# Heat belt too hot?



## storeboughtcheeseburgers (17/7/14)

I put down an IPA a week ago at 1.060 and measured the gravity, its giving me 1.020 today - so I put the heat belt about 1/3 up the base and left it for about 10 hours - when I came back, it seems way too hot, and there is a white mark where the heat belt has been (its a black fermenter) so I think its actually melted plastic!

First time using this particular heat belt - I took it off of course and looked at the temp guage (sticker) on the ferm but its giving me nothing - only time it has done this is before is when I've added a batch after flame out..

So anyway - I guess I've screwed up this batch somewhat - I placed the heat belt next to the ferm so its indirect (its in a cupboard) - it is pretty hot to touch

I guess all I can do is take the gravity in a few days and see how its progressing - it should finish up around 1.014, so it wasn't far off - before applying the belt I had just wrapped a thick blanket around it.

So guess I'm wondering if anyone else has had this weird melting thing going on? If anything I've learnt to go indirect in the future - if I do this, is there any particular way? I just lied it next to the ferm about 10cm away in its circular form .


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## jyo (17/7/14)

My experience with heat belts and non contact is that they get dangerously hot. They are designed to be in contact with the fermenter.

I had one hanging in my fermenting fridge and it was touching the sides of the fridge. It melted a hole in the plastic of the fridge wall! Probably lucky it didn't start a fire.

The stick on thermometers are not very accurate. Try tapping some wort into a hydrometer tube with a digital stick thermometer to see if you are in the ball park.

Hope it turns out ok.


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## storeboughtcheeseburgers (17/7/14)

jyo said:


> My experience with heat belts and non contact is that they get dangerously hot. They are designed to be in contact with the fermenter.
> 
> I had one hanging in my fermenting fridge and it was touching the sides of the fridge. It melted a hole in the plastic of the fridge wall! Probably lucky it didn't start a fire.
> 
> ...


arr - thanks for the heads up! I actually turned it off after I made the post and now im grateful.

I think I'm going to scrap it all together unless I get a stuck ferment - seems like more hassle and paranoia than its worth. It was pretty cool last week but when I cracked the blanket off it was sitting around the 18 mark so it probably would have finished naturally. We luckily live in a country that its not too cold for very long.

It will probably be alright. I had a taste today and it wasn't bad - luckily it was just an old cube that was pretty low volume and I'm not too concerned about.

melting plastic on a fridge - thats just nasty.


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## squirt in the turns (17/7/14)

Fermentation was nearly complete so chances are, as you've noted, that it hasn't affected the flavour profile.

Get a temperature controller such as an STC-1000 so that the belt only kicks in when required,


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## storeboughtcheeseburgers (18/7/14)

squirt in the turns said:


> Fermentation was nearly complete so chances are, as you've noted, that it hasn't affected the flavour profile.
> 
> Get a temperature controller such as an STC-1000 so that the belt only kicks in when required,


Blerg - I CBF - throw it in the bin with sediment reducers and other annoyances. A blanket should suffice I reckon. Heat belt and STC - I looked at getting one of those from the seller who sold me the belt on greedbay, but it looked tacky

Do they plug into the belt direct. How do they work?


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## verysupple (18/7/14)

storeboughtcheeseburgers said:


> Blerg - I CBF - throw it in the bin with sediment reducers and other annoyances. A blanket should suffice I reckon. Heat belt and STC - I looked at getting one of those from the seller who sold me the belt on greedbay, but it looked tacky
> 
> Do they plug into the belt direct. How do they work?


I disagree with storeboughtcheeseburgers on a few things here. Firstly, I love my sediment reducer. Secondly, I love my heat cord and STC-1000 combo (it's in a fridge - so heating and cooling as required). I don't have a heat belt from the LHBS, I have a "reptile enclosure heat cord". It's cheap (~$25), 4 m long, and 25 W. It's safe, as even when not in contact with the FV you can hold it and it's only warm. But having it coiled up at the bottom of my fridge is enough to keep the beer temp where I want it, and even raise it when needed. I originally had it wrapped around my FV but got sick of putting it on and off inbetween brews.


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## storeboughtcheeseburgers (18/7/14)

verysupple said:


> I disagree with storeboughtcheeseburgers on a few things here. Firstly, I love my sediment reducer. Secondly, I love my heat cord and STC-1000 combo (it's in a fridge - so heating and cooling as required). I don't have a heat belt from the LHBS, I have a "reptile enclosure heat cord". It's cheap (~$25), 4 m long, and 25 W. It's safe, as even when not in contact with the FV you can hold it and it's only warm. But having it coiled up at the bottom of my fridge is enough to keep the beer temp where I want it, and even raise it when needed. I originally had it wrapped around my FV but got sick of putting it on and off inbetween brews.


Maybe the heat cord I got is too hot - I don't know - Its OK to disagree with my opinion, I don't mind.

