Fv fridge temps

[chewy]

I use the SS sensor probe going directly into the wort. For me this was a no brainer, when temps are that important I didn't want to be messing round with sticking it to the outside and variances in ambient vs wort temps and what not. Also just bought a 15-20 reptile heat pad and velcroed it to the back fridge wall so I can take it on and off. It all works perfectly, can literally walk away for a month in any weather and not have to worry.

Is that run by a stc-1000 and if so where did you get the SS temp probe and how long is it.. Just interested

 

[joshF]

I got my probe from craftbrewer for about $30 i think.

Drilled a hole in the top of the fermenter but i preferred to have the probe further towards the edge of the fermenter instead of the middle so it would cut off before getting too cold.

Like the other people who use a probe in their wort, i reckon this gives a more accurate reading than the other methods but each to their own.

 

[KingKong]

I see a lot of people talking about thermo wells and internal wort probes. For me , when I can get an accurate temp by insulating my temp probe against the wall of the fermenter , I am not prepared to create further places for infections to hide and at the same time create extra parts to pull apart and sanitise. A lot of people have scrapped fermenter lids in place of glad wrap for this reason (including me).

I am a minimalist though.

Not saying your going to get an infection, but I would consider the pros and cons.

 

[joshF]

http://www.craftbrewer.com.au/shop/details.asp?PID=955

that's the one i've got an yea it works with the stc-1000

 

[chewy]

I understand kingkong..... You don't play football for do you?
I was just really interested... I've seen peeps put fish tank heaters in their brew not for me either.. No lids here as well I do put it on to keep the dust out in between batches though....

 

[chewy]

Also with the 50w reptile heater I can run my FC Up at 50°c and cure tobacco but that's a different cup of tea.....

 

[joshF]

Agreed mate but IMO there isn't that much more cleaning or sanitizing involved. The probe is smooth not jagged, steel not plastic, easily cleaned and sanitized, therefore i really don't think it poses any more risk of an infection than would be the case without it.

A shitload of people use standard tap water without any problems at all and i'm damn sure that poses a far greater risk of infection than a slightly modified fermenter lid with a temperature probe. Would many commercial breweries do open fermentation if they could just cover everything in glad wrap? I think not.

just my 2 cents

 

[KingKong]

Not saying your going to get an infection, but I would consider the pros and cons.

No need to justify your practices, you can do what ever you like to your fermenter .

I stand by my original comments.

 

[chewy]

My water goes thru six filters and a UV sterilizer. I asked because now and in the future I like to know all my options. I've seen people who don't sterilize at all and their beer turns out.. It just doesn't bother me either way..

 

[citizensnips]

Is that run by a stc-1000 and if so where did you get the SS temp probe and how long is it.. Just interested

Yeah run with an STC. I got mine from mashmaster, exact same as the craft brewer one though, mine is set up exactly as the picture JoshF posted

 

[joshF]

I'm a big fan of the temperature probe setup, except that day when i miscalculated my sparge water and ended up with 18.5L into the fermenter.

Stupid thing was just hanging there like a dick in a shirt sleeve. It was great at telling me the temperature of the krausen though :lol:

 

[Nick JD]

He heh. Probe.

 

[chewy]

I'm a big fan of the temperature probe setup, except that day when i miscalculated my sparge water and ended up with 18.5L into the fermenter.

Stupid thing was just hanging there like a dick in a shirt sleeve. It was great at telling me the temperature of the krausen though :lol:

That's the only problem I can see with them the length would be a problem at some time ... dick in a shirt sleeve.... Lol(shakes head)

 

[wbosher]

The thermowell from Beerbelly is about 400mm long, so will pretty much go the entire depth of the fermenter. Can then hang the STC probe at any depth I want, probably about half way down.

 

[rich_lamb]

I see a lot of people talking about thermo wells and internal wort probes. For me , when I can get an accurate temp by insulating my temp probe against the wall of the fermenter , I am not prepared to create further places for infections to hide and at the same time create extra parts to pull apart and sanitise. A lot of people have scrapped fermenter lids in place of glad wrap for this reason (including me).

Hmmm. (sorry for the late reply - I'm not on here much anymore)
So when you say you get an accurate temp by insulating the probe against the wall are you - like most brewers - just assuming its accurate or have you compared the measurement to a calibrated temperature probe in the wort?

I think you'd be surprised, perhaps even a little shocked, at the difference you'd observe. And the reason is not what you might expect - it's not the probe you have to be concerned about insulating as much as the LEADS. You'll find the probe leads conduct ambient into the probe and offset its reading.

The worst case is when the fermentation is active (heating) and the temperature controller is cooling, as the probe lead is exposed to lower temperatures while the wort is at its warmest. I've measured offsets of over 4 degrees on my system - that aint good. Of course it will vary depending on what type of probe and what guage of wire used, etc. Mine is a digital probe, which may be less affected than the thermistors most of you would be using...

 

[jollster101]

I have a query which I was hoping may have been answered in this thread but hasn't to date (and I haven't found a suitable answer elsewhere just yet).

I am a new brewer, (by new I mean I am reading up loads and have gathered most of my kit ready to do my first BIAB) and I have picked up a medium sized upright fridge and am currently waiting for an STC-1000 to turn up. The fridge is big enough to have 2 x 30L specials from Bunns inside which is good as I hope to try and get into having 2 brews created and fermenting at once, or one within a week of the other. I have a heat belt which will work fine if I decide to just have one brew fermenting at a time and go for the wrap around method. I see there are multiple options in play for heating ranging from reptile lamps through to heat pads or heat belts.

Can I get some advice on how the seasoned pro's control their temps when they are fermenting more than one brew in the same fridge?

Cheers

 

[KingKong]

My probe is insulated under about 10cm of dense foam , taped hard against the side of the fermenter furthest from the heat pad and cooling element of the fridge. A lot of different views on this as well, but it works for me. When I draw a hydrometer sample the temp is true to he temp displayed on the STC.

That's how I know my method works for me. Easy, keep it simple stupid principle.

Im not regurgitating this, its fact. The STC1000 temp probe insulated against the fermenter wall the way I have it set up gives an accurate reading.