Heating fermentation fridge in Perth

[TonyF]

Yep, after today's 38C day I realise I don't need it now ... I'm just thinking ahead to winter!

I currently have a dual temperature controller (Keg King one) and a 427L fridge/freezer I'm using as my fermentation/cold crashing fridge. I can fit 2 fermentsers in the fridge at the same time.

After all the reading I've been doing I'm pretty much sold on the idea of getting a heat pad and sticking it to the back of the fridge during winter. This will allow me to have 2 fermenters going at the same time without the need for a second source of heat.

A few questions:
1) Do you guys in Perth find you need heating during winter or do you think the fridge will hold the heat well enough? (I generally brew just ales right now).

2) Will popping the heat pad against the back of the fridge potentially melt the plastic? (I've read others do this, but I've also read how others stick a hairdryer in there and that kind of scares me )

3) Those that use pads, do you find something like these 25W heating pads will work
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/5W-15W-25W-Adjustable-Temperature-Reptile-Pet-Heat-Pad-Heater-Warmer-Bed-Mat-/331864245312?var=&hash=item4d44a68440:m:mQAUJfJcUUpd4OSdpFgxMxg

or do you stick with a brand name one like the Mangrove Jacks heating pad (there's a big diff in price between a $10 reptile heating pad off ebay and the $45 Mangrove Jacks one!)?

Thanks in advance for any advice folks!

Cheers,
Tony

 

[TonyF]

Oh BTW... the fridge is in an uninsulated (though under the main roof) workshop extension beside the Garage (my man cave )

 

[Stouter]

I'm a few k's north of you in Gero where I'd expect things to be slightly warmer in winter overnight if only by a couple of degrees, and I found I still needed heating for some of last winter. Similar situation with the shed too. So definitely a worthwhile investment.
Can't comment on a heat pad style setup though, I run with a heating belt instead.

 

[TonyF]

Thanks for the reply Stouter.

Do you run the heating belt around the fermenter or dangle it in the fermentation fridge as I've read some people do?

 

[Stouter]

I wrap it around the F.V and my temp probe sits inside the wort. My theory is that there's less time between temp transfer this way for it cut out closer to the reading I'm getting from the probe instead of continuing to heat the air inside the fridge, overshooting required temp. Seems to work best for my setup.


Disclaimer ****Most of my "theories", have no scientific data or testing, and are just decisions made on the back of a couple of beers, usually after a 12 hour night shift. Please consider this before attempting it in your own shed/toilet/dwelling.

 

[TonyF]

Hehehe.. Isn't that where all good

Disclaimer ****Most of my "theories", have no scientific data or testing, and are just decisions made on the back of a couple of beers, usually after a 12 hour night shift. Please consider this before attempting it in your own shed/toilet/dwelling.

Hehehe.. Isn't that how all brilliant decisions are made?

 

[Digga]

I ended up going with a reptile heating cord. Can't remember the wattage but I think it's only about 20 and 5m long you can run it all along the inside of the fridge with not issues... well any that I have seen. Works a treat especially when doing 2 brews as it can evenly distribute the heat throughout the chamber. My 2c

 

[TonyF]

Ended up getting this:
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/122261738571
It's a 25W reptile heatpad.

Anybody got any idea how hot a 25W version of one of these should get?

I plugged it in and left it for about an hour and find it is warm to the touch, though not uncomfortably so i.e. it's definitely warmer than my hands were at the time, but only slightly so. I held the external probe for an inside/outside thermometer and got a reading of about 36C (though it was a half assed temperature reading attempt )

 

[earle]

Homebrew heat pads are 25W. I got a 20W reptile heatpad and it works fine.

 

[blotto]

Yep I'm in perth and use a heat source in my fridge in winter. I used a heat belt once, it melted the plastic fridge wall. Glad I opened the fridge when I did, I think they need to transfer their heat straight to the fv to avoid over heating. I now use a ceramic heat lamp but it's 200w and way overpowered.

 

[user 36151]

A fan will also generate heat in in enclosed insulated fridge and it also keeps the area even in temperature. I run a 2 glass door drinks fridge for fermenting and with one 16watt fan running continuously it requires cooling in winter. The less efficient the fan the more heat it will produce.

 

[rude]

Im in Perth definately need heat for winter unless you go the Lager

I use a electric cubicle heater 25 w just sit it on the bottom of the fridge

With wood above the hump to sit the fermenter on it gives adequate room below for the heat to rise
and not cook the bottom transfering the heat all around

So haven't read all of the thread but if you have a heat pad try the same

 

[Cervantes]

After all the reading I've been doing I'm pretty much sold on the idea of getting a heat pad and sticking it to the back of the fridge during winter. This will allow me to have 2 fermenters going at the same time without the need for a second source of heat.

Cheers,
Tony

I'm in Perth and that's exactly what I do. The fridge holds the heat well and the pad has never even discoloured the plastic fridge liner let alone melted it. Mind you it could be that it's never actually kicked in.............

 

[Lyrebird_Cycles]

A fan will also generate heat in in enclosed insulated fridge and it also keeps the area even in temperature. I run a 2 glass door drinks fridge for fermenting and with one 16watt fan running continuously it requires cooling in winter. The less efficient the fan the more heat it will produce.

This.

Common small fans use shaded pole motors, typical efficiencies are around 2%. No, I didn't miss any zeroes, 98% of the supplied energy heats the windings and the iron core, the fan then distributes this heat.

That being said, I actually use a couple of large power resistors on a chunk of aluminium acting as a heatsink.

 

[Lyrebird_Cycles]

I was wrong. Shaded pole motors are around 10% efficient, I was thinking of eddy current motors.