ferment buckets in a larger storage container (plastic bin) at one time. Worked perfectly.

 

[roadpupp]

The first time I made wine I didn't watch the temp and in a 66 deg basement the primary got up to 82 at the peak of fermentation with the belt on. Now I just put it on for the first day or so and unplug it for 4-5 days while things are really cooking and I haven't had any issues. I often plug it back in while in secondary and for degassing. A water bath and heaters seems like more to fuss with than I would prefer.

 

[robie]

The first time I made wine I didn't watch the temp and in a 66 deg basement the primary got up to 82 at the peak of fermentation with the belt on. Now I just put it on for the first day or so and unplug it for 4-5 days while things are really cooking and I haven't had any issues. I often plug it back in while in secondary and for degassing. A water bath and heaters seems like more to fuss with than I would prefer.

Even though I like the aquarium heater idea, I don't use it, yet. I do pretty much what roadpupp does. It works well for me, because I sort of baby my fermentations; I don't get too far away while it is going.

 

[olusteebus]

The thing about a aquarium heater, if it has variable control, is that it will not heat the water if it reaches a certain point. In a 65 degree room, it will heat say to 75 and no more unless the rooms temp goes up.

 

[robie]

The thing about a aquarium heater, if it has variable control, is that it will not heat the water if it reaches a certain point. In a 65 degree room, it will heat say to 75 and no more unless the rooms temp goes up.

That's why in an earlier post I recommended using two of them; especially in a cooler area like a basement.

It's also nice, when one of them quits on you.

 

[bstnh1]

Thanks for all the replies! I wound up using a tub of water with an aquarium heater and a small circulating pump and wrapping the whole thing in insulation. It's keeps everything as toasty as I want even in a 46 degree basement.