Heater suggestions for small brew cupboard: tubular heaters etc?

[bingggo]

Hi folks,

[SIZE=medium]I have a cupboard in the garage where the ambient temperature without heating is around 8-13 degrees. It’s about 60cm wide, 60cm deep, 100cm high: big enough for a 25L fermenter and two 5L demijohns. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]I needed a heat source to keep the cupboard, and the three fermenters, warm. So I’ve started keeping it around 14-15 degrees with a temperature controller and 25w infrared light bulb. I used to just dangle a heat belt in the space to warm the three fermenters, but the belt gets too hot if not wrapped around a fermenter and it started to burn holes in the things it touched![/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]I have reservations about the light bulb as a heater. If not in a protective cage, it runs the risk of being accidentally knocked and broken. The cheap worklights with reflective cages are pretty plasticy, and the cages themselves then run the risk of overheating. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]I’d prefer something that gave off a more diffuse heat. I thought about a tiny fan heater like this which would probably make the ambient air temperature in the cupboard more uniform, but can’t find any in Australia: [/SIZE][SIZE=medium]http://www.amazon.com/Lasko-100-MyHeat-Personal-Ceramic/dp/B003XDTWN2[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]But these tubular heaters for greenhouses sound tempting – not having any moving parts - but I haven’t found any in Australia: [/SIZE][SIZE=medium]http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Heating_Index/Tubular_Heaters/index.html[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]I was wondering if people have tips on these or other heating options.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=medium]Cheers![/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]B[/SIZE]

 

[JaseH]

Just get one of these - does the job in my ferm fridge.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/14W-Adjustable-Temperature-Pet-Reptile-Heating-Heater-Warmer-Bed-Amphibians-Mat-/350869304904?pt=AU_Pet_Supplies&hash=item51b170b648

They are fine up into the the low 20's, I just dangle it inside the fridge, doesn't get hot enough to burn anything.

EDIT: actually just realised your using a cupboard - you might need to line it with some insulation to help keep a stable temp.

 

[bingggo]

Thanks, not bad. I still quite like the tubular heater concept because it is designed for mounting securely. But a low-powered pad could be the way to go!

 

[nzefactor]

I'm in a similar situation mate, looking at heat sources for a small fermenter cuboard for the garage.

Keeping with the reptile theme - mypetwarehouse.com.au/EXO-TERRA-HEAT-GLO-INFRARED-HEAT-LAMP-50-WATT-PT2141-p-8293

Could be a goer? Uses infrafred light, possibly better than the other reptile cage heat lamps that emitt UV (no lightstrike)?

Ah. You're already using infrared. The 25W bulb is only bumping it up a degree or two? Jumping up to a 50W bulb doesn't seem like it'd be worth it. Do you insulate the cupboard?

 

[JaseH]

A radiant heat lamp is not a very efficient way to heat your ferm chamber. There are better, cheaper ways to do it if you are starting from scratch.

 

[jaypes]

Could you just not use 3 heat belts on each of your fermenters?

Specially designed for brews and probably would not burn your house down

And probably cheaper too

 

[Blackened]

If you're after a ghetto design, I built mine using an old iron, stripped of everything except the flat heated surface, then I attached a large aluminium heatsink. A bi-metal thermostat (scavenged from an old dishwasher or washing machine from memory) keeps it at a safe temp of around 80C. It keeps my fridge at a constant 34C when plugged into a standard thermostat (mould incubator for rice wine). the existing iron thermostat would work too no doubt, but mine was dismantled for some long forgotten project.

No moving parts either. You could chuck a fan on the heatsink I guess, but I wanted to keep it simple. And there's the risk of the fan getting too hot too.

 

[bingggo]

Well, infrared bulbs are an option I think, I just wanted an improvement. Cost wise - a bulb cable and bulb is about $25. For what it's worth, my experiences with them are:
- in a poorly insulated cupboard in a garage that's probably about 10 degrees, a 25w infrared bulb keeps the cupboard cycling between 13-14 degrees, and I can see from a temperature logger that it switches on for a while about every hour. So it could presumably keep it warmer if I wanted it warmer; and considerably warmer if I insulated the cupboard properly.
- Bunnings sells $10 'work lights' on a long cable with a plastic safety grill around the screw bulb fitting. I found my local petshops only sold infrared lamps in 50w and upwards (and only screw, in case you have a bayonet cable), which I have tried. But getting a 25w bulb online turned out better - less intense heat for both the plastic work light holder, and for the exposed fermenters.

There are also 'ceramic' heat 'bulbs' which screwn into light fittings (preferably ceramic fittings). I understand these are basically just hot ceramic plates - these are more expensive - $30 upwards I think.

I think the heat pad might be a better option for diffuse heat over a larger area. Will try them out.

 

[surly]

I am happy with my heating solution. Granted, it is in a fridge which is well insulated, so a cupboard might be different.
I use a reptile heat cord. I have attached it to the side and back wall of the fridge. It snakes it's way around so as to evenly heat and has been working well for the past year.

I think it is a 25 watt one and cost me about 15 dollars. Jump on Ebay, there are many around. Longer might be better for more even heat distribution.

