Ferment Fridge Build - To Heat or Not to Heat in Brisbane?

[Stouter]

I've just added my second fermenting fridge after receiving another temp controller today. I was thinking I won't need a heater ATM as our overnight minimums have been over 17-18, and over the next few months I'll get higher.
My concern now, which might be unfounded, is that between the probe (in the wort) reaching the controller set temp to switch off the fridge, and the inside of the fridge being much colder to achieve this. I'm thinking there might be a lag effect which could be lessened quicker to a reasonable balance if there were a heater to counter it.
I'm still monitoring this to see if it is of any consequence, but $20 for another heater belt which I'll need over Winter might be on the cards.

 

[simmo1972]

Based in Brisbane and I made a 'heater', Large Milo tin and a bulb fitted inside. I use BrewPI so I needed the heating part.

 

[Maheel]

I've just added my second fermenting fridge after receiving another temp controller today. I was thinking I won't need a heater ATM as our overnight minimums have been over 17-18, and over the next few months I'll get higher.
My concern now, which might be unfounded, is that between the probe (in the wort) reaching the controller set temp to switch off the fridge, and the inside of the fridge being much colder to achieve this. I'm thinking there might be a lag effect which could be lessened quicker to a reasonable balance if there were a heater to counter it.
I'm still monitoring this to see if it is of any consequence, but $20 for another heater belt which I'll need over Winter might be on the cards.

your fridge will get colder than the set temp but 20L of beer takes a long time to change temp so you need it cold to drop the temps in the beer.

if you run heating at the same time the on - off - on of the fridge is going to speed up.... as one fights the other

but once you get the beer to the set temp it will only be holding the temp and not on-off-on very much changing how cold the environment gets


all IMO....

 

[fdsaasdf]

I have used a brewer's choice heating pad (picked up cheaply in someone's clearout on this forum) for about 2 brews per winter. The lowest inside-fridge temp I observed this year was at the start of July at 12deg - annoyingly it was the day I had to pitch! If only a couple of days either side I could have probably avoided the heat pad altogether.

 

[Cosh]

I'm in Brisbane and I don't use a heater in winter. It only gets cold enough to need one for about a month if you only brew ales.

I brew Lagers in winter and ales in summer. Love a good Bock or Schwartzbier in the colder months.

 

[pcqypcqy]

I have an STC1000 set to a 1 degree differential. I was worried about excessive on/off heating/cooling cycles due to under/overshoot, but it was never really a problem that I noticed.

Depending on your initial conditions (i.e. if you're trying to cool your wort or warm it up at the start), you can unplug the other thing so that you only get cooling or heating until the temperature stabilises. Then you can plug them both back in and let it try to keep you within your range.

 

[Coodgee]

I am in brisbane and didn't bother with heating on my stc1000. For a couple of weeks in June I found my brew (only one) was fermenting at 15 degrees, which US05 can handle. But if you are keen then why not.

 

[brocasarea]

I have an STC1000 set to a 1 degree differential. I was worried about excessive on/off heating/cooling cycles due to under/overshoot, but it was never really a problem that I noticed.

Depending on your initial conditions (i.e. if you're trying to cool your wort or warm it up at the start), you can unplug the other thing so that you only get cooling or heating until the temperature stabilises. Then you can plug them both back in and let it try to keep you within your range.

Set to 1°C differential sounds pretty good. Does anyone else have any other experiences with what differential worked/didn't work for them? I'd like to get it going good out of the blocks.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

I have mine on the lowest, 0.3 I think. The STC has a compressor delay for the cooling circuit. if you keep the probe taped to the side of the fermenter with some lagging on the outside it should be pretty stable.

 

[brocasarea]

I have mine on the lowest, 0.3 I think. The STC has a compressor delay for the cooling circuit. if you keep the probe taped to the side of the fermenter with some lagging on the outside it should be pretty stable.

And the compressor delay? It can be set too I've been reading. Just the standard 3 minutes seems to be what everyone is doing.

 

[user 31093]

I use an Inkbird, I have -1 degree for heat and +0.5 for cool.

Compressor delay is set to 6 minutes, it's not likely it'll ever come on this often anyway unless you're opening the door all the time, but if for some reason it does it gives the compressor enough of a break.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

I have mine set to 5mins

 

[brocasarea]

I use an Inkbird, I have -1 degree for heat and +0.5 for cool.

Compressor delay is set to 6 minutes, it's not likely it'll ever come on this often anyway unless you're opening the door all the time, but if for some reason it does it gives the compressor enough of a break.

I've seen the Inkbird itc-1000. Is there an advantage to using them? The stuff online I've read looks to be from the guy who makes them or just about Fahrenheit.

 

[user 31093]

I've seen the Inkbird itc-1000. Is there an advantage to using them? The stuff online I've read looks to be from the guy who makes them or just about Fahrenheit.

I've got the ITC-308? It's pre wired and so on, has a couple less constraints than the STC such as being able to set a different heat variance to cold, quite useful if you want to have hot and cold at the same time but configure so the two are not fighting it out.

Also has ability to set an alarm for high/low temps so if you want to be alerted for whatever reason you can set one.

Beyond that they serve the same purpose. I wouldn't swap an STC-1000 for an inkbird ITC-308, but if I had an STC die or was doing it from scratch, yeah I might get an ITC over an STC.

 

[Coldspace]

I only chucked my heater belt into my 320 ltr fermenting chesty when in the coldest couple of months in brissy when bring my lagers up from 10 to 17 for d rest. Just loose around bottom, not touching the 3 fermenters, one belt easily kept it wam enough.

Cheers

 

[Stouter]

I've got the ITC-308? It's pre wired and so on, has a couple less constraints than the STC such as being able to set a different heat variance to cold, quite useful if you want to have hot and cold at the same time but configure so the two are not fighting it out.

Just got my second one of these after so much happy happy joy joy with the first one. Got the S/S probes with both and drilled my F.V lids for another rubber grommet, lovely.
Both working perfectly now, one without the heater.
I've set the high and low temp alarms to much further from my temp ranges though as the shed is a way from the house and I can't hear them.

 

[wildburkey]

I've seen the Inkbird itc-1000. Is there an advantage to using them? The stuff online I've read looks to be from the guy who makes them or just about Fahrenheit.

Chiming in a little late here but for fermentation purposes the STC-1000 keeps temps just fine if you are not over powering the heating. I would be looking for something that can set ramp profiles or data log if you are looking for a control to add benefits of practical use.