Heat belt quality

[trustyrusty]

I bought a heat belt for about 12.00 posted. I have a thermostat to go with it but I not sure about them, are they safe? It is the red colour one. Thanks

 

[altone]

Well if you bought it from an Australian vendor then it has to be safe and suitable for the designated purpose.
If you didn't , then keep it away from too much moisture, if you have temperature control as you suggest It should be fine.

I use cheap Chinese seed heating mats at the back of my ferment fridge when heating is needed.
Never had an issue with them.

Controlled with an STC1000.

 

[trustyrusty]

I have inkbird... l bought in ebay local, came in a few days so must have local although Chinese operator ... anyhow.. the plug seems cheap to me , I might change it..

My concern with heat belts is that they get hot in one spot until temp is reached... so it could be 50c where the belt is touching,

I was looking at a heat lamp inside fridge. Pet heater lamp?

Chinese seed heating?? Not sure what that is?. thanks

 

[FarsideOfCrazy]

I think he means something like this,

https://www.kegland.com.au/heating-belt-30-watt-853.html

 

[JDW81]

My concern with heat belts is that they get hot in one spot until temp is reached... so it could be 50c where the belt is touching,

I've used a heat belt for years with no issues. Generally it's used inside my fermenting fridge, but occasionally it keeps the fermenter warm in the garage. I run it with a temp controller, with the probe strapped to the side of the fermenter under 4 layers of bubble wrap and the heat belt wrapped around just above the tap.

No issues with flavour or melting of plastic.

Bear in mind, if it hits 50 degrees a lot of the temperature will have dissipated by the time it reaches the wort (plastic isn't a great conductor of heat), and the wort that meets that warm plastic will warm and rise almost instantly.

If you're inside a fermenting fridge the belt isn't going to be on that much, as fridges are designed to hold temperature efficiently.

JD

 

[trustyrusty]

thanks I have fermenting fridge and stainless steel fermenter .. cheers

 

[trustyrusty]

What I have decided to do is put the belt around the bottom the FV where there is a plastic base (SS fermenter)
That it is not touching and the heat comes from the botton. Probe about 1/3 from bottom...
I assume the plastic wont melt as it is used on other plastic FVs, but I thought I would check that is OK?

I also seen people just out helt inside fridge in a heap, as a heat source, not around FV..I wonder how that works?
Thanks

 

[altone]

What I have decided to do is put the belt around the bottom the FV where there is a plastic base (SS fermenter)
That it is not touching and the heat comes from the botton. Probe about 1/3 from bottom...
I assume the plastic wont melt as it is used on other plastic FVs, but I thought I would check that is OK?

I also seen people just out helt inside fridge in a heap, as a heat source, not around FV..I wonder how that works?
Thanks

I actually use a seed heating mat that way one of these -
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/10x20-7...pid=16010499947&hash=item25fbcfb7b8:rk:5:pf:0


It's connected to an STC1000 for temperature control and seems to work very well,

 

[trustyrusty]

I actually use a seed heating mat that way one of these -
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/10x20-7...pid=16010499947&hash=item25fbcfb7b8:rk:5:pf:0


It's connected to an STC1000 for temperature control and seems to work very well,

Thanks, so you are saying you just put mat in a pile next to FV or underneath it? I guess it could go on the side wall of the fridge, like a mini oil heater thanks

 

[altone]

Thanks, so you are saying you just put mat in a pile next to FV or underneath it? I guess it could go on the side wall of the fridge, like a mini oil heater thanks

Mine is actually standing on it's edge at the back of the fridge so that it is out of the way.
Don't use them folded or rolled up tightly as you could create hot spots.

 

[gap]

Mine is actually standing on it's edge at the back of the fridge so that it is out of the way.
Don't use them folded or rolled up tightly as you could create hot spots.

Do they come with a standard Australian plug?

 

[altone]

Do they come with a standard Australian plug?

Mine came with Chinese plugs and an adapter for Australia.

I've been told twisting the plug pins with vice grips makes them fit straight into a standard socket.

 

[philrob]

Begs the question: Why do you need a heat belt or mat?
Please explain.
I've been brewing for 12 years and haven't even looked like needing one.

 

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

High temperatures fermentation like saison ,Kveik. Also diacetyl rests

 

[trustyrusty]

You are probably right, I am finding that if I set to 20 it says above with yeast heat. When temp starts to drop it is ready or close to but most of the work is done ... I don’t do D rest, is it worth it for kits? Thanks

 

[TheSumOfAllBeers]

Your heat belt has a temperature set ?

I rig my heat belt up to an inkbird, so it will kick on when I need to raise my beer temp, and stop when my beer temp gets to the right level.

Diacetyl is produced by any yeast, though in practice people who do not use temperature control tend to have day and night time variations in beer temperature that help clean it up.

Also I forgot to mention one of the best uses of a heatbelt - accelerated lager schedule:
Pitch at 12C
Raise to 14C at 50% attenuation
Raise to 16C at 75% attenuation
raise to 18C at 90% attenuation (aka Diacetyl rest)