Newbie - Please Help!?

[Brewski]

Let's hope it turns out better than my experiment with the water from my tumble dryer! :-)

Haha, that still turns my stomach a bit. :)

Congratulations on your first brew!

Thanks, fingers are crossed!

 

[Yeastmaster]

Look at the brew belt vs heat pad thread - we're discussing the same thing!

 

[Smileyr8]

If you have a condensing combi boiler, I expect you would be able to harvest the condensed water from there.

 

[pms67]

Sorry to be a pest folks, I've just been thinking....I've purchased the aquarium heater but have only one grommet filled hole in the lid of my FV. Do I try and squeeze both the cable and the bubble lock into the same hole (seen this on a YouTube video), do I arrange for another hole to be added, or do I have this cable up over the lip of the vessel and tape the potential small gap between the lid and vessel over with something like duct tape? I also have a digital thermometer which poses the same problem but I'm less worried about this as I have a stick on thermometer that I could use instead.

I have the same setup,just drill a 20mm hole in the top of your lid and use a cable gland,known as a nylon or stuffing gland at the electrical wholesalers,tighten it up until it seals the cable,works a treat.
Good luck

 

[Johndunlop1980]

That's a cracking idea, I chucked the electrical trade years ago but you'd think I'd still be able to remember stuffing glands. They never crossed my mind. I've got everything set up, the cable is through the grommet with the air lock (Vaseline sealing the lot just in case). I'm having a bit of an issue with temp though. I had the heater set at 22 deg. C, and the stick on thermometer at the opposite side of the FV is stating that it's 24 deg. C. The room is sitting at 18 just now with my heating off. I've turned the heater off.

 

[pms67]

I have heard the temp increases itself during initial fermentation ?
I wouldn't stress too much mate,I've made over 50 brews and only 1 or 2 haven't turned out and that was in the summer,don't worry about switching the heater off as its thermostatic and probably wasn't heating at that temp anyway (unless it's broken!)
To some people it's an absolute science and I guess I was that way to begin with but to be honest I rarely use my hydrometer or thermometer (looking forward to the abuse!)
I'm sure your brew will be fine :thumb:

 

[Brewski]

That's a cracking idea, I chucked the electrical trade years ago but you'd think I'd still be able to remember stuffing glands. They never crossed my mind. I've got everything set up, the cable is through the grommet with the air lock (Vaseline sealing the lot just in case). I'm having a bit of an issue with temp though. I had the heater set at 22 deg. C, and the stick on thermometer at the opposite side of the FV is stating that it's 24 deg. C. The room is sitting at 18 just now with my heating off. I've turned the heater off.

See how it is without the heater. If your ambient room temp is 18C then it should be fine.

If at some point your FV drops below 18C, try the heater again but monitor it carefully for the first few days until you get it dialled-in - the thermostat will most likely need adjusting up or down a few times until your FV sits nicely at the temp you want (take the thermostat's indicated temp figure with a pinch of salt).

 

[MyQul]

I'd be very wary (in fact I wouln't do it) of putting an aquarium heater directly in the FV as it will heat the wort (and suspended yeast) around the heater first before the heat further transfers to the rest of the wort in the fermenter

Without a pump this wort (and therefore yeast) closest to the heater will get hot enough to create off flavours and ruin your beer

 

[Brewski]

I'd be very wary (in fact I wouln't do it) of putting an aquarium heater directly in the FV as it will heat the wort (and suspended yeast) around the heater first before the heat further transfers to the rest of the wort in the fermenter

Without a pump this wort (and therefore yeast) closest to the heater will get hot enough to create off flavours and ruin your beer

Yes, I use an aquaruim heater and was wary of putting it in the FV. Even though I believe many people do, with good results, I went down the water bath route instead.

If John's unheated room temp is 18C though, I don't think he need to provide any additional heat. Even if it drops a degree or so overnight, wrapping the FV in a blanket/coat/jumper should be enough, without the heater.

 

[pms67]

I'd be very wary (in fact I wouln't do it) of putting an aquarium heater directly in the FV as it will heat the wort (and suspended yeast) around the heater first before the heat further transfers to the rest of the wort in the fermenter

Without a pump this wort (and therefore yeast) closest to the heater will get hot enough to create off flavours and ruin your beer

May have to agree to disagree there mate,as i say,the proofs in the pudding,hasnt affected my beers at all?
Surely a heat belt would have a similar effect as all the heat would be concentrated to a thin line around the outside of the fv?
Im sure plenty others will agree with you but its all healthy debate. I agree its not an ideal set up by a long shot,but for basic brewing,keeping diluted beer at 20degrees for a short while,it works fine.it may be brewing at entry level but its better than nowt!
Cheers

 

[Covrich]

I guess its whatever works for you argument.

I actually use neither my house is pretty warm and I actually use the downstairs toilet as I can pretty much keep that consistently at 20ºc

 

[Brewed_Force]

Rather than a brew belt I'd recommend an immersion probe. I used to use a belt for years and since I got the self regulating heat source I can't believe how I managed before.

Do you mean an aquarium heater or is an immersion probe something different?
Santa kindly bought me a brew belt so I'll try that on my Cooper's English Bitter next month (Santa bought me two of them as well....)

 

[MyQul]

May have to agree to disagree there mate,as i say,the proofs in the pudding,hasnt affected my beers at all?
Surely a heat belt would have a similar effect as all the heat would be concentrated to a thin line around the outside of the fv?
Im sure plenty others will agree with you but its all healthy debate. I agree its not an ideal set up by a long shot,but for basic brewing,keeping diluted beer at 20degrees for a short while,it works fine.it may be brewing at entry level but its better than nowt!
Cheers

A heat belt would have a similar effect in that it would create a hot spot.

But as Covrich say if it's working for you, more power to you :thumb: