Heating my fermenter with...

[MrBee]

I needed to move my fermentation barrel, 15gal. Drum, from the main floor to the basement. Wife can't take the strong molassas smell, especially during the first few days.
Looked around at the offerings on ebay and Amazon but just didnt like what i seen.
So one night while on night shift I got the idea to use a waterbed heater.

Was able to pick up a used one off craigslist for $15.00.
Not much to lose.

One issue I didnt consider was it states right on the heater Do Not Turn On until bed is full of water.
This thing will get hot enough to burn your hand and could melt the plastic bed liner.

So how about using it on my barrel ? Yep it works great.
As long as the temp of my barrel is already at the temp I want it at or higher the heater only comes on and off as needed to maintain the temp so it never gets very hot.

I just mixed up a 14 gal. Sugar wash for a neutral and the temp of the wash was at 97° when I pitched the yeast.

From here the heat has no problem maintaining proper temp, which i set at 90° formy rum wash and this sugar wash.

"IF" you would try this please DO NOT try to bring a wash up to a higher temp from a low temp. I would be concerned that the heater would over heat . I have slowly increased the temp from around 70° - 80° a little at a time to get it up to 90°.

Tried to upload a couple of pics but I guess I need to learn how.

[still_stirrin]

Good advice, MrBee.

The heat capacity of the water bed heater can't handle such a large heat sink all at once. It can maintain temperature once established, however. So you're wise to "preheat" the ferment and use the heat band simply to maintain it. Its easier for everybody....including the SoH.
ss

[cob]

Good advice, MrBee. The heat capacity of the water bed heater can't handle such a large heat sink all at once. ss

how do you heat a waterbed from a fresh fill? when I had a waterbed I never had issues with the heater overheating from a fresh fill

and don't have issues with the waterbed heater wrapped around a blue 55 gal. barrel in a foam box.

double check to see if your heater is malfunctioning.

[still_stirrin]

...how do you heat a waterbed from a fresh fill? when I had a waterbed I never had issues with the heater overheating from a fresh fill.

I used warm water (body temperature) from the faucet to fill it. i could sleep on the bed within a few hours. How long did you have to wait until your bed was warm enough to sleep on?

...and (I) don't have issues with the waterbed heater wrapped around a blue 55 gal. barrel in a foam box. Double check to see if your heater is malfunctioning.

It depends on the band heater's watt density really, as to "how hot" the surface of the heater will get when running for an extended period of time. Some heaters have a higher watt density (just like tank water heater coils do) and that affects the temperature of the element in contact with the water bed, or your plastic fermenter.

If the heater element warns against powering it without a full water heatsink, then the density must be higher, and could cause catastrophic damage to the liner.
ss

[cob]

SS; 24 hours was usually enough. as for a band heater that is a different apparatus than a waterbed heater,

and you need to put the thermostat sensor bulb in the wash. a foam box almost precludes the need for a heater

[MrBee]

After bringing the heater home I read all the info on it and did a bit more searching.

It states , Do not turn heater on till bed is full and this particular heater is NOT meant for baffled beds or pillow top type. I'm sure some are ok. To check the heater to make sure it worked I plugged it in and boy did it work. Couldn't hold my hand on it even for a second after about 15 minutes.
I'm not electrician but..... the reason seems to be that so long as the heater is in full firm contact there are no adverse effects but the weight of a person (or other object as in how I'm using it) sagging to touch it causes a hard hot spot for the heat to be directed.
I would guess that there are plenty of different types of bed heaters that would be fine and I'm also sure the warnings come from a need to protect the manufacturer just in case of that 1 in a million chance something goes wrong.

I did use liquid electrical tape to make sure the Temp sensor wire was well sealed for the part that hangs in the wash, just to be sure.

I wasn't trying to start a debate here, just offering up what I found to work for me and a whole lot cheaper than some of those purpose built heaters.

I had borrowed a cheap bucket heater from a friend to try and it worked ok but was always on, probably since I used it on 10 gallons in the drum instead of a 5 gallon bucket.
Also I ferment in the basement and that is a normal 58 - 63 f this time of year, 65 - 70 in summer.

Also I have some adjust ability with this heater , it can be set from 70-100 degrees.



I keep mine around 90f for Rum wash and Sugar wash.

MrBee

[Snackson]

People still use water beds? Last I slept on one was over 18 years ago and it was my parents old bed when they got a new one.

[MrBee]

Its been about that long since we had one. Loved it. Got older and needed something different for the back.

Guess they still sell them although I haven't seen a new one for sale in many years.

[rad14701]

I still have my waterbed heating pad... Have been intending to use it to heat a warming bed for starting seeds but have too many other distractions... Loved my king size waterbed and got the best sleep I've ever had on it... Not to mention that it could "sleep" six or seven...

[Snackson]

I still have my waterbed heating pad... Have been intending to use it to heat a warming bed for starting seeds but have too many other distractions... Loved my king size waterbed and got the best sleep I've ever had on it... Not to mention that it could "sleep" six or seven...

That's actually a good way to repurpose it, especially up in there where that white stuff falls out of the sky.

Best slept I had was in a hotel bed in Dubai. That bed was amazing, as was the room service compared to life on a ship.

This reminds me, I need to get a few more heaters for fermenters...