Heating Pads

[toofless one]

Has any one had a problem with malfunctioning heating pads used to warm carboys? I have plastic buckets and a 5 gal platsic jug. The weather here now rarely gets above 0C, even in the day time. It makes me nervous sometimes using a standard heating pad for heat. Anyone ever encounter a malfunction, melting, FIRE?? I havent thus far

[bstinga]

If your ambient temps are generally below 0 degrees C than most heat pads will struggle to keep temps up. I have a seperate thermostat controller as well but this is for summer use really, in winter they will just keep going and going.. also depends alot on your heatpads wattage rating.

I have an RCD on mine in case moisture gets in or burns out, some pads are better than others (I use gardening ones, some are hard plastic, others elements in a soft matt). Better to have the RCD isolate the line and have a cold wash than a fire or shock, they are really cheap these days.

[toofless one]

well, the heating pad is indoors and its can keep my two vessels at around 74F. Could you clarify RCD for me? Is that an AUS thing? would that be similar to a surge protector in US? I got the element in the soft mat.

[bstinga]

A residual current device (RCD), similar to a Residual Current Circuit Breaker (RCCB). I have mine inside too.I have however found condensation can build up and for example on one of my sealed hard element boards has caused the surface to become damaged and moisture get in. I used to have a propagating shed with an element in concrete bed, it livened up a nearby table, gave me some un-nerving tingles, also had an aquarium heater fill with water and give me some tingles (yet again)... been a bit cautious since then.

Some people use old fridges or freezers to hold heat in. Check out some of the beer brewer sites.

[toofless one]

Ahh I see now. It GFCI, like an outlet in a kitchen. Thanks for the clarification, friend.

[talon]

When brewing beer in the winter I use an electric blanket at almost the lowest setting. Wrap it around my carboy and use bungee cords to keep it in place. To find out of it would work well, I filled my carboy with water and used two thermometers to check temp. One aquarium type on tape on thermometer on the lower portion, and a digital stick between the blanket and the carboy near the top. Works well and also keeps light off the wort. Heating pad might work, but will concentrate the heat in a small area.

[myerfire]

If anyone buys a new heating pad, don't get the one where the switch is a button, push it once and it comes on low, push again for medium and again for high. I plug my heating pad into a temperature controler, and once the controller turns the pad off, it will stay off until the button is pressed. It's better to get a heating pad with a mechanical switch.
myerfire

[still crazy]

Just an FYI for toofless you can buy a GFI protected multi plug block if your using this in a remote local and don't want to run a long cord.

[toofless one]

ive just been placing the carboys on top of it and it definitely keeps the temp much warmer than ambient air. it has been working great. no issues with melting pad or buckets (so far).

you know what they say...everything works great the day before it fails.