Heat pad help

[Chippy_Tea]

Look at the example below, Terry suggests a 50w heater so taking the example below its going to be 17 pence a day to run.

The average cost of electricity per kWh is 14p, meaning that you pay 14 pence for every 1000 watts you use, every hour. So at an average of 152 watts, a Juwel Rio 180 only costs 2.13p per hour to run or 51p a day and £186.50 per year.

 

[terrym]

Look at the example below, Terry suggests a 50w heater so taking the example below its going to be 17 pence a day to run.

Aquarium heaters are thermostatically controlled so it won't be on all the time, unless its really really cold or you don't insulate the water bath with something and you keep it in a cold room. My water bath has bubble wrap around the outside and about 8 old towels draped over it when in use.

 

[Daddynoob]

I have put the aquarium heater directly in the fv
Is this ok
It is on all the time at 22 degrees

 

[terrym]

I have put the aquarium heater directly in the fv
Is this ok
It is on all the time at 22 degrees

Personally I would not do that.
The heater has hot surfaces and that may degrade your beer, and introduce off flavours
And 22*C is a bit on the warm side. I suggest 19-20*C.

 

[johncrobinson]

I like the cover on your water bath Chippy.

I have found when using open water baths indoors all the household dust,cat hair etc. gets into the water which the ends up foul in no time.
Regular vacuuming nearby just makes it worse.

 

[Daddynoob]

Thanks for that
I have just switched it off

am still no further forward with the above pic of the heat mat though off eBay and the other

 

[Daddynoob]

I will leave it switched off

it has been on for about 3 days solid
Will it be ok

 

[johncrobinson]

Should point out that the heaters are even cheaper than that to run as the thermostat will have them switched off most of the time.

 

[Daddynoob]

Would I be ok buying the ones I posted pictures of above be ok with a thermostat?

 

[trummy]

In winter I use a flat wine heater 15 watt - use it in the utility room so its not shed cold. Just use it at night and if the temperature gets too warm I use a timer to switch it on or off. Not very good method but it was what I had at hand, it works, and I am lazy

 

[terrym]

@Daddynoob
You will open up up more options if you reconsider your requirement to squeeze two FVs into your plan. Consider how many times you are actually going to have two brews actively fermenting. If the answer is not very often then I suggest you stick with one FV , one heat belt or one brew belt or one water bath etc. And on the infrequent occasions where you do want two on the go you will sort something out to get round the problem. Necessity is the mother of invention.

 

[Daddynoob]

Thanks for that
But if I have a double Mat I have the option to stick 1 or 2 fvs on
Might go for the eBay large Mat with the thermostat included
I am also thinking of building a insulated box to put them in

I am sure someone said not to put my fv directly on the heat pad and to put something in between them

 

[Crappyfish]

Am thinking of buying this
Will it get me up to temperature for lager or will I need to buy a thermostat
Or just get a brew belt
Want to keep it at temperature in the shed

I use a Mango Jack heatpad with a WiFi inkbird I would say it's probably the best purchase I've made. Just set it and forget it type thing. I would recommend a heat pad especially during cold spells even though my FV is indoors when the heating goes off it cools down at night.

 

[Daddynoob]

Just came across this
About £35

 

[MartinF]

I have put the aquarium heater directly in the fv
Is this ok
It is on all the time at 22 degrees

I used mine for many years until it broke. Never did my beers any harm!

 

[Daddynoob]

Used what ?

 

[lupinehorror]

Used what ?

aquarium heater.

 

[MartinF]

Thanks for that
But if I have a double Mat I have the option to stick 1 or 2 fvs on
Might go for the eBay large Mat with the thermostat included
I am also thinking of building a insulated box to put them in

I am sure someone said not to put my fv directly on the heat pad and to put something in between them

A couple of things for you to think about:

A heater provides heat only - it doesn't provide any temperature regulation other than - perhaps - at a very crude and probably inaccurate level. Some other form of temperature control is desirable to hold temperature where you wish it to be.

A double mat, with two FVs on it, will not necessarily keep both FVs at the same temp. One may be closer to a radiator/draught/cold window etc than the other. And beers that are fermenting vigorously will generate some heat of their own.

You may only want to ferment one beer at a time sometimes, wasting heat & money with a double mat.

If you do go for a temperature controller, if you only have one mat for two FVs, you then have to decide which of the two FVs you're going to place your temp probe/sensor on/in.

Ideally, but at more expense, IMO you'd be better off using two mats for full flexibility, plus two temp controllers. Inkbirds, perhaps? (I have an old, Mk I Grainfather controller spare, which I now use as general temp controller for fermenting and sparge water heating)

 

[MartinF]

aquarium heater.

He said it! Sorry, I though my earlier reply was more obvious.

 

[Daddynoob]

Cheers for that Martin

you cleared a lot of my questions up

so I will stick to one mat
And a temperature controller

will any temperature controller do

Thanks again