Northern US outdoor fermenter

[WhiteDevil504]

Alright guys so I started a project so I could do larger all grain batches. I live in the northern US where winter temps can be in the single digits (or lower) and I had been using a few 6 gallon fermenters in the kitchen but it was a bit of a pain space wise. So I decided it was time to upgrade to a 30 gallon version that I could put outside.

So I got the normal brute garbage can (ldpt #4)' I made a few disks of reflectix insulation and taped those to the bottom, then wrapped it up in 4" of insulation, then wrapped it in reflectix, taped the seam and am working on the lid now. With no holes in the lid it was able to maintain heat pretty well (200 degree water was 170 after 6 hours in 34 degree weather and the lid insulation kept blowing off). Now I am working on the lid and trying to figure out the best way to route the aquarium heater in, and the co2 vent. How many of you guys are bothering to use a bubbler of some type on the larger fermenter? How do you keep the line from freezing? I could see using fores in a glass mason jar with the tubing transitioning to a piece of 1/2 copper in the jar (so the plastic doesn't dissolve into the fores) but I started thinking I might be making this harder than need be. I don't want the ferment to become contaminated, there is almost always a strong wind coming across farm fields so there will be no shortage of contaminates around..... Any other built in features you've come to appreciate (or maybe wish you'd built in)? Thoughts?

[Soft batch]

The brute lid is not airtight. I put an grommet and airlock in, it has never bubbled - waste of time. As far as the aquarium heater, I drilled a hole big enough for the cord just below the rim, then sliced down to it. I do not have any insulation like you do (I ferment in the basement @ 68).

[bearriver]

Looks good. A somewhat loose fitting lid will work fine for bleeding off excess co2, without transferring the cold air outside into your fermenter.

I wont be surprised to find your heating requirements will go up substantially being an outside fermenter, even with your dandy insulation job. 2-3 watts per gallon might be more appropriate apposed to the usual 1 watt per gallon.

[woodshed]

Wrap that sucker in heat tape for a roof or rain gutters. Put it on a timer if you are concerned about energy use. With that insulation the combo will maintain heat as well as too be expected. I can't see an aquarium heater doing that in below 0 weather.

[CH3CH2OH]

i use a waterbed heater taped and zip tied to the side of the fermenter and plugged into a stc1000 controller. Works great and you could also put one under the fermenter.

They are really cheap on craigslist or other used classified sites

[WhiteDevil504]

Hey guys thanks for they replies. So I have a 300 watt aquarium heater, so hopefully it'll provide enough heat to keep it in the range, so far it's been a warm winter so I would be content if it could keep the temps stable while outdoor temps are in the teens. I wish I'd have thought of the gutter heaters or the water bed heater.... I guess I should have asked before I started building. I've got 150 yards of Mylar tape that I don't want to redo . I am hoping to get this guy full of booners in the next 3-4 days. I'll post back with how it goes.

[copperlover1]

I had to make a foam insulation box when I brought home the 20 gallon barrel. My wife didn't want it on the kitchen counter. That and it's to heavy to move when it's full. I bought a small heater that had a thermostat built in. There's no heat in the garage and I live in NEPA so it's always cold out there. So far so good. Looking for an old fridge or freezer next.