I have decided to just go without the heat belt or heating for now and use a blanket. At least for the next batch I'm doing of Irish Red - If it turns out no good, I'll probably look at something different and convert my bar fridge into some kind of temperature regulator.

It just seems like a lot of stuffing around. Sediment reducers I just think they are a nuisance to clean and don't provide that much good - I tried a tap to tap rack a few times with the ferm I have with a silicone fixed reducer and it just annoyed me as it kept ceasing. 

When you're looking at 2 week conditioning+ I don't really see any use in them.


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## verysupple (18/7/14)

I have to agree that in your situation I'd probably not use the heat belt until I'd figured out how to control it a bit better. Even in the long term, if it's getting hot enough to melt plastic then maybe it's just not a great product. It really doesn't take much to keep a batch warm if it's in an enclosed space. So I think less power output/consumption is probably better. 

I don't rack so I hadn't thought of that problem with the sediment reducer. I bottle straight from the primary and the sediment reducer raises the intake just enough that it's above the trub / yeast cake level. As for cleaning, I just chuck it in the FV along with the tap and anything else that needs a clean while I soak with oxyper. Then chuck it in the tub of acid sanitiser with everything else on brew day.


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## Danwood (18/7/14)

I have a cord too. 

From memory they'll only heat a certain area (can't remember how big exactly, ~1-2m square probably) to 30°C. 

Perfect for pretty much any fridge (in conjunction with STC), possibly excluding monstrous ones used exclusively for saisons ??

As Ghandi once famously said..."They're the shit, yo !"


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## pk.sax (18/7/14)

Bad workmen blaming their tools...

Ffs, everybody has said it needs to be wrapped around a liquid filled fermenter.

It is like this guy on the email group telling people that no-chilling is bad. Get your head out of your ass and stop spreading your germs.


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## verysupple (18/7/14)

practicalfool said:


> Ffs, everybody has said it needs to be wrapped around a liquid filled fermenter.


The OP had it wrapped around a filled fermentor. Calm down.


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## thedragon (18/7/14)

practicalfool said:


> Bad workmen blaming their tools...
> Ffs, everybody has said it needs to be wrapped around a liquid filled fermenter.
> It is like this guy on the email group telling people that no-chilling is bad. Get your head out of your ass and stop spreading your germs.


You're on the money. 

No chill + Heat belt + stc1000 = winning beer


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## squirt in the turns (19/7/14)

storeboughtcheeseburgers said:


> Blerg - I CBF - throw it in the bin with sediment reducers and other annoyances. A blanket should suffice I reckon. Heat belt and STC - I looked at getting one of those from the seller who sold me the belt on greedbay, but it looked tacky
> 
> Do they plug into the belt direct. How do they work?


The STC-1000 is nearly ubiquitous in HB temperature control. It can do heating and cooling and is a dead-easy "set-and-forget" method. It will need to be wired up and mounted in a suitable enclosure or jiffy box. There are countless threads and tutorials on AHB and elsewhere, and 10 times as many threads asking stupid questions about them. Super straightforward to do yourself, or get a sparky to do it if you're not confident. Get the sparky to follow the wiring diagram properly, because they have been known to take one look at the unit, think _yeah, I got this_, then do it wrong. There are some ready-made solutions too, but they're maybe 3 or more times the price.

I was going to mention in my original response that you probably don't need a heat belt in QLD, even in winter. I've never had need of one on the Gold Coast. You will, however, find the ability to control the temperature of a fermenting fridge invaluable in summer, unless all you brew is Saison.

Edit: Realised the above might read as bit antagonistic towards sparkies. I just meant that the STC isn't that intuitive to wire up as it's not completely obvious that the heating/cooling contacts are relays.


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## storeboughtcheeseburgers (19/7/14)

practicalfool said:


> Bad workmen blaming their tools...
> 
> Ffs, everybody has said it needs to be wrapped around a liquid filled fermenter.
> 
> It is like this guy on the email group telling people that no-chilling is bad. Get your head out of your ass and stop spreading your germs.


Haha ease up - I no chill most of the time 




squirt in the turns said:


> The STC-1000 is nearly ubiquitous in HB temperature control.


I've done some research and now understand - its pretty cool. I wonder if there is anyone about who can build them - See what your saying about in summer - I think for me (being in QLD) it will be worse than winter to maintain the temps - I'm finding a double wrapped thick feather doona is keeping it between 18-22 nicely in a cupboard.

I've got a bar fridge that fits a ferm - i watched a video on Youtube - I guess the STC is a system which just turns off/on appliances (in homebrewings case, a fridge) according to the probe temperature reading.. I thought it was a bit more complex and something that needed to be built into a fridge - the technicals are beyond me to construct, but yes I can see now that it is a very handy bit of kit!


