Bri's fermentation thingy WIP

The Homebrew Forum

Help Support The Homebrew Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Just found this small fan...
Might be useful with the ferm fridge til I get the two pc fan sorted.

Thinking either a timer,..or a an inkbird to control it...
It hard to get out what I'm trying to say...
I've got an inkbird already doing the heat and cooling...
But how could get the fan on when the heater or fridge goes on...??
If u know what I'm meaning...
A seperate inkbird that reads the temp....plug the fan either heat or cool and in juction of the other inkbird temp...goes on...
I'll stop there befor I confuse yous and myself..
 
Get a 12v 2 cable phone charger and connect to the wires on the pc fans. You don't really need a fan that much tbh.
 
Where the dbl plug when I need it!!
Could it be the answer..dbl plug..either cooling or heating socket on the inkbird...with the fan n the heater/fringe to automatically switch on?
Thinking the heat! Not sure.
If I found my dbl adapter it be sure with a pic...
 
After all this time....think the fridge had gave up the ghost!!!!
Tried it in the inkbird and the socket!!! Looked at the fuse..If there's a trip button etc...no good!!!
So I've got a ferm fridge that heats up but no cooling!! That's the tall fridge as well...
Lucky the lager is finished and all I need to do about thurs...is bottle the lager...
Least I can get a constant temp for the bottles for carbing up..
But I'll have to transfer then into the small fridge for chilling..
Any suggestions for the cooling other than ice bath etc....lol
 
the fridge is still a well insulated box, and quite a few folk use insulated boxes and bags both diy and commercial products with a daily exchange of frozen bottles of water to provide the cold input. a 2l pop bottle or 4pint milk bottle may even contain enough cold store to last longer than a day?

it may keep you going till a new fridge appears on your local freecycle list ;)

im sure your aware but after transport especially if laid on its back or side a fridge or freezer will need to stand a good 12-24 hours to let gravity draw all the coolant back down through its tubing where it should be before its turned on. (NO i dont know what im talking about tbh just repeating advice i received when buying a fridge.)
 
the fridge is still a well insulated box, and quite a few folk use insulated boxes and bags both diy and commercial products with a daily exchange of frozen bottles of water to provide the cold input. a 2l pop bottle or 4pint milk bottle may even contain enough cold store to last longer than a day?

it may keep you going till a new fridge appears on your local freecycle list ;)

im sure your aware but after transport especially if laid on its back or side a fridge or freezer will need to stand a good 12-24 hours to let gravity draw all the coolant back down through its tubing where it should be before its turned on. (NO i dont know what im talking about tbh just repeating advice i received when buying a fridge.)

YEAHH!!! FIL
im going to utilise frozen bottles n stuff.
:thumb:
 
As my small n tall fridge is in use...with lager.
Got my brain cell (s) what about another pending brew on the horizon!!!
It'll be Doppelbock and needs to ferment 12-15C
So.....
The MkI fermination chamber is taking shape!
Frozen bottles for the cooling and thinking heat belt or plate for heat..haven't decided..making it up as I go along!! The outer shell is and old army drip tray...insulation is from the old water tank jacket n bubble wrap and my old trusty jacket.

Frozen bottles (how much I don't know!) heated belt fitted

To this

To this

The ITC-306T isn't a cooler but I can use the heat belt.
There's a MkII under thought as we speak!!
Only the drip trays are stackable..so one will get its bottom took out...and stacked..the extra girth (phnorr! Phnorr!) might help with the insulation...
TBC...
 
Thinking heat belt + plastic= bad idea!
Thinking a decent fish tank heater!!!
Then need to Doctor the plug...and getting the power lead though and the bubbler intact!!!! Hmmm! Might try the heat plate first...making sure the placca isn't going get on it...think the FV covers it...
TBC
Nay good!

Nay good!


Could you recommend a fish tank heater...for 10l up to 23l..?
Any help be really appreciated...I've got a few days at least before brew day..& no chill help me more with time to order the right heater!
Thx all
Bri
 
MkII so far!!
Crude and lots more insulation to do!
But the theory is the same...I hope!

