Winter fermenter built

[floppy]

24' heat tape spiraling a hdpe container. Going to fill with water and mess with a timer and figure out if I can keep 30 gallons of water at 60-70 in my below freezing shop


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[Bushman]

Let us know how it works, I built a fermenting cart that I can move around and insulated it. I can fit 3 eight gallon fermenters inside. Just out of curiosity why is the TV controller in the picture?

[still_stirrin]

Carpet? Just be careful so you don't spill...or, I hope your blowoff tube never plugs...could get sticky in the carpet.

[jb-texshine]

Now insulate it. Carpet pad works great. Mine sat out in the shop with a 300w aquarium heater in it last winter and stayed warm wrapped in carpet pad. Dont forget the bottom too. Be careful with the lid, theyll crack when cold. Use an old bedsheet laid over the top,under the lid, to keep gnats out of it.

[shadylane]

Do's the heat tape have a built in thermostat ?
Most of the ones I've seen don't turn on till the temp drops to around 40f
One a side note, cheap STC1000 controllers work good for temp control

[Opdog]

Amazon had 30 gallon aquarium heaters on sale last week for ~$20.


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[still_stirrin]

Amazon had 30 gallon aquarium heaters on sale last week for ~$20.

Yeh, but I don't think the aquarium heater would keep up with the chilly nights in floppy's garage. This heat tape puts out a lot more heat..over a larger surface area. And as suggested already, insulation will help keep the heat added by the heat tape stay inside the fermenter.

Two things to consider (3 really):
1) ambient temperature of the environment,
2) temperature and thermal "power" of the heat source (heat tape..kW or BTU/hr.), and
3) the mass of the fluid intended to heat (the ferment).

I doubt an aquarium heater would deliver enough power to keep the temperature warm in a 30 gallon fermenter where the ambient temperature is in the 40*F range at night. Insulation will help...and HELP A LOT. Still, the surface area of the fermenter is large and creates a large area with which to lose heat to the environment.
ss

[floppy]

Let us know how it works, I built a fermenting cart that I can move around and insulated it. I can fit 3 eight gallon fermenters inside. Just out of curiosity why is the TV controller in the picture?

The remote for my tv I wrapped it up in my living room yhat is also why the carpet


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[jb-texshine]

Concerning the aquarium heaters...
A 500w might,maybe if insulated,go from 40°to 80°. Two 300w will for sure if insulated and then one@300w will keep it warm. Its what i used last year. I dont heat my persimmons, just wrap the fermenter up and let them finish in their own time. 5 gallon bucket fermenters just get stacked in the bathroom corner.

[floppy]

Concerning the aquarium heaters...
A 500w might,maybe if insulated,go from 40°to 80°. Two 300w will for sure if insulated and then one@300w will keep it warm. Its what i used last year. I dont heat my persimmons, just wrap the fermenter up and let them finish in their own time. 5 gallon bucket fermenters just get stacked in the bathroom corner.

no more fermenting in the house the wife said lol


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