heating fermenter via coil

[prolix]

I have been having thoughts about heating my fermenter. Have used immersion heaters and belts before and never been truely satisfied, just not enough tinkering for me. :hmm:

My idea is to use my cooling coil but instead of connecting to the flash chiller, as in summer mode, connect it to a cool box or other insulated vessel, preferably large (70L thermo box), to act as a thermal mass and use a submersible pump run to pump warm water through the coil. I have some aquarium heaters that could heat the water these could be left on for constant temp or I could just use my HLT which has elements in it though the feedback would be so slow, unless I get the PID and pt100 that I was going to buy just to heat it to strike over night for early starts. and use that to keep the temp constant

Control the pump to turn on when the fermenter temp drops too low and off at max temp say 18 to 20. This way I could pump warm water through the coil and not scold the beer with hot spots, guessing wildly 35c should about do it if the insulation on the fermenter is good enough.

I feel bodging coming on. :lol: :party:

 

[corby_brewer]

This sounds like a good idea, but wouldnt you get hot spots around the coil?

 

[prolix]

I doubt it at 35c, and even if there was a temp difference it's a lot less than the brew belt that melted my carry mat produced

 

[Vossy1]

Why not just insulate your fv from the environment and the heat and cool the fv independently ?
How are you going to control cooling?

unless I get the PID and pt100 that I was going to buy just to heat it to strike over night for early starts. and use that to keep the temp constant

An ATC 800 would be a solution :thumb:

 

[prolix]

I brew in the garage and have only ever needed heating or cooling never both. In spring and autumn I don't bother with either as the ferment tends to produce enough heat to keep it at a steady 18c as it is 40 to 60 L volume. So really just need to gently heat in winter and cool in summer.

My flash cooler is more than adequate to cool in the summer controlled by an ATC800 so just needed to heat in winter. As I am about to fit the coil to the fermenter, I was considering leaving it until it heats up again next year but then thought it could heat as well as cool.

The flash chiller does pump and cool together whereas to heat I want to keep the water temp steady and not have control feedback issues so was thinking of two control circuits one for the water and one for the pump. Keeping the water at a constant temp (experimentation to decide) and one for the pump the ATC would work for pump.

As I was going to get a PID and pt100 probe in stead of a TC 10 or ATC 800+, for future proofing just in case RIMS or HERMS systems take my fancy later as the prices are similar on fleabay. And because I have some 13a elements so would need relays to run them anyway.

Vossy how much was the postage form Auber usa? Quick release probes look awesome.

 

[Vossy1]

Vossy how much was the postage form Auber usa?

I ordered 1 PID and P+P was $16.50...took 4 days to arrive IIRC

Quick release probes look awesome.

They do indeed.

 

[A T]

I have the quick release probes, very handy bit of kit :thumb: