Where To Place My Heat Pad?

[Matt Browne]

Hi guys,

I have a chest freezer, a STC 1000 controller, and a heat pad.
For fermenting in winter should I put the heat pad on the freezer floor with the fermenter straight on top or mount the heat pad on the side of the freezer?

Same question for keeping bottles warm. Can I put bottles directly ontop of the heat pad given that it'll be temperature controlled or would the pad be better mounted on freezer wall?

Any help greatly appreciated

Cheers Matt

 

[rotten]

I have only just got my ferment freezer going with the 3rd and 4th temp contolled brews in there now. I have my heat leaning against the side of the freezer, air can still get around it and it does the whole freezer. Seems to be working well. You don't want it underneath, same with bottles. Temp probe is pretty much right inbetween fermentors.
Cheers

 

[rich_lamb]

You can stick it directly under the fermenter - if it's the only fermenter - as those things don't put out so much heat and the thermal mass is large. I'd be a tad concerned about sticking it under bottles, depending on where you're measuring temperature as they are smaller and have the potential to overshoot your target temperature by more (as you get the maximum heating effect when the pad is underneath).

When you suggest putting the pad on the side you're basically trying to reduce your heating power which is not a problem for a fermenter. The best way to apply the full power as evenly as possible is to stick a small fan in there (which is what I do - actually not such a small fan, but you don't need much air movement).

 

[Matt Browne]

Thanks guys I should have mentioned the freezer is small
140 litres so I don't have a huge area to heat.

Cheers Matt