BTW! The tall fridge that doesn't want to cool the FV...putting the two frozen 10l barrels in the temp went down the 7.4c....so I'm using the inkbird 306 to heat it up...
:-)
Bri
 
great thread, thanks for all the info Mr Norton.

i'm 3 months into my brewing career and need one of these- im in spain and summer approaches.

the mrs has cleared the shed out and allowed me sole use of the old fridge so im appreciating all the tips. I didn't think about fans but I'm in the process of buying the inkbird. is yours the -308?

cheers
 
great thread, thanks for all the info Mr Norton.

i'm 3 months into my brewing career and need one of these- im in spain and summer approaches.

the mrs has cleared the shed out and allowed me sole use of the old fridge so im appreciating all the tips. I didn't think about fans but I'm in the process of buying the inkbird. is yours the -308?

cheers

Hello m8.
Who's mr Norton? Lol
Anyways the inkbird is 308...
I should imagine in Barcelona hoping the walls are good to keep heat in and and to cool...if they room can get a constant temp reading all year round..there may be no need for temp control..I.e. A ferm chamber etc.
But I can imaging in the summer there'll be a increase!!! Don't know...I'm just surmising lol.
It be ok for example 20c for the beers wine..but not for lagers.
Where your going to do the ferm cycle is there adjustable climate control? Air con etc...? If so how accurate is it?
So supposing the aircon can accurately do the temp! I'd use the ink bird to use a heater/ or put it on cool like one I have...pending on the area you are heating and cooling..

Loads of possibility lol
Like you said the info on basics are there.
Good luck
Bri
 
Doppelbock in...room temp to now is down 20.6 room...16.3c in the chamber n slowly getting better.
Might get more bottles just to make sure..
Had a 13.4c constant before I done the Doppelbock.

Full clothed
 
The Doppelbock is bubbling away nicely with a temp 13c..
But the MkIII hoping be better!!
So far.....
This will be 3/4 army drip trays...
One bottom..two with the bottoms cut out and the top lid..

Taking shape

25mm insulation with the silver tape on...unfortunately it's too thick to put in the inside...so trial n error with the finished control..

But after couple of false measurements and back to wickes think it going to be fine...
The object is set it up!! Once finished the chamber then can be pulled apart...store the parts the the drip trays can be ulilised for loads of things of things for the stand for the hlt...etc.
That's what I hope anyways
Thx for viewing...a long way to go!!
TBC
BRI
 
Looking at the lid now!
Plenty of insulation..

Start of a tier constuction...save me with one hand!!!!
1.

2.

3.

4. The silver be other side..just wanted to show you

5. Lid in place snugly :-)

With in 10 mins a drop!!

At the mo 2 x 1l frozen bottles...gauge it according...
Loads could of be improved! Measure twice...cut once n all that!! Lol
But I'm making it up as I go olong hence Any mistakes and botched bit n bobs..
But I pleased with the result!!
Onehanded with the silver tape as you can imagine PITA!!! But I'm a master at it now lol..won't say how much tape I went though and how long I take to make it!! 5 hrs yesterday!! 4 today! And I've still got our bairns room to clean up!!:doh:
A well earned bottle me thinks!!!
Update on the temps n that!!
The Doppelbock is happy!! And I am...
Thx for viewing and any constructive points for me, I'd be chuffed...even taking the Micky haha!!! Makes for a laugh..
Bri
 
Think I have to point out that the 306-T that I win on the inkbird thread is not a COOLING controller!
I didn't do my research...and for all the 306 is a great peice of kit if you want to keep the heat temp right...for instance a green house and timing it.
All said n done..
The 306-T is used with my ferm chamber and there's no probs so far, plug n play spot on..
The probe of disconnected there's an audible alarm..
Looking back I was thinking where's the 'HEAT' 'COOL' marked onnthe next of the sockets...I know why now!:doh:
Tbh these 306-T are really suited for a ferm chamber..(the 308 for the ferm fridge )
Can't knock the inkbird...I don't have to get a made up controller and the warrant is there...

Thx
Bri
 
Back
Top