Journeyman Posted March 17, 2023 Share Posted March 17, 2023 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. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kegory Posted March 17, 2023 Share Posted March 17, 2023 That's almost certainly what's happening but wouldn't it be easier just to use a heat band? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted March 19, 2023 Author Share Posted March 19, 2023 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. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackSands Posted March 19, 2023 Share Posted March 19, 2023 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted March 20, 2023 Author Share Posted March 20, 2023 (edited) 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. Edited March 20, 2023 by Journeyman 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NBillett09 Posted March 20, 2023 Share Posted March 20, 2023 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. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidM Posted March 20, 2023 Share Posted March 20, 2023 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 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmar92 Posted March 20, 2023 Share Posted March 20, 2023 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. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kegory Posted March 20, 2023 Share Posted March 20, 2023 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? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmar92 Posted March 20, 2023 Share Posted March 20, 2023 (edited) 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 March 20, 2023 by kmar92 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malter White Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 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? Yes. Yes it would but our friend, @Journeyman, is like the Professor from Gilligan's Island who could build a radio from coconut shells but couldn't fix a hole in a boat. 1 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classic Brewing Co Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 I have never had any problem with a heat belt placed in the middle of the fermenter. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky Micky Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 1 hour ago, Classic Brewing Co said: I have never had any problem with a heat belt placed in the middle of the fermenter. I use the Muzzy method - placing the belt around the lid of the Coopers FV. I miss Muzzy. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classic Brewing Co Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 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? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky Micky Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classic Brewing Co Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 18 minutes ago, Tricky Micky said: Tricky Micky - I assure you everything's above board. Sounds a bit sus mate 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kegory Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky Micky Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 30 minutes ago, Classic Brewing Co said: 49 minutes ago, Tricky Micky said: Tricky Micky - I assure you everything's above board. Sounds a bit sus mate Just trust me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journeyman Posted March 23, 2023 Author Share Posted March 23, 2023 11 hours ago, Malter White said: Yes. Yes it would but our friend, @Journeyman, is like the Professor from Gilligan's Island who could build a radio from coconut shells but couldn't fix a hole in a boat. All those comedians out of work & you're looking for a job? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oldbloke Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 (edited) I just run a globe under the single fermenter via inkbird. Seems OK. The bottom of the fermenter is painted black. Edited March 23, 2023 by Oldbloke 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackSands Posted March 27, 2023 Share Posted March 27, 2023 On 3/20/2023 at 3:31 PM, Journeyman said: Do you do 1 FV at a time? Or a heat belt for each? 1 FV, 1 Heat Belt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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