Aquarium heaters.

[planethax]

So I have been stalking Ebay for a fully submersible aquarium heaters.

Most I find are from Hong Kong but though the AC plugs look right they are listed at 220v - 240v
eg:
http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie ... 0830359633" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Work these work here in NA?

[BoisBlancBoy]

Yeah it should work fine. Just don't go to small with the heater cause if they work too hard keeping the ferment warm they typically don't last to long. Especially on a cheaper model like the one your looking at. If you size it to between 3-5 watts per gallon your trying to heat will be plenty.

[BoisBlancBoy]

I forgot to say its best to get a stainless kinda as well.

[Prairiepiss]

I'm sory where is NA?

I don't recommend getting a glass one. I don't even recommend them for fish tanks. I recommend stainless ones with a remote temp sensor. Little more expensive. But when that glass one breaks in your ferment. You will wish you had spent the extra.

[planethax]

I'm sory where is NA?

I don't recommend getting a glass one. I don't even recommend them for fish tanks. I recommend stainless ones with a remote temp sensor. Little more expensive. But when that glass one breaks in your ferment. You will wish you had spent the extra.

North America sorry for confusion.

Good points! Thank you.

[DAD300]

They will work, but the watts rating will be approx 1/4 the listed if put to a 110v outlet...

So, if you need 200watts from 110v, get an 800watt 240v model.

[planethax]

They will work, but the watts rating will be approx 1/4 the listed if put to a 110v outlet...

So, if you need 200watts from 110v, get an 800watt 240v model.

Well I really like the price of these shipped, lol
But being glass I am having second thoughts.

I started searching for these from a post I read (from Mr P IIRC) that said he uses a heater for a 30 Gallon Fish tank.

If I were to go with one of these I think the 300watt would be darn close.

I'm not jumping to it yet, I still have to finish my rig before I get to the Wash/fermenting part.

[Prairiepiss]

I've never posted that I used a heater from a 30gal tank. Because I have never used one. I use heating pads and blankets if I need heat for a fermenter.

[planethax]

I've never posted that I used a heater from a 30gal tank. Because I have never used one. I use heating pads and blankets if I need heat for a fermenter.

Sorry, been reading so much and so many different posters I must have gotten names mixed up.

[BoisBlancBoy]

I can't say as I have ever seen a 220v aquarium heater. But then again you would be needing to heat a very large tank, much more than we would need to use for our hobby ferment purposes.

[Prairiepiss]

I can't say as I have ever seen a 220v aquarium heater. But then again you would be needing to heat a very large tank, much more than we would need to use for our hobby ferment purposes.

They are for overseas. Where 220v is the norm. Not really intended for use here in the states. Or other countries that use primarily 120v.

[planethax]

I've never posted that I used a heater from a 30gal tank. Because I have never used one. I use heating pads and blankets if I need heat for a fermenter.

Funny part is I went back to find the post and it was actually Dad300's post I was reading.

[Prairiepiss]

No biggy. I've been quoted for lots worse. LOL

[planethax]

Well my first order was a bust.
Ordered March 31st and still nada!

Just ordered from another seller.

This one is bigger but is not glass (from what I can tell)

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/371034969159?ssP ... 1497.l2649" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

[BoisBlancBoy]

That should serve you well!

[nickbbb]

I bought a glass one off ebay for about 7 bucks. But I put it in an ice chest and put my ferment buckets in the ice chest then fill it with water. Works really well!!

[Sackett]

I just got a 200 watt one from the local pet store. Hope it works out ok. Trying to figure out how to keep foaming washes, and caps from getting on the control

[Limey]

I use an aquarium heater in 220 ltr barrel. However, I dont put it directly into the mash. I drilled a hole in the lid and fitted a 50mm tank connector and 1m of 50mm plastic overflow pipe with a stop cap at the bottom. The result is a submersible tube that when filled with water is great for dropping the aquarium heater into. The advantage with this is that an airtight seal is maintained on the barrel and more importantly the heater doesn't need cleaning after each ferment. The heater can also be removed during fermentation if required.

[phillmystill]

I got 2 240v 25w heaters (delivered 2 days ago) off ebay for around £6.50 each.

I put them straight to work (after thoroughly sterilising them) in 2 25l tpws. I set the temperature on them both to 28C and by checking regularly with my digital thermometer they seem to be holding the wash at a good steady temperature around the 28C mark.

They are glass, but stated as explosion proof.

[phillmystill]

I use an aquarium heater in 220 ltr barrel. However, I dont put it directly into the mash. I drilled a hole in the lid and fitted a 50mm tank connector and 1m of 50mm plastic overflow pipe with a stop cap at the bottom. The result is a submersible tube that when filled with water is great for dropping the aquarium heater into. The advantage with this is that an airtight seal is maintained on the barrel and more importantly the heater doesn't need cleaning after each ferment. The heater can also be removed during fermentation if required.

Great Idea, saves on messy clean-ups and the bother of sterilising the heater.

[Paulinka]

Not to mention that an AG mash can literally carbonize on a glass aquarium heater if submerged directly. I learned this the hard way, had two days spraying the heating rod with bbq-foam to loose the coal on it. But it works wonders when used properly, here is how I do it:

I have a 50L fermenting barrel, and I drop in 3x a bit less than 15L mash (3.5kg grain for 12L water). The barrel has three layers of insulation, one windshield-heat reflector ducttaped, one plastic foam blanket which is also ducttaped, and one polar blanket, which is secured with two elastic plastic ropes that have a clamp on both ends (we call them gum-spiders, but these variation is only a sole spider-leg each). I bought a 11cm PVC-pipe and a fitting cap for it, glued with silicone.

Now before you start to think about that oh, but PVC and silicone can go into the mash, I tell you that this heatpipe is in a foodsafe plastic bag, so no nasties can go through, only heat. The PVC heatpipe is filled with water, and a 75W aquarium-heater is dropped to the bottom of it. For 22C overall it is set to 26C, it takes about a day

I don't even have to clean it, all I got to have is a plastic bag every 10 days when ferment is ready to cook.
Try it, you will absolutely love it. I have very low temperatures in my shed, and with this setup I make faster ferments in optimal temp than in summer, when day/night cycles fluctuate and stress the yeast.

One last thing: always pull out the heater before you take it out from the water. These things are made in China, and from an electrician's POV better safe than sorry.

[guyinmariposa]

I set my mash barrel on a waterbed heater in the shop when it gets cold . Works great----mike

[Brutal]

I have a 150 watt glass aquarium heater that is advertised as being "submersible." Well, I'm going to find out. I'm going to start a big ass mash in my big barrel soon and just drop this thing down the bung hole set to 68. Probably have the barrel up on some 2x4's and throw a couple blankets at it.