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When Physics works

Journeyman

By Journeyman
in DIY Brewing Blether

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Journeyman

Journeyman

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In my ferment fridge I've been using a globe inside a peaches can, hanging upside down. Worked great for a couple of years. The the (incandecent) globe blew & when I went to replace it I could only get a halogen one. Then that blew & as I pulled it out the socket fell apart. Not sure if the halogen one heated more than the incandecent or if it was a long term thing.

Looking around it seems impossible to find either incandecent bulbs OR bayonet (B22) sockets that are not all plastic & rated for no more than 25W - 30W - from experience that's not really enough to turn up the heat enough to run Kveik brews.

So I would up getting a clip-on desk lamp, E27 & some socket adapters to take the B22 bulbs I got cheap on ebay. Bulbs started blowing - I'd get maybe a couple of days & off they'd go.

I thought it through & back to ebay & got a clip on fan. Double adapter in the Inkbird, point fan at light & it works a charm - lamp can't get hot enough to blow the bulbs.

The physics? Across the years I'd go to the brew room & probably 75% of the time the IB would be in heating mode. Didn't worry me even on a 60W bulb. Since the fam I'd guesstimate the times the heating is on would be maybe 1 in 15 times I go out there.

What I think is happening is, the fan pushes the heat evenly around the fridge, warming all surfaces as well as the brew before the IB shuts the light off. So there is a much longer period where things cool slowly than before when top of fridge got warm & there was a temperature gradient to the bottom. The convection from just the light isn't anywhere near as complete as with the fan. 

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Journeyman

Journeyman

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On 3/17/2023 at 3:58 PM, Kegory said:

That's almost certainly what's happening but wouldn't it be easier just to use a heat band?

Not with 2 x FV's in there. 😄 Also I tried a heat pad & it couldn't get the temp above, at best, 10° above ambient so Kveik wasn't working. I talked to Inkbird & that was the best I could expect. 

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BlackSands

BlackSands

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I used to use a light bulb as a heat source too.  Had similar issues to you so in the end swapped it out for a heat belt.  Seems to do the job adequately enough and has no problem getting a kveik fermentation up to 40ºC.

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Journeyman

Journeyman

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22 hours ago, BlackSands said:

I used to use a light bulb as a heat source too.  Had similar issues to you so in the end swapped it out for a heat belt.  Seems to do the job adequately enough and has no problem getting a kveik fermentation up to 40ºC.

Do you do 1 FV at a time? Or a heat belt for each?

I think the heat pad I got was low power - 1st thing IB asked was about the wattage. Picked up a 2nd hand heat lamp yesterday - need to re-wire it for safety (frayed at plug) but apart from being a bit big it should do - runs 175W bulb so should only be on for like a minute at a time. 😄

 

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NBillett09

NBillett09

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I tried having two FVs in the fridge recently and was wondering how to do the heat belt. As the actual heating element part of it wasn’t long enough to reach around both what I did was wrap each in it’s own heat belt and then plug a double adaptor to the heating socket on the Inkbird and plugged both belts into that. I assumed that  in my case, as each FV held two halves of exactly the same recipe, what happened in one would be happening in the other so I attached the probe to one and let it go. All worked out fine! I’d assume that should work even if two different brews? If they’re in the same fridge I’d assume you were fermenting at the same temp anyways.

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DavidM

DavidM

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I Have three FV's in my fridge, sometimes, Heat pad sit's on the shelf, taped to the back wall.

It works but I've not tried to heat it up to Kveik temps, I brew at 20

One size/temp fits all

Lazy Brewer 

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kmar92

kmar92

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58 minutes ago, NBillett09 said:

I tried having two FVs in the fridge recently and was wondering how to do the heat belt. As the actual heating element part of it wasn’t long enough to reach around both what I did was wrap each in it’s own heat belt and then plug a double adaptor to the heating socket on the Inkbird and plugged both belts into that. I assumed that  in my case, as each FV held two halves of exactly the same recipe, what happened in one would be happening in the other so I attached the probe to one and let it go. All worked out fine! I’d assume that should work even if two different brews? If they’re in the same fridge I’d assume you were fermenting at the same temp anyways.

In my opinion you are better off not using a heat belt directly on a fermenter, rather just hang it in the fridge or do as @DavidM has done and let it just heat the air in the fridge. Attached directly to the fermenter you are probably going to get hot spots in the fermenter that are probably not good for the yeast and the ferment generally.

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Kegory

Kegory

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18 minutes ago, kmar92 said:

In my opinion you are better off not using a heat belt directly on a fermenter, rather just hang it in the fridge or do as @DavidM has done and let it just heat the air in the fridge. Attached directly to the fermenter you are probably going to get hot spots in the fermenter that are probably not good for the yeast and the ferment generally.

If the yeast sits on the top, or the bottom, and warm liquid rises while cool liquid falls is it going to have much of an impact?

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kmar92

kmar92

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8 minutes ago, Kegory said:

If the yeast sits on the top, or the bottom, and warm liquid rises while cool liquid falls is it going to have much of an impact?

The yeast is actually throughout the wort, yes convection in the fermenter will help but you will still have a hot spot in the fermenter. Will it make a big difference, I am not sure, but it is not necessary so why not keep the heat belt separate from the fermenter? That way the temperature is even throughout the fermenter.

Edited by kmar92
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Classic Brewing Co

Classic Brewing Co

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10 minutes ago, Tricky Micky said:

I use the Muzzy method - placing the belt around the lid of the Coopers FV. I miss Muzzy. 😂 

I really don't think my heat belt switches on much at all, occasionally I hear the fridge kick in, but this house is double brick with very high ceilings at the ambient temperature remains fairly constant, that's why I just whack it in the centre. 

OK Tricky?

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Tricky Micky

Tricky Micky

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1 hour ago, Classic Brewing Co said:

I really don't think my heat belt switches on much at all, occasionally I hear the fridge kick in, but this house is double brick with very high ceilings at the ambient temperature remains fairly constant, that's why I just whack it in the centre. 

OK Tricky?

Tricky Micky - I assure you everything's above board. 🤣

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Kegory

Kegory

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2 hours ago, Tricky Micky said:

I use the Muzzy method - placing the belt around the lid of the Coopers FV. I miss Muzzy. 😂 

I have seen pictures of that. I was gonna ask but then this thread came along. 

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