Another temperature control question

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DeanTas

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Hi All, I'm fairly new to brewing, and have a question.

I've set an old fridge up as a brew fridge, with an STC1000 controller, with a heater and driving the fridge. But I have two brews on, in various states, and the temperature between the two fermentors is very different, and I'm not sure which brew to put the temperature probe on.

Fermentor 1, Black rock Cider, been on for 9 days, kit yeast, SG approx 1000. Current temp 16 degrees.

Fermentor 2, Coopers Pale ale, with bits, Safale S04 yeast, pitched yesterday. I put the temperature probe on this fermentor, yesterday afternoon, set to 18 degrees, deadband 1 degree. (was sitting on about 18.6)


So I checked the temperatures this evening between the different fermentors, and found the differential to be quite high, and was wondering which fermentor to have the probe on. My feeling is that it should be on number two, as that is the "new" brew.

I have taped a neoprene "pocket" onto both fermentors, so with a little settle time the temperatures are fairly accurate to the wort temps.

Advice please?
 
The newly pitched beer will be producing some heat, so it will probably be a bit warmer within the same temp controlled environment. I would throw a 120mm pc fan in the fridge to circulate air between the fermenting vessels and help even out the temp difference.

QldKev
 
QldKev said:
The newly pitched beer will be producing some heat, so it will probably be a bit warmer within the same temp controlled environment. I would throw a 120mm pc fan in the fridge to circulate air between the fermenting vessels and help even out the temp difference.

QldKev
Thanks Kev, I thought that would be a good option, and I'll have a look at that tomorrow when I get home from work. What do you recommend between now and then? Should I suspend the probe to measure ambient in the fridge, or should I not be lazy and fix it tonight?
 
If your in heat mode, I would be putting it on the one with the yeast that was pitched the longer time ago.

Not the best pic, but this is how I have my fan setup. Draws air from the bottom and blows to the top and faces the back at the cooling area.
fan.jpg

I pitch all 3 fermenters at the same time. You will see I have my probe between the bottom 2 fermenters.

edit: Normally I use gladwrap on the bottom fermenters, I just ran out.

QldKev
 
Nice setup QldKev, love the pipe for a fan tube!

I just set up a fan, much more ghetto than that. I had a 120mm cut into the side panel of an old pc case. I bent it in a quick arc, and stood it beside my bottom fermentor (which is the new brew, 18.5 ish degrees). The fan is blowing onto the side of the fermenter, and rising, so hopefully a bit of rising heat will help the other fermentor to heat up a touch, though I would expect it's pretty close to finished anyway, SG was 1000 on saturday and again today.

Thanks for the help!
 

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