Inkbird + Aquarium heater?

[donchiquon]

I've used an aquarium heater suspended in my FV a few times now but I can't quite get the temperature to sit at 20 degrees. The adjustment knob on the heater is so fiddly! Grrr!

Inkbird have been kind enough to offer me a discount so I have ordered a 310 and was wondering if I could hook this up to the heater with the probe taped and insulated against the FV (which is itself insulated).

Would this work better? or have I got my wires crossed!

Thanks!

 

[Vinnyc]

How insulated is your fermentator if the sensor is getting low readings from it then it will keep heating you will have to find a way of getting the sensor as close as you can.

 

[donchiquon]

How insulated is your fermentator if the sensor is getting low readings from it then it will keep heating you will have to find a way of getting the sensor as close as you can.

The aquarium heater is currently suspended in the wort, so no issues about low reading. It's just that the temperature adjustment is so clumsy on the heater I can't get it exactly right.

My thinking was that I could get the inkbird to do the job more easily and more accurately.....

 

[Twostage]

The inkbird should be able to do a better job than the fish tank heater on it's own. If you are going to have the probe attached to the outside you need to make sure it is really insulated from the ambient temperature. I use three layers of the insulation designed to go behind radiators. Each layer is a slightly bigger square, duct taped to the side. Tape where the probe goes in too so it is completely sealed.

Set the inkbird to the bottom end of the yeast's preferred range, during fermentation the wort will generate a couple of degrees on it's own.

 

[donchiquon]

The inkbird should be able to do a better job than the fish tank heater on it's own. If you are going to have the probe attached to the outside you need to make sure it is really insulated from the ambient temperature. I use three layers of the insulation designed to go behind radiators. Each layer is a slightly bigger square, duct taped to the side. Tape where the probe goes in too so it is completely sealed.

Set the inkbird to the bottom end of the yeast's preferred range, during fermentation the wort will generate a couple of degrees on it's own.

Great - thanks Twostage. :thumb:. 310 arrived today, so I'll tape and insulate it next to another thermometer to check they both agree, and go from there!

Much appreciated.
Ian

 

[donchiquon]

All fitted - how easy is that! What a great piece of kit. Temperature shifts very slowly down to the cut-off before heater kicks in and brings it back up. Have only found it over shoot by .1 degree so far.

Just need the brew fridge now!....[emoji1]

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