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## Pokey (19/7/14)

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/301202312309
I use something similar to this. Plug the heat belt in and put the sensor in the fridge with the fermentor, or under the blanket where ever.
No wiring, no dodgy boxes, easy.


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## GuyQLD (19/7/14)

Or worst case.. The J-Car shop at Capalaba for some reason has seen an awful lot of temp controllers and knows what bits you need... h34r:


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## TheWiggman (19/7/14)

In my opinion the STC + fridge combo is the best investment I've made towards brewing. Fermentation control is as important as anything else in brewing. Couple it with a stir bar and there's barely a beer you can't make. Lager here we come. 
If you don't want to run into the same drama again in the interim grab one of those power point timers with the tabs you push in. They turn and off in 15 min increments. They're under $10, can be found everywhere, and work.


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## storeboughtcheeseburgers (19/7/14)

Cheers guys - So bascially the STC is external to the fridge in operation, and you put the probe in the fridge and the power from the fridge into the STC heat/cold (whatever used) right?


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## pk.sax (19/7/14)

Yea, plug stc into wall socket, fridge into cooling of stc and heat source into heating of stc. Drop the sensor in fridge (or tape to side of fermenter or in some Thermowell etc). Set the temperature on the stc. Boom. You're done.


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## storeboughtcheeseburgers (19/7/14)

Yeah I think I need this. Is it best to get just off Ebay/hong kong? I know its probably cheapest - what about the wiring loom?


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## storeboughtcheeseburgers (19/7/14)

scrap that, I found one locally here - I always try to go local if I can.

Where is the best place to source the wires? I reckon there will be someone who can help me rig it up.

Thanks guys for your inputs - the hobby extends..


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## indica86 (19/7/14)

Chest freezer + 2 PET bottles full of warm water and 2 FV generating heat gets to 20°c when needed without an issue. And it is down to 5°c here at night.


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## dicko (19/7/14)

If you doubt your ability to wire one safely and correctly then use this

Cheers


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## Cronessa (20/7/14)

After purchasing a heat belt and then reading horror stories of burnt fridges etc I didn't want to leave my heat belt on overnight or whilst I'm away from the house even on a temp control (although its only really needed at night). 

I found if I switched the heat belt on when I got home from work the fermentor would be around 22C by the time I went to bed. I then turn off the heat belt and wrap blankets around the sides of the fermentor. Usually I'd only lose 2 or 3 degrees by morning doing this.


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## storeboughtcheeseburgers (20/7/14)

dicko said:


> If you doubt your ability to wire one safely and correctly then use this
> 
> Cheers


Is that a STC-1000 ? OR a different brand - price seems OK considering all the rooting around setting the thing up would be.


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## Bribie G (20/7/14)

To wire up a temperature controller you buy a short extension cord from a supermarket, then cut it at a suitable point, strip back the outer casing to obtain three wires sticking out of each of the cut ends. That's your wires that you use to follow the installation instructions. The temp controller is the brains of the operation and depending what the reading is from the fermenter and what you have told it to do, it will turn the power on and off to the heat belt or fridge as required.


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## pk.sax (20/7/14)

Mick, have you found paintbrush in this day and age?


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## i-a-n (21/7/14)

Cronessa said:


> After purchasing a heat belt and then reading horror stories of burnt fridges etc I didn't want to leave my heat belt on overnight or whilst I'm away from the house even on a temp control (although its only really needed at night).
> 
> I found if I switched the heat belt on when I got home from work the fermentor would be around 22C by the time I went to bed. I then turn off the heat belt and wrap blankets around the sides of the fermentor. Usually I'd only lose 2 or 3 degrees by morning doing this.


Blankets? 
I reckon it's what wet suits should be used for during the cold weather.


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## Cronessa (21/7/14)

Wet suit is an awesome idea!

Here's my current setup - actually working a charm and keeping fairly constant temps at its lowest setting. Not bad for a radiator that cost around $20 - $30.


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## Scooby Tha Newbie (22/7/14)

Temp controlled heat belt on tile. Works a treat and no fire hazard. I had the belt rapped around the fermenter and it melted the foam insulation that my temp probe sits in. 
Now I don't trust the belt,it was to hot to pick up and I bake for a living,so it must've gotten very hot.


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## MaltyHops (22/7/14)

You could wrap the heat belt around a metal cake tin to help draw heat away from the belt. Wrap around twice if tin is smallish.


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## storeboughtcheeseburgers (25/7/14)

Hey guys,

Update - I bought the mangrove jacks bit of kit. Hasn't been that cold this week, so I'm trusting the blanket still - Will give it a go for the cube (just did a double)

Liking the tile idea and the cake tin.. I'll come up with something - Whats the best way to set up a belt in the fridge? And say you want 18 degree, and you put the probe central to the fridge, is it better to put the controller on say 19 degree to take account of the external proximity of the probe?


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