 

[MelbourneDave]

Can someone please explain to me (someone who knows nothing about light wave lengths) how these ceramic infrared lights work? From what I've read on their ebay pages they emit similar wavelengths to the sun for reptiles and even growing. So wouldn't this be bad for the beer? I'm guessing with lots of people using them that there is no problem but would like to know why as they would be perfect for me. Cheers

 

[Batz]

I am happy with my heating solution. Granted, it is in a fridge which is well insulated, so a cupboard might be different.
I use a reptile heat cord. I have attached it to the side and back wall of the fridge. It snakes it's way around so as to evenly heat and has been working well for the past year.

I think it is a 25 watt one and cost me about 15 dollars. Jump on Ebay, there are many around. Longer might be better for more even heat distribution.

What sort of temperatures can you get with this surly?

Batz

 

[surly]

Not sure batz, I mostly just maintain approx 18 deg. Not really tried higher, but if you aren't in a hurry, I can crank it when I am no longer fermenting..

 

[nzefactor]

Well, infrared bulbs are an option I think, I just wanted an improvement. Cost wise - a bulb cable and bulb is about $25. For what it's worth, my experiences with them are:
- in a poorly insulated cupboard in a garage that's probably about 10 degrees, a 25w infrared bulb keeps the cupboard cycling between 13-14 degrees, and I can see from a temperature logger that it switches on for a while about every hour. So it could presumably keep it warmer if I wanted it warmer; and considerably warmer if I insulated the cupboard properly.
- Bunnings sells $10 'work lights' on a long cable with a plastic safety grill around the screw bulb fitting. I found my local petshops only sold infrared lamps in 50w and upwards (and only screw, in case you have a bayonet cable), which I have tried. But getting a 25w bulb online turned out better - less intense heat for both the plastic work light holder, and for the exposed fermenters.

There are also 'ceramic' heat 'bulbs' which screwn into light fittings (preferably ceramic fittings). I understand these are basically just hot ceramic plates - these are more expensive - $30 upwards I think.

I think the heat pad might be a better option for diffuse heat over a larger area. Will try them out.

Hey mate re: insulation I've been thinking some cheap fleece from Spotlight or somewhere similar + some aluminium foil backing would make for some cheap insulation that you could just staple onto the insides of a cupboard. Not the best but should be an improvement on nothing and it wouldn't be that expensive.

Those ceramic plates are meant to put out a good amount of heat but like you said they're not exactly cheap (the wider plate designs get very expensive) and I'd be worried about creating hot spots.

 

[Batz]

Not sure batz, I mostly just maintain approx 18 deg. Not really tried higher, but if you aren't in a hurry, I can crank it when I am no longer fermenting..

Cheers surly, not that we suffer too much from the cold up here.

But I'm thinking saison type temperature.

Batz

 

[surly]

Cheers surly, not that we suffer too much from the cold up here.

But I'm thinking saison type temperature.

Batz

Happy to test it for you Batz, if it can hit 30+ in a Melb winter in my shed, I would expect you to be fine.
Can chuck the fermenter back in full of cleaning solution and see if it will raise that high. Without yeast pumping out heat it might be a struggle, but we will see.

PM me in a week or so to remind me. Will be CC'ing my current brew this weekend, so not too far off.

 

[TheWiggman]

Can someone please explain to me (someone who knows nothing about light wave lengths) how these ceramic infrared lights work? From what I've read on their ebay pages they emit similar wavelengths to the sun for reptiles and even growing. So wouldn't this be bad for the beer? I'm guessing with lots of people using them that there is no problem but would like to know why as they would be perfect for me. Cheers

There are two ranges of light not visible to the human eye - infrared and ultra violet. Ultra violet and upwards becomes ionising radiation, and this is the bad stuff from the sun. Heat actually emits infrared radiation so an infrared globe is basically a heater. I doubt it would have any effect on the beer.
Nobody's mentioned heat belts, what's wrong with them? I use one (with an STC) and I reckon it goes well.

 

[nzefactor]

Can someone please explain to me (someone who knows nothing about light wave lengths) how these ceramic infrared lights work? From what I've read on their ebay pages they emit similar wavelengths to the sun for reptiles and even growing. So wouldn't this be bad for the beer? I'm guessing with lots of people using them that there is no problem but would like to know why as they would be perfect for me. Cheers

Hey mate have a look over this old thread (http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/47096-artificial-light-strike-during-fermentation/) and this link (https://byo.com/stories/issue/item/2263-lightstrike-advanced-brewing).

I have no idea about the reptile side of things but as for beer I think Wiggman is on the money; Infrared is on the other end of the spectrum to UV light, which is the one you want to avoid as that can cause the skunking of beer (open to correction if I've got it wrong).

Nobody's mentioned heat belts, what's wrong with them? I use one (with an STC) and I reckon it goes well.

I'm using one of them now, definitely an easy fix for a single fermenter but I think Bingggo was looking for something to heat a small enclosed area that'll hold a couple of ferms that are different sizes.

If you got one of those low wattage reptile heat cords in a decent length I guess you could wrap all the ferms at once. One big heat belt.

 

[JaseH]

Infra red is radiant heat - not ideal for heating an ambient space. You want convection heating device to keep the ferm chamber air space at a desired stable temperature. Lights, heat lamps etc. will work but your spending more money than you need to get an inefficient method of achieving what a heat pad or belt will do for a fraction of the cost in both set-up and energy use.