Heat Belts

[Classic Brewing Co]

MV Blonde Dry.  This is the first time I have had to use the Heat Belt in a while as I have been brewing at ambient ( mostly Ales ) The weather has has been fairly cold lately so I need to ramp up the temp a bit, target is 22 & I can see the heat light doing it's job. Not much of a Krausen though ? I may have to ramp it up a bit.

[Journeyman]

First thing is the heat belt is too high - I don't use one but I think it's meant to have beer against it on the inside or all you are doing is warming a strip of plastic. You want heat transfer into the wort to set up convection to move the warm around. Heat rises so at present you are warming the collar and lid more than the wort.

Maybe strip that tape off and position the probe so you can put the belt around just above the tap?

Were you expecting a large krausen?

I wouldn't keep changing temps - my understanding is the yeast 'evolves' to suit the environment and if the environment keeps changing you can wind up with off tastes.

Edited August 10, 2021 by Journeyman

[Malter White]

2 minutes ago, Journeyman said:

First thing is the heat belt is too high - I don't use one but I think it's meant to have beer against it on the inside or all you are doing is warming a strip of plastic. You want heat transfer into the wort to set up convection to move the warm around. Heat rises so at present you are warming the collar and lid more than the wort.

I do similar to Classic but I position my heat belt on the lid. I tape the temp probe to the FV where wort is present. The Inkbird tells me I'm achieving the correct temperature. This might not be the most energy efficient way to do things but it works and we aren't "cooking" our wort by producing a hot spot.
I hazard to guess it'd be more efficient than a light globe in a tin can though.  

[Journeyman]

2 minutes ago, MUZZY said:

I hazard to guess it'd be more efficient than a light globe in a tin can though

Actually I don't think it would be. That can gets bloody hot, bloody fast! And it's down near the bottom of the fridge so unless you've got a fan going to redistribute heat, I'm heating my brews sooner than yours.

I've mentioned the hot band from belts and was assured it's not a thing due to convection. So my 2nd line of warming is a heat pad from Inkbird - so far all it's been used for is bottle conditioning in the cupboard. 

[Classic Brewing Co]

33 minutes ago, Journeyman said:

First thing is the heat belt is too high - I don't use one but I think it's meant to have beer against it on the inside or all you are doing is warming a strip of plastic. You want heat transfer into the wort to set up convection to move the warm around. Heat rises so at present you are warming the collar and lid more than the wort.

Maybe strip that tape off and position the probe so you can put the belt around just above the tap?

Were you expecting a large krausen?

I wouldn't keep changing temps - my understanding is the yeast 'evolves' to suit the environment and if the environment keeps changing you can wind up with off tastes.

Yes I did place it higher but will move it down as it is struggling to hit target temp.

Cheers 

[ChristinaS1]

31 minutes ago, Journeyman said:

First thing is the heat belt is too high - I don't use one but I think it's meant to have beer against it on the inside or all you are doing is warming a strip of plastic. You want heat transfer into the wort to set up convection to move the warm around. Heat rises so at present you are warming the collar and lid more than the wort.

Maybe strip that tape off and position the probe so you can put the belt around just above the tap?

Well I do use one and @Journeyman is 100% correct.  Just above the tap is a good location. Having it a couple of inches from the bottom of the FV will take advantage of heat wanting to rise while at the same time avoid cooking the trub.

Great that you have the heating belt plugged into an Inkbird @CLASSIC. That is really important.

Cheers, 

Christina.

[Pickles Jones]

I put the heat belt down towards bottom of the FV and let convection do its job.

I kept the boxes the FVs came in and put them over the FV, without Krausen Collar, and besides heating the brew, keeps a blanket of warm air around the FV.

Once up to temperature it is very efficient and doesn't turn on all that often as opposed to leaving it uncovered.

This works very well and it frees up a fridge.

[Tricky Micky]

So I'm getting the feeling judging from the various posts on where the heat belt should be placed that the "Muzzy heat belt around the lid" method could be in jeopardy.

Say it ain't so. 

 

[Classic Brewing Co]

9 minutes ago, ChristinaS1 said:

Well I do use one and @Journeyman is 100% correct.  Just above the tap is a good location. Having it a couple of inches from the bottom of the FV will take advantage of heat wanting to rise while at the same time avoid cooking the trub.

Great that you have the heating belt plugged into an Inkbird @CLASSIC. That is really important.

Cheers, 

Christina.

Cheers @ChristinaS1 I have used them in the past & always did place rhem lower, usually in a fridge in the summer months. Brewing at ambient has been working fine for me but it will be warming up soon.

This is a Mangrove Jack STC-1000 but I will be buying a WiFi Inkbird for another FV soon as I have scored another brew fridge.

Cheers 

Phil 

[Malter White]

14 minutes ago, Mickep said:

So I'm getting the feeling judging from the various posts on where the heat belt should be placed that the "Muzzy heat belt around the lid" method could be in jeopardy.

Say it ain't so. 

