Rule of thumb for using belt heaters?

[kodak79]

I have an immersion heater for brewing but when it comes to the second fermentation in the keg does anyone have any rules of thumb for using a belt heater?

I've got a belt heater that can be fit around a 1 gallon demi john and use can also use it on my 5 gallon barrel. The sort of thing I'm thinking is along the lines of how long to switch the belt on, and then off, when the air temperature is 5, 10, 15 degrees.

Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Chris

 

[Slid]

Don't really see any need for extra heat on a barrel, myself, perhaps you could tell us what you think this might do for your beer?

 

[marksa222]

In the barrel it only needs to be warm enough to carbonate. At this time of year you certainly shouldn't need any heating source.

 

[kodak79]

Exactly that. For 2nd fermentation. While it was fairly warm last week it can get pretty chilly at night where I live and my brewing operations have now been moved out into the sheds out back after my daughter was born - apparently it would be frowned upon to brew beer in one of my children's bedrooms :-)

I've now got my hands on some 75mm Kingspan insulation and am thinking of building a little insulated "brew box" that I can put everything in for brewing and for 2nd ferm.

 

[proost]

Exactly that. For 2nd fermentation. While it was fairly warm last week it can get pretty chilly at night where I live and my brewing operations have now been moved out into the sheds out back after my daughter was born - apparently it would be frowned upon to brew beer in one of my children's bedrooms :-)

I've now got my hands on some 75mm Kingspan insulation and am thinking of building a little insulated "brew box" that I can put everything in for brewing and for 2nd ferm.

I built my brew box using 60mm insulation sheet, STC 1000 (ebay) and a 60w tube heater (toolstation)
Have only used it in the winter though but it kept all my brews at 18/19c. Really happy with this setup and plan to make another one.

:-P

 

[marksa222]

If you can get your hands on a cheap or free fridge, that would be a good option

 

[kodak79]

I looked into the fridge option and was checking out freecycle for one but they usually have the motors etc in the back of the bottom shelf which would mean that I couldn't fit a barrel in there - only yesterday I thought that the fridge could always be put upside down.

I cut up all of my insulation last night and had to trim and sculpt around various bulges and lumps in the floor and walls. I'll drill through for a power cable and fix the panels together with 6 inch nails and duct tape tonight.

 

[Mike1892]

If you can get your hands on a cheap or free fridge, that would be a good option

Ive been wondering about this option and was wondering how do you moderate the temperature inside an old fridge?

 

[mcc111]

You'll find instructions on how to make a brew fridge in the "how to..." guides. Loads of good info there.

 

[marksa222]

Its very straight forward. You need to wire up a temperature controller called an stc 1000, and mount a heater inside the fridge. You'd then plug the heater into the heat outlet of your temp controller and the fridge itself to the cool outlet. Set your desire temp and it turns on the relevent device when it gets above or below this temperature and turns off when the desired temp is reached again.