Temp control in a fermenting cupboard

[troutie]

would one of these plug in thermostat devices be OK to use along side a small tubular heater in a small cupboard
to control the fermenting temp

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B003DZURBG/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

 

[ScottM]

Would work fine IMO. Not sure how accurate it would be so you may need to fine tune it a bit but other than that I guess it would be great.

You will need to have the power for it in the cupboard though, as I guess it senses the temp around it rather than using an external probe?

 

[t0m]

Probably OK, I have been mulling using a household thermostat myself. Can you program both the turn on and the turn off temperatures to avoid wide temp swings? Mine can do a minimum of 1 degree but you can set it to °F and I would be happy with a dead band of 1°F. Also you are stuck with whatever temp probe is inside the thing and can't move it around or stick it to the FV like with an external probe.

 

[CheshireCBR]

I have been mulling this problem over myself recently as I use the cupboard under the stares and it sits at 18 degrees which is a bit cool and something like that with a small tube heater would solve the issue

 

[jonnymorris]

Two problems as I see it...

1. The thing will measure ambient temp rather than the temp of your beer and;

2. You might find a tube heater struggles to heat your cupboard. I have a 50w heater in my understairs cupboard and its not man enough for the job.

#1 would rule it out in my opinion.

 

[troutie]

Thanks for the replies I have one on the way with a 60 w tube heater so will report if its a goer when it gets here

 

[MadrikXIV]

For my next brew (Cellar 7, Golden Stag or Raspberry Cider, can't decide how best to flip a 3 headed coin )

I shall be trying this out

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Search/se ... HEATER.htm

Going to test it in a bucket of normal water first (Once the Coopers Australian Pale has been kegged in the next few days)

May sanitise it and try it in the fermentation bucket, will add a temp gauge near the top of the bucket at the 20litre mark to see how well it works.

When I find a big enough tray I will test it as a water bath option as well (Just heating water at first)

 

[Vossy1]

In the olden days I used to use a 100w light bulb on a house thermostat in the understairs cupboard and a son of fermentation chiller to cool it. Although not ideal regards specific temperature control it was close enough and produced good beer. The chiller is basically a polystyrene box, a computer fan, a thermostat and a few frozen pop bottles :grin:
Here are a few links here andtechy one
Some of the stuff you may have lying around so this can be a very cheap option, but if buying new consider a second hand fridge which you can get for free, a STC100 and a tubular heater.