Brew Belt Temperature Issues...

[Darren]

Thanks for reading for me.

No worries man, any time...although rather than using two of the word "for" in one sentence, I personally would have gone for a phrase something like "thanks for doing the reading on my behalf"

Chuck the heat belt out!

I'll keep it for future screw-ups like this one I have just made.

Everything has gone reasonably since using the belt, so it should be ok now......I hope :chug:

PZ.

[post="90238"][/post]​

Fortunately, here in Brizzy, heat belts are rarely needed - but on the occaisions I've used mine, it worked fine. Also note that S/S is a BETTER thermal conducter than plastic, so should work more efficiently than on a plastic fermenter...

[post="90343"][/post]​

Again, sounds good in theory. I doubt a heat belt has the "kick" to transfer the heat through a SS keg. Most likely to dissipate on the surface of the keg rather than penetrate.
cheers
Darren

 

[Ross]

Thanks for reading for me.

No worries man, any time...although rather than using two of the word "for" in one sentence, I personally would have gone for a phrase something like "thanks for doing the reading on my behalf"

Chuck the heat belt out!

I'll keep it for future screw-ups like this one I have just made.

Everything has gone reasonably since using the belt, so it should be ok now......I hope :chug:

PZ.

[post="90238"][/post]​

Fortunately, here in Brizzy, heat belts are rarely needed - but on the occaisions I've used mine, it worked fine. Also note that S/S is a BETTER thermal conducter than plastic, so should work more efficiently than on a plastic fermenter...

[post="90343"][/post]​

Again, sounds good in theory. I doubt a heat belt has the "kick" to transfer the heat through a SS keg. Most likely to dissipate on the surface of the keg rather than penetrate.
cheers
Darren

[post="90389"][/post]​

Unless you have practical experience to offer - then good theory is all we have

I guess heating coils round a S/S conical will be a waste of time as well, by your reasoning?

 

[Darren]

Thanks for reading for me.

No worries man, any time...although rather than using two of the word "for" in one sentence, I personally would have gone for a phrase something like "thanks for doing the reading on my behalf"

Chuck the heat belt out!

I'll keep it for future screw-ups like this one I have just made.

Everything has gone reasonably since using the belt, so it should be ok now......I hope :chug:

PZ.

[post="90238"][/post]​

Fortunately, here in Brizzy, heat belts are rarely needed - but on the occaisions I've used mine, it worked fine. Also note that S/S is a BETTER thermal conducter than plastic, so should work more efficiently than on a plastic fermenter...

[post="90343"][/post]​

Again, sounds good in theory. I doubt a heat belt has the "kick" to transfer the heat through a SS keg. Most likely to dissipate on the surface of the keg rather than penetrate.
cheers
Darren

[post="90389"][/post]​

Unless you have practical experience to offer - then good theory is all we have

I guess heating coils round a S/S conical will be a waste of time as well, by your reasoning?

[post="90396"][/post]​

How hot are they going to be? Are they loosely wrapped around the conical?
My experience with heat belts is they are barely warm. Barely warm, wrapped once around SS coil will be useless, YES

 

[Darren]

FL,
Rather than use a heatbelt you would probably be best to put your fermenter in a "box". Wooden, cardboard an old fridge even wrap in an old sleeping bag. Doesn't really matter. Try to minimise heat loss (fluctuations) pitch big quantities of yeast and everything will be ok.
Ales are a piece of piss to make. Every homebrewer in Australia (unless you live on a mountain or tassie) should be more worried about keeping their beer temps down rather than trying to increase them.
I still say throw the heat belt away. Never needed one myself (gets to freezing in winter in adelaide)
cheers
Darren

 

[peas_and_corn]

Pad is now so warped nothing will stand up on it anymore and I can only use it dangling in the ferment freezer on cold nights to keep the temps up.

[post="90338"][/post]​

Hmm... interesting...

I'm in the process of thinking about different ways to control the temperature in my fermentation fridge... would using my heating pad in this way be as beneficial as if I used a light for creating heat to bring the temp up?

 

[Darren]

both should work fine

 

[vlbaby]

FL,
Rather than use a heatbelt you would probably be best to put your fermenter in a "box". Wooden, cardboard an old fridge even wrap in an old sleeping bag. Doesn't really matter. Try to minimise heat loss (fluctuations) pitch big quantities of yeast and everything will be ok.
Ales are a piece of piss to make. Every homebrewer in Australia (unless you live on a mountain or tassie) should be more worried about keeping their beer temps down rather than trying to increase them.
I still say throw the heat belt away. Never needed one myself (gets to freezing in winter in adelaide)
cheers
Darren

[post="90406"][/post]​

Well thats not the case here in melb. If i didnt have a heat box my ales would plummet down into the 13-15 degc region easily overnight, well in fact is has in the past. The fermentation process does seem to produce some of its own heat, but not enough to sustain from start to finish if it can sustain it at all.

