Foam insulation board fermenting box

[jacks]

Hi,

I have a spare sheet of foam insulation board from some building work and was planning to make a box to use when brewing in the shed during the winter, combined with an Electrim heat tray and Inkbird temperate controller to switch the heater on/off. The temperature probe would just be taped to the side of the fermentation bucket. Cooling won't be necessary as this will only be used when the outside temp is already lower than the target temp.

This is approximately what I'm thinking, with two more sides obviously:

The bottom foam board would be fixed to an MDF base, and the four sides and top would be one piece that fits over the top. The wires would just run out of a hole down the bottom somewhere.

Just wanted to get any thoughts on whether or not this is a good/bad/terrible idea? Or if there's anything I haven't considered? I noticed the description for the heater says that the bucket should not be covered, not sure if that's really a concern here?

Thanks.

 

[Dutto]

It's a great idea! :thumb:

It will be good for most of the year for brewing Bitters, Pale Ales, Stouts and Pseudo Lagers and it beats the hell out of my much maligned (and now redundant) "Contraption".

However, you might like to consider making yours a bit wider so that you can put enough shelves in there to carbonate one brew whilst the next one is fermenting!

Brilliant! Keep us posted on the result. :thumb:

 

[Alside101]

I fancy having ago at something like this but with a Peltier cooler as a keg cooler or fermentation box

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
I built a fermentation chamber out of a couple of lengths of T&G board that were "going spare", insulated with bubble wrap and corrugated card. Heated by a tubular heater it works just fine in winter, so I think your insulation board idea would be perfect.

 

[Brewed_Force]

I've just bought some 30mm PIR board for insulating my porch ceiling and there just by coincidence (wink wink nudge nudge) there will enough left over to build a box around my Wilko wide neck fermenter.
The cut edges will be sealed with silver duct tape and the 6 panels can be stored in my shed until the next brew day.
The heat will come from a reptile mat plus a brew belt if an extra boost is required.
I'm thinking of having the airlock poking through a hole in the top panel so I can keep an eye on it.
Can't wait to try it out.

 

[Squidder]

I made something nearly identical, it worked great and the temperature stayed spot on with a brew belt. I did put a thermowell in my brew bucket instead of taping it on the outside so this probably made it a bit more accurate. Duct tape is the way to go to fix it all together.