GhostBrewer2112
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- Jan 4, 2018
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I've been using heat tape (reptile heating mats) as my heat source in my fermentation chamber (i.e., chest freezer) that's controlled by a dual temperature controller. The first heat tape setup shorted out, possibly due to condensation. The second one I tried to build with new tape and connectors, but it didn't heat up. So I thought about trying something more robust.
I bought a Frost King 12 ft. heat cable that's used to keep pipes from freezing and I planned to wrap it a couple of times around my carboy. Basically, trying to make my own heating belt. The problem is it has a thermometer on it that keeps it from turning on if it isn't freezing, which isn't good if you need it to turn on at ale temps. My simple solution was to remove the thermostat and hardwire the two-wire heat cable to the three-wire plug, that is connect the hot wire from the plug to one of the wires in the heat cable and the common to the other wire from the heat cable. I put a wire nut on the ground wire from the plug. When I do this, I get no heat in the heat cable.
Question, has anyone else tried to do this? I'm wondering if the thermostat has something in it that causes the heat when it adds up. Or perhaps there's some wired wiring setup.
I bought a Frost King 12 ft. heat cable that's used to keep pipes from freezing and I planned to wrap it a couple of times around my carboy. Basically, trying to make my own heating belt. The problem is it has a thermometer on it that keeps it from turning on if it isn't freezing, which isn't good if you need it to turn on at ale temps. My simple solution was to remove the thermostat and hardwire the two-wire heat cable to the three-wire plug, that is connect the hot wire from the plug to one of the wires in the heat cable and the common to the other wire from the heat cable. I put a wire nut on the ground wire from the plug. When I do this, I get no heat in the heat cable.
Question, has anyone else tried to do this? I'm wondering if the thermostat has something in it that causes the heat when it adds up. Or perhaps there's some wired wiring setup.