 

It's only in jeopardy in places other than Muzzy's. There's no scientific evidence behind what I do, just my gut feel but I'm yet to make a beer I couldn't drink so I'll continue things my way.

[RDT2]

2 hours ago, MUZZY said:

I do similar to Classic but I position my heat belt on the lid. I tape the temp probe to the FV where wort is present. The Inkbird tells me I'm achieving the correct temperature. This might not be the most energy efficient way to do things but it works and we aren't "cooking" our wort by producing a hot spot.
I hazard to guess it'd be more efficient than a light globe in a tin can though.  

Don’t you have yours in a confined space like a fridge which is why it works and Classic doesn’t hence why it’s not heating the wort?

[iBooz2]

2 hours ago, CLASSIC said:

MV Blonde Dry.  This is the first time I have had to use the Heat Belt in a while as I have been brewing at ambient ( mostly Ales ) The weather has has been fairly cold lately so I need to ramp up the temp a bit, target is 22 & I can see the heat light doing it's job. Not much of a Krausen though ? I may have to ramp it up a bit.

 

As others have said Phil by you having your heat belt up where it is your brew is never going to get to 22 C until your whole room does and that ain't going to happen with just a heat belt.

In an open air environment like you have there you need to get that heat belt down around the feet of the FV and use that area of the FV as the heat bridge between the belt and your brew.  If its around the feet themselves it will not be making direct contact with the yeast trub area. 

As PJ says the rising warm air parcel needs to convect into the FV and the brew and like PJ has also stated/recommended an excellent solution to maintain as much of that warm parcel of air around the brew i.e. his covering it with the cardboard box.

A heat belt placed up around the lid may work in a tight enclosed environment like a fridge or insulated cupboard but pretty much a waste of time and power having it where you do.

I always just drop mine around the bottom of the FV on the shelf holding the FV up when in the fridge, not actually touching the FV at all.  It lays on an aluminium plate which in itself is a good heat conductor and distributes the heat convection upwards and evenly all over the plates surface area.

Edited August 11, 2021 by iBooz2

[Classic Brewing Co]

Well I appreciate everyone's input & comments, as I said I have used the Heat Belt many times before but always in a fridge with both Heat & Cool controlling the temp. I decided to put it on yesterday as the ambient temp wasn't enough. This is the first time I have used it without placing in a brew fridge & I have checked the settings through F1/F2/F3/F4 & the Hysteresis value matches that of the target temp, so for now I will see if I can stabilise it.  The sweet spot for the heat belt seems to be just above the tap.

If this fails I will take it out under my verandah area where I have a little room housing an empty brew fridge.

Cheers.

Phil

[Classic Brewing Co]

4 hours ago, MUZZY said:

So I'm getting the feeling judging from the various posts on where the heat belt should be placed that the "Muzzy heat belt around the lid" method could be in jeopardy.

Say it ain't so. 

I think your "Muzzy" method will be safe Muzzy, I have tried various positions for the heat belt & currently the only place where it will stabilise around 20 is just above the tap. I understand being exposed in the room will affect it opposed to enclosed in a fridge or similar however the outside temp here currently is 14 degrees so the inside temp would be around 5 degrees higher I imagine.

May have to fire up the heating & crack a Stout later, that should fix everything. 

[Malter White]

3 hours ago, RDT2 said:

Don’t you have yours in a confined space like a fridge which is why it works and Classic doesn’t hence why it’s not heating the wort?

Yes mate. Mine is in a brew fridge.

[Classic Brewing Co]

Well I sorted out the problems with the Temp Controller/Heat Belt by insulating with an old bedspread & towel, it is stable on just over 18degrees but it is an Ale yeast so considering I have been brewing at ambient for months without issue, this should be fine. I had to double check the settings in the Controller so it as all good now.

[Journeyman]

3 minutes ago, CLASSIC said:

Well I sorted out the problems with the Temp Controller/Heat Belt by insulating with an old bedspread & towel...

The old beer-in-the-bedspread trick...

[Classic Brewing Co]

3 minutes ago, Journeyman said:

The old beer-in-the-bedspread trick...

Yeah I didn't think I was ever going to do that again but it works ! Now that summer is approaching ( slowly ) I will be setting up the 2 brew fridges properly with Temp control but for now I can get away with this brewing Ales & the like.

[Classic Brewing Co]

Further to the Heat Belt/Temp Control issue I emailed MJ & received a reply ( you cannot ring them anymore )  I am thinking that +/- 0.5c.  would be ideal if it was plugged into a fridge but as I am using it stand alone I have it set at +/- 0.1c. & it is still steady at 18.4c

Question  What is the desired Hysteresis Temperature Value if the target temperature is 22degrees ?
The instructions show how to change it but what should it be set at to match the above target temperature ?

 

Answer   Sam (Mangrove Jack's)

Aug 13, 2021, 9:03 GMT+10

Good day Phil, 
 
Thank you for your message.
 
Hysteresis is usually set at +/- 0.5c.
 
Please let us know should you require any further assistance.
 
Warm regards,

Sam - Senior Customer Experience Advocate - Mangrove Jack's