Summers Comming - Techno Enquiry

[Rizzla]

Hi, Im in WA and I only started brewing since early winter, had a 100w light set up with a timer to keep the temp around 18 - 20 oC, ignorantly thinking summer will be great 30 + in the fermenter. Thanks to the the knowledge available on this site I have realised summer is the worry and winter is the good time especialy here where it gets hot. Ater considering all sorts of options I was wondering if anyone has had any experiece with or opinions of Peltier solid state Termoelectric cooling. Apparently it is the principal used in 12v coolers sold through Dick Smith and others and the plates are available quite cheap from our friendly eastern neighbour on the EBay. There is a bit of info on Wiki. Could I somehow use these as cooling pads?

Would love to hear fronm anyone who has tried this or any techno mined people who have an opinion.

Cheers Tom

 

[stux]

Hi, Im in WA and I only started brewing since early winter, had a 100w light set up with a timer to keep the temp around 18 - 20 oC, ignorantly thinking summer will be great 30 + in the fermenter. Thanks to the the knowledge available on this site I have realised summer is the worry and winter is the good time especialy here where it gets hot. Ater considering all sorts of options I was wondering if anyone has had any experiece with or opinions of Peltier solid state Termoelectric cooling. Apparently it is the principal used in 12v coolers sold through Dick Smith and others and the plates are available quite cheap from our friendly eastern neighbour on the EBay. There is a bit of info on Wiki. Could I somehow use these as cooling pads?

Would love to hear fronm anyone who has tried this or any techno mined people who have an opinion.

Cheers Tom

Best to just use an old fridge with a temp controller

 

[QldKev]

Do I think it could work to help maintain a temp? Maybe
Do I think it would be any good for cold conditioning? No
Do I think a power ineficient device such as a Peltier is how I would do it? Never

A fridge and a temp controller is soo much better.

Have a search on here as there is a couple of thread on this.


QldKev

 

[Rizzla]

Thanks, Bit tight for room with another fridge. I have a fridge that holds 3 19L kegs. Just wanted to know if I sat the fermenters on these things wheather I could keep them around 20 oC instead of the expected 30+ that will happen without some management that doesn't involve towles water and ice etc

 

[real_beer]

Thanks, Bit tight for room with another fridge. I have a fridge that holds 3 19L kegs. Just wanted to know if I sat the fermenters on these things wheather I could keep them around 20 oC instead of the expected 30+ that will happen without some management that doesn't involve towles water and ice etc

A 30 Litre fermenter without a fitted tap fits inside one of these:

The fermenter sticks out the top a bit & ideally it would need a 150mm collar added (I'm going to make one out of Styrofoam). When I tested it with a folded up beach towel over the top hooked up to a TempMate, it held it at the 12C I set easily. The probe was against the side of the fermenter under a piece of Styrofoam, & after reaching & holding steady for several hours I took the lid off the fermenter & tested the water temperature directly with the TempMate, & two other calibrated thermometers, all read within about .3C of the 12C.

Being on wheels & only weighing about 16 kilos its easy move around, & so quiet I can't even hear it running. Also if you haven't much room they look quite groovy man as part of the decor :lol:
I got mine from the recycle tip for only $30, it should be fairly easy to get one secondhand if you keep an eye out for one for a short while. Also I always siphon out of my fermenters so not having a tap fitted is okay for me.

If your really stuck for room remember beer is a food, I used to live on it & cups of Suimin Noodles for weeks on end between the age of 18 to 24, so if your young & fit you could clear out your household fridge & just use that! There you go problem solved, & no messing about with wet towels required :beer: