How do you use a heat belt?

[Judanero]

I have just hung my heat belts in the fridges over the last two winters.. have one in two fridges at the moment actually.

In saying that, I'd never thought about a fire risk as they only seem to turn on for a couple of minutes at a time and the insulation seems to hold the temps pretty steady... but Ross's comments now have me peaking a bit.. would it be right to wrap the belt around a ceramic vase or something and sit that in the fridge?
I still don't like the idea of going directly around the fermenter.
Dave70-So with that setup you don't even need to keep it in a fridge or cupboard? That would free up two fridges if that's the case B)

Bertie-Agreed, had a stone on tap last Sunday for first time.. very nice.

 

[MastersBrewery]

I use the heat pad to the side, have done so for about 2 years and have had no issues. Of all the post I like the little 1200w heater or aquarium style controlled "bath Tub"

 

[chrisso81]

For those looking to go the low profile heater option: 2000W Arlec low profile heater $14.90 at the big green shed. Easily retrofitted with a cable like this so you can get it through your door seal.

 

[Cocko]

For those looking to go the low profile heater option: 2000W Arlec low profile heater $14.90 at the big green shed. Easily retrofitted with a cable like this so you can get it through your door seal.

Exact beast I use... Awesome.

But it seems the OP has other intentions.....

 

[bum]

I thought this thread was just a poll now?

"How do you heat your fermenting space?"

 

[Cocko]

I thought this thread was just a poll now?

"How do you heat your fermenting space?"

Same same.

I imagine the OP has more than enough answers and opinions to finalise his decisions.

BUT [Shouldn't start a sentence with but] BUT it seems we are all here posting in to the abyss....

Can't wait until someone next goes to the doctor.. and we get to hear about a finger in their hole! Love that stuff :blink:

He rammed a needle down my japsy!

Fark

 

[Bribie G]

Thanks for all the replies and hints and suggestions.

what about a ribbed rubber hot water bottle?

 

[manticle]

Depends what you're into.

 

[bum]

RFHP. Eeewwww.

 

[Cocko]

TWSS.

 

[bum]

"She" being Garth Algar?

 

[bcp]

Just an opinion. Air is a poor conductor of heat.

So putting the heat belt against the wort means its own temperature is kept in check by the wort. You don't need the belt to get hot, mine never does because it transfers most of the heat to the wort. You don't need to heat up all the air in the fridge with additional electricity that costs - and the likelihood that the transfer of heat from the air in the fridge to the wort will be less efficient than from the belt to the wort.
The belt - or the heat pad - brings the wort to the correct temperature quickly - the sensor switches it off. The wort against the heat belt will not get too warm because it will circulate.

 

[pk.sax]

Well said.

When you think commercial breweries and their bling, people seem to drool on jacketed fermenters. How the hell is a heat belt not the cheapest ghetto approximation to that. Get your head out of that sand Bribie. It ain't Queensland

 

[hotmelt]

Couldn't you just put the sensor/probe between the heat belt and the fermentor?

 

[punkin]

Couldn't you just put the sensor/probe between the heat belt and the fermentor?

:lol: :lol:

 

[BadSeed]

Right, I have put a belt in my fridge today as my IPA (1332) had dropped to a dangerous 15 degrees and was causing me some angst.
This is what I have done:

I wedged a piece of wood across the top of the fridge and I have the belt hanging in air to warm up the ambient temperature inside
The sensor is taped on the side of the fermenter and insulated with a butchered stubby holder which I never liked.
The fridgemate is set to 18 degrees.
After a couple of hours It has raised the temp of the wort to 17. So I am happy with that.

But after seeing the post from Ross I am now having second thoughts about the arrangement.
I think I will go and have a look in a couple of hours and wrap the belt around the fermenter. I was concerned about causing a hotspot in the liquid but now I am worried about burning down my garage. My fishing gear is in there.

I am hoping that once the wort has warmed and is at the correct temp the heater won't be coming on too much. I have the temp differential set to 1 so it shouldn't drop much anyway.

 

[TidalPete]

I do the same with the probe but lean a heat pad against the fridge wall. Perhaps you need more a more denser insulation to cover the probe?
What about 2 x layers of what you've got?
Thick foam rubber from Clark Rubber (Hey! it rhymes) works here glued to a bit of scrap ply or whatever to spread the pressure more evenly.

 

[sgtpinky]

I have mine connected to the 'heat' side of an STC-1000. Seems to work fine. I check on it fairly regularly out of paranoia, but the actual belt hardly ever seems to be turned on and it stays at 20'C no probs. Temp sensor is taped onto fermenter under the beer cozy. That's definitely necessary IMO. Ambient temperature of this room (laundry) is anywhere from 7-15'C lately so you want some sort of insulation to make sure the thermo sensor is as close to the wort temp as possible rather than the ambient temp.

 

[Bribie G]

I didn't get to use the heat belt last year as we didn't have a winter. However with ambient in the garage now around 13 I've cracked it out for the current season. Fermenting fridges are full of lagers currently and I'll be using my Bunnings fermenters for some quick ales while the SS Brewbucket is doing its thing.

Now when I was at hupThomas' place for a brew up he, incredibly, just upended the Crown Urn box over the urn for the mash and lost only about a degree. No doonahs or anything, just the air jacket provided by the box.

Sooo..... empty Brewbucket box is ideal size for Bunnings fermenters, here's the idea:

With the HB firmly wrapped against the Fermenter and running on Fridgemate, can anyone see any fire risks?

 

[Westo]

Having moved from Queensland to Australia, this is my first winter here

how long does it take to get to Australia from Queensland? lol

i just throw my heat belt in the fridge on the floor, its hooked up to a temp controller and does the job fine