# Cheap stir plate - USB cooling pad



## nvs-brews (23/4/15)

Do you think these would work at all?

or should i wait until i can find something with variable speeds?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-Notebook-Cooling-Pad-USB-Power-LED-Light-Cooler-Fan-for-Laptop-14-1-15-4-/141623620799?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item20f96cf4bf

I have the magnets from a previous job..


----------



## goatus (23/4/15)

I made mine from a usb cooling pad. Works well.


----------



## technobabble66 (24/4/15)

Hey goatus (& others), does yours achieve a deep aerating vortex or just kinda stir it around a bit?

I'm looking at a stir plate as one of the next bits of kit and are considering the digital homebrew DIY kit ($40) as it looks the bees knees and has excellent feedback. It gets a vortex down to the base that seems to actively aerate the wort. 
Would the USB one be a similar strength?


----------



## Dave70 (24/4/15)

Look like a great / cheap idea. What kind of magnets do you need?


----------



## nvs-brews (24/4/15)

i got some strong thin disk style magnets for a DIY job.. they can pick up heaps of weight..

Ordered the fan, can report back once its done.. just just to buy the flask and mixing bar


----------



## MartinOC (24/4/15)

Brilliant idea!

....Depending on how you mount the magnets & orientate the unit (ie. upside down so the magnets are close to the bottom of the flask(s))?

Subscribed to hear how you go with it...


----------



## elcarter (24/4/15)

I had a look inside the digital stir plate construction.

I was impressed with the level of detail they went to, I'd have a crack at the DIY kit if money was tight but within your budget.

My Pc fan in a box attempt worked well but always lacked that vortex and had trouble with magnet retention with the cheaper "not so flat" bottom flasks.


----------



## Danscraftbeer (24/4/15)

Build it!

PC fans are plentifull people chuck em out by the millions. I went geeky and went to Jacar for all the other lecy stuff.
Got a box, potentiometer, sockets etc.
Got the magnets from Keg King,
I spent nearly as much ($60) as buying one for $80 but mine is beterer coz I built it.
It suits most/ or any old phone charger (cut cord and put your own plug on)
Its got like volume button speed control.
Suits 1lt to 3lt Flask.


----------



## goatus (28/4/15)

technobabble66 said:


> Hey goatus (& others), does yours achieve a deep aerating vortex or just kinda stir it around a bit?


Mine manages a vortex no worries. I think you would be more worried about it going too fast than too slow. Im pretty happy with the speed of mine when the weight of the rare earth magnets is on it.


----------



## Dave70 (30/4/15)

Can you just rip the cooling fan out of any old PCs and adapt it for this? 
I've got a couple of old boxes laying around with kaput HDs that I could fashion a novel stir plate out of.


----------



## Dave70 (30/4/15)

Would something like this do the trick?

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/N52-Grade-50-X-25-X-10mm-Silver-Block-Rare-Earth-Neodymium-Super-Strong-Magnet-/311347797496?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item487dc65df8


----------



## buckerooni (30/4/15)

ordered one and awaiting. I've got the prebuilt $80 one, but wanted a second for when I've got my double brew on. Will report back. My understanding was that most of they oxygen exchange happens on the surface, so a super vortex isn't required.


----------



## nvs-brews (30/4/15)

Dave70 said:


> Can you just rip the cooling fan out of any old PCs and adapt it for this?
> I've got a couple of old boxes laying around with kaput HDs that I could fashion a novel stir plate out of.


i was going to try it.. if you got it laying about why not give it a go..
it was cheaper for me to buy this than find/buy a fan for pc... but then you got to get a power supply to it..


----------



## nvs-brews (30/4/15)

buckerooni said:


> ordered one and awaiting. I've got the prebuilt $80 one, but wanted a second for when I've got my double brew on. Will report back. My understanding was that most of they oxygen exchange happens on the surface, so a super vortex isn't required.


yeah wont be here for another couple of weeks.. cmon already!
got some wyeast last nite, will hold of getting a flask and the rest until it arrives.. plus give me a chance to scan the net/swap meets for a cheap flask!!


----------



## SBOB (30/4/15)

nvs-brews said:


> . plus give me a chance to scan the net/swap meets for a cheap flask!!


I got a 1 and 3 L flask the other week from 'http://www.madaboutscience.com.au/'
after much looking it was the cheapest 'shipped' option i found and they shipped quick and incredibly well packaged


----------



## nvs-brews (30/4/15)

yeah i saw them.. but to grab 1 from the local homebrew shop is only $3 more... (for a 2L)
If i find 1 at the swap meet i should be able to find 1 for about $5 or something stupid cheap.. or i will spend the $3 more and support the local

but cheers for the link


----------



## SBOB (30/4/15)

no problem.
My local only had the narrow neck keg king, so these appear to be slightly better quality and wide necked so were a better option for me


----------



## Mardoo (30/4/15)

Go wide neck if you can find them. I will next time, but then I got Schotts and seeing as one survived a one meter fall onto concrete that may not be too soon. Bounced back into my hands.


----------



## nvs-brews (30/4/15)

Mardoo said:


> Go wide neck if you can find them. I will next time, but then I got Schotts and seeing as one survived a one meter fall onto concrete that may not be too soon. Bounced back into my hands.


ok, i will take this into consideration.. any reasons why the wide mouth? easier to get the yeast in???


----------



## Mardoo (30/4/15)

Yeah, just easier to work with, particularly if you use DME for starters. Not a deal breaker at all though.


----------



## verysupple (1/5/15)

nvs-brews said:


> Do you think these would work at all?
> 
> or should i wait until i can find something with variable speeds?
> 
> ...


If you're so inclined, I can't see why you couldn't add speed control to one of those.




elcarter said:


> I had a look inside the digital stir plate construction.
> 
> I was impressed with the level of detail they went to, I'd have a crack at the DIY kit if money was tight but within your budget.
> 
> My Pc fan in a box attempt worked well but always lacked that vortex and had trouble with magnet retention with the cheaper "not so flat" bottom flasks.


My PWM controlled CPU fan stir plate does a great job. My first attempt wasn't a success and wouldn't hold the stir bar in place. The only modification I made was to replace the tiny $1 magnets from ebay with decent ones from Jaycar. Now it works a treat - I can run it flat out and not lose the bar even with a cheap slightly dome bottomed flask.


----------



## nvs-brews (15/5/15)

So the end result looks pretty flash, didnt know it had little LED's..

If only it worked as well as it looked.. the fan if you could imagine it was mounted upside down, so i could not mount magnets onto the top of the fan..instead i mounted the magnets onto the blades.,
edit: if i spent more time and could really be fucked i could change this.. maybe i will later but for now, i will live with how its mounted

I get a small whirlpool @ 1100ml (prob more if i used less water)..
have not tried with yeast/malt as yet.

Im sure it's better than nothing..

Cooling fan $11
Magnets i had round the house
Stir bar $7

its not the best BUT its a start and it was cheap!


----------



## Yob (15/5/15)

I presume that's not UV light?


----------



## nvs-brews (15/5/15)

Havent looked into that, cheers for the heads up!
but for $11 its doubtful... i could disconnect them if they are anyhow 
:beerbang:


----------



## gotsomecraic (9/6/15)

Put mine together from bits of eBay magnets,cooling fan and had the 12V DC plug from a phone.

Thing works well


attachment=81134:ImageUploadedByAussie Home Brewer1433814392.856796.jpg]


----------



## spog (9/6/15)

Disco brewery.


----------

