Brewfridge heater question

[marshbrewer]

The better half has agreed to buy me an inkbird for my birthday, and I have a Beko fridge going spare. What tube heater do people recommend, and what sort of wattage is sufficient to heat a fridge. Its a normal under counter larder fridge size. Would this 40w one do the job?

 

[m_rawdin]

This is the one I got, perfect for the job

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.co.uk/ulk/itm/311713302863

 

[Bigjas]

Yeah, these small tube heaters are just fine for a brew fridge. I have a 45w one in my fridge that lives in the garage, and it keeps it at the right temp with an Inkbird all year round.

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
You can save a little by getting one that doesn't have a thermostat - the Inkbird is your temperature control.

 

[marshbrewer]

Good point. I take it, if you don't want to bypass the fridge thermostat, you just bung it on the coldest setting as the ink bird controls the temp?

Also, are all ink birds the same, as there appears to be caused fair price difference?

 

[Spapro]

Good point. I take it, if you don't want to bypass the fridge thermostat, you just bung it on the coldest setting as the ink bird controls the temp?

Also, are all ink birds the same, as there appears to be caused fair price difference?

I set my fridge somewhere in the midrange to avoid overworking the compressor - unless you are chilling to 3-4°C for lagering as then may need the fridge set to maximum cooling setting. If fermenting at standard ale temps (18-20°C) the fridge is chilling quite lightly when required to lower the temps a a little bit as your brew heats up from fermentation.

I use an ITC-308 for my brewfridge - works perfectly, fridge plugged into cooling socket (of inkbird), tube heater plugged into heating socket (of inkbird), set your required temp and your heating and cooling overun allowances - to stop it cycling between heating and cooling and away you go.

It think some lesser inkbirds have only heating (or cooling) but not both, and some higher models have more programmability for different temps at different times of day etc.

ITC-308 is what you need for a standard brewfridge setup.

 

[nigelnorris]

Good point. I take it, if you don't want to bypass the fridge thermostat, you just bung it on the coldest setting as the ink bird controls the temp?

Also, are all ink birds the same, as there appears to be caused fair price difference?

There's a difference between 308 and 308s, the 308 probe is a 2" one hardwired into place. The 308s has a detachable probe, it comes with a 12" one and you can swap that out for the 2" one if you have a need. Plus if you break a 308 probe then the whole thing is borked, break a 308s probe and you just get a new one.

If you're sure all it's ever going to do is run your fridge then the 308 is good enough. If you want a dual purpose controller that you can use use during mashing and so on you're better off with a 308s; you can get a small probe just to leave in the fridge and use the 12" one elsewhere. Saves a lot of faff threading cables about every time you want to move the inkbird unit.

 

[IainM]

This is mine, the 1 foot 45W one:
https://www.outdoorvalue.co.uk/99640-hausen-electric-tubular-heater.html

Works a treat. You don't want to get one too powerful otherwise the fridge can overheat and then it can overshoot and cycle. :thumb:

 

[Bigcol49]

This is mine, the 1 foot 45W one:

Hi!
Boasting again 😀

 

[nigelnorris]

I don't see the attraction of the tube style heaters, aren't they easily breakable, especially if you get them wet? Why not use a mat or belt that's designed for the job?

 

[johnnyboy1965]

Inkbird...complete waste of money. Can someone explain what they actually do?

 

[suffolkbeer]

Thermostatic power switch. Many uses, control HLT for mash and sparge liquor. Control heating and/or cooling during fermentation

 

[nigelnorris]

Thermostatic power switch. Many uses, control HLT for mash and sparge liquor. Control heating and/or cooling during fermentation

He knows what an Inkbird is, he's just trolling.