All I say is that a brew belt / heat box is absolutely essentially for constant temps in winter.

vlbaby.

 

[Fingerlickin_B]

FL,
Rather than use a heatbelt you would probably be best to put your fermenter in a "box". Wooden, cardboard an old fridge even wrap in an old sleeping bag. Doesn't really matter. Try to minimise heat loss (fluctuations) pitch big quantities of yeast and everything will be ok.
Ales are a piece of piss to make. Every homebrewer in Australia (unless you live on a mountain or tassie) should be more worried about keeping their beer temps down rather than trying to increase them.
I still say throw the heat belt away. Never needed one myself (gets to freezing in winter in adelaide)
cheers
Darren

You said before that you didn't read the whole thread...in fact it was obvious at that stage you had only read the title, not even the very first post

Since you are too lazy to find it, I'll quote myself from the first page again for you:

My only real "issue" was with how hot the belt was getting.

I have a temperature-controlled box inside the house that my plastic fermenters usually go in (its in my post signature) and hopefully Ill get around to building a new one broad enough to house the new wider SS fermenter some time soon.

No need for fridges, bathtubs, etc. This was a "stop-gap" solution only

PZ.

 

[Darren]

FL,
Rather than use a heatbelt you would probably be best to put your fermenter in a "box". Wooden, cardboard an old fridge even wrap in an old sleeping bag. Doesn't really matter. Try to minimise heat loss (fluctuations) pitch big quantities of yeast and everything will be ok.
Ales are a piece of piss to make. Every homebrewer in Australia (unless you live on a mountain or tassie) should be more worried about keeping their beer temps down rather than trying to increase them.
I still say throw the heat belt away. Never needed one myself (gets to freezing in winter in adelaide)
cheers
Darren

[post="90406"][/post]​

Well thats not the case here in melb. If i didnt have a heat box my ales would plummet down into the 13-15 degc region easily overnight, well in fact is has in the past. The fermentation process does seem to produce some of its own heat, but not enough to sustain from start to finish if it can sustain it at all.

All I say is that a brew belt / heat box is absolutely essentially for constant temps in winter.

vlbaby.

[post="90594"][/post]​

VL,
Unless you are making Belgians 20 degree C is the maximum you should ferment at. Why not make lagers in winter, for summer. Ales in summer for winter. And chuck away the heat belt. A box or old sleeping bag is all you will need to keep either constant.
cheers
Darren

 

[Darren]

FL,
Rather than use a heatbelt you would probably be best to put your fermenter in a "box". Wooden, cardboard an old fridge even wrap in an old sleeping bag. Doesn't really matter. Try to minimise heat loss (fluctuations) pitch big quantities of yeast and everything will be ok.
Ales are a piece of piss to make. Every homebrewer in Australia (unless you live on a mountain or tassie) should be more worried about keeping their beer temps down rather than trying to increase them.
I still say throw the heat belt away. Never needed one myself (gets to freezing in winter in adelaide)
cheers
Darren

You said before that you didn't read the whole thread...in fact it was obvious at that stage you had only read the title, not even the very first post

Since you are too lazy to find it, I'll quote myself from the first page again for you:

My only real "issue" was with how hot the belt was getting.

I have a temperature-controlled box inside the house that my plastic fermenters usually go in (its in my post signature) and hopefully Ill get around to building a new one broad enough to house the new wider SS fermenter some time soon.

No need for fridges, bathtubs, etc. This was a "stop-gap" solution only

PZ.

[post="90744"][/post]​

Peace dude,
I could tell from the title what you were asking. No need to read the whole thread
As I posted before a box, old sleeping bag, camp mattress should have done what you asked for WITHOUT the heat belt. Pitch big, airate well and an ALE will be over in 24 hours. Brewing ales is a bit like wild-fire. Once it starts the problem is putting it out.
I will say it once again. Heat belts are stupid.
cheers
Darren

 

[PeterS]

QUOTE(Darren @ Nov 15 20
[/quote)


Peace dude,
I could tell from the title what you were asking. No need to read the whole thread
As I posted before a box, old sleeping bag, camp mattress should have done what you asked for WITHOUT the heat belt. Pitch big, airate well and an ALE will be over in 24 hours. Brewing ales is a bit like wild-fire. Once it starts the problem is putting it out.
I will say it once again. Heat belts are stupid.
cheers
Darren

[post="90790"][/post]​

[/quote]

It had to come to this. Whenever I read the name Darren I could tell what he is about to say. No need to read the whole thread. How could Heat belts be stupid, it is an inanimate object...

:unsure:
PeterS....

 

[Darren]

I knew you would be from Queensland! All inanimate objects are stupid! Some more than others
Do you use a heat belt in Queensland?

 

[tangent]

i gotta agree with the brew lagers in winter and ales in summer
then they have a chance to mature
the only time i need to regulate heat is the occasional ale in winter or right in the guts of summer