15 litre FV - Brew belt?

[Hullblazer]

Hi all

Getting my eye back in with small batches; cider mainly. The wife and I are warm bodies and the house is only ever heated to 18 degrees C and falls to (typically) 12-14 overnight.

In the old house, my brews lived in the airing cupboard. Nonesuch in our new one and so my fermentation runs, slows, runs, slows and this batch is still running after a week.

My FV is a 15ltr and I literally don't have space (two young-ish kids, two cats) for a brew-bath set-up. Can I pick up a brew-belt that'll fit the small FV? Anyone know of any good, cheapish ones?

 

[BeerCat]

You will need a temperature controller as well. Buy an inkbird for about £30(you can get a discount as a forum member) or build an STC1000 for about £20. I bought one of these brewbelts but its very low quality and it gets very hot. (80w). https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UK-80W-D...355732?hash=item25d56b1914:g:UYYAAOSwrhBZAvk9
These are what most people seem to use https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Home-Bre...hash=item2cce0def18:m:mXZME26XeMsZ7Sgq90cbYwg

Or these trays are more expensive, just borrowed one to test. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Heating-...hash=item4aa5756eb6:m:m4bUFH8t9hySgIv1B01ux3g

 

[Chippy_Tea]

If it's just for heat get a heat pad from Wilko for £25, I recently got one and it maxes my 23 litre FV out at 26c with no controller, best thing I have bought in a while.

Post 14 in this thread https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/forum-member-brewing-equipment-reviews-unlocked.60998/

 

[Hullblazer]

Thank you both. As it is for cider mainly (currently), I need a steady temp of approx 18 degC so I think I'll investigate the STC1000 option as it looks like I'll be able to achieve this temp as well as keeping my options open for higher fermentations. Looks like some time to be spent researching the build!

 

[Hullblazer]

So, from what a brief skim suggests, power to STC1000, STC1000 to brew-belt. Set STC to 18 degC and fit the FV on top of the STC Thermometer, both on an insulated (packing foam?) base?

 

[Hullblazer]

If it's just for heat get a heat pad from Wilko for £25, I recently got one and it maxes my 23 litre FV out at 26c with no controller, best thing I have bought in a while.

Post 14 in this thread https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/forum-member-brewing-equipment-reviews-unlocked.60998/

Thank you! I now have an STC 1000 on order from eBay and an heat-pad from Wilco. I'll cobble the system together before my next brew!

 

[WierdFish]

So, from what a brief skim suggests, power to STC1000, STC1000 to brew-belt. Set STC to 18 degC and fit the FV on top of the STC Thermometer, both on an insulated (packing foam?) base?

That's about it. You can build the STC-1000 into a plastic box with plugs built in, or you can wire the belt directly into the heating side. I used a small ice cream tub for mine with 2 single sockets in the lid (I use cooling and heating, so 1 sockets for each).

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Are STC's a lot cheaper than inkbird controllers which are ready made?

 

[Drunkula]

Are STC's a lot cheaper than inkbird controllers which are ready made?

Yeah. You can get the stc for about £6.50 from China or about a tenner from UK sellers, then it's up to you how to do it. You could just use couple of Poundland gang sockets and anything to box it in. Mine has 2 heating and 1 cooling switched sockets, 10 amp fuses on the relays and it cost me less than a tenner.

Of course you have to put the time in and know that the relay is just an inline on/off switch for the live wire. I think that's what a lot of people struggle with - they think it's supplying the juice.

 

[Hullblazer]

That's about it. You can build the STC-1000 into a plastic box with plugs built in, or you can wire the belt directly into the heating side. I used a small ice cream tub for mine with 2 single sockets in the lid (I use cooling and heating, so 1 sockets for each).

Thank you, you've confirmed what I had in my head. Brew-belt, not pad has been ordered (just because of reviews) and STC 1000 eagerly awaited (WHERE IS IT!!!!!!??????). I only need head and I have a firm plastic box already to hand!

 

[Mikeyd]

If it's just for heat get a heat pad from Wilko for £25, I recently got one and it maxes my 23 litre FV out at 26c with no controller, best thing I have bought in a while.

Post 14 in this thread https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/forum-member-brewing-equipment-reviews-unlocked.60998/

Chippy, is 26 degrees not too warm for fermentation? I have one of these pads but was worried to use it as I thought it might be to hot for my brews?

 

[WierdFish]

Chippy, is 26 degrees not too warm for fermentation? I have one of these pads but was worried to use it as I thought it might be to hot for my brews?

Might be alright for a Saison. I wouldn't want to run any kind of heating without some sort of thermostatic control.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Chippy, is 26 degrees not too warm for fermentation? I have one of these pads but was worried to use it as I thought it might be to hot for my brews?

I make wine which needs to be between 25 and 30c so for me its fine for beer a controller would be needed.

New members may not have seen the inkbird controller many members use so here is a heads up - https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8...argid=kwd-148238378435&ref=pd_sl_64f99dhqev_e

 

[Welsh123]

Get a small fish tank heater they are cheap and reliable .

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Get a small fish tank heater they are cheap and reliable .

If you have room to sit the FV in a builders trug of water with a fish tank heater it is a cheap way of heating your brew here is Terrys guide to setting up a water bath heater -

www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/how-to-set-up-a-water-bath-for-your-fv.66407/