Heat Belts and FV Thermowells

[CraftyZA]

I've installed mine inside a little student fridge door. Fv not standing on it. Easy to maintain temp when area is small.
Stc controller cools it to 17, and heating pad heats it to 18.
Might not work if fv is standing in open areas.

 

[BeerCat]

I have a 12" sensor so it gets sterilised then goes in the FV. My heat band pretty much attaches itself, I just pull it tight and it doesn't move. I have one of these:

Hi Mick, i just bought a 12" sensor and wondering how you get it in your FV?

 

[nigelnorris]

Hi Mick, i just bought a 12" sensor and wondering how you get it in your FV?

I've tied a knot in the cable of mine, about 1/2 inch before the probe, then drop it into the airlock hole, padded round with a piece of kitchen roll. Allows the air through but keeps everything else out.

It's usually pre-sterilized because it's been hanging around in the boil just before.

 

[BeerCat]

That's a good idea. How does it match the temperature on a stick on thermometer? I looked at thermowells but so expensive and not readily available in the UK.

 

[nigelnorris]

That's a good idea. How does it match the temperature on a stick on thermometer?

Can't say I've looked but intuitively it seems to me that [issues of hygiene aside] something measuring the temperature of the wort has to produce a better result than something that measures the temperature of the air blowing over the outside of the FV. True or not I've had nothing but good results from doing it that way.

 

[BeerCat]

Had a few issues with one of my mats failing to get to temp so i added an extra one and all has worked fine for the last month. Only been dropping -3c then coming back up again.