crazyeyebrow
Active Member
Anyone any experience using these I have one but no way to regulate it just wondering how hot they can get
Heat mats
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SRJHops
Why did the rabbit like NEIPA's so much?
I've tried them, and I don't think you should worry about it getting your wort or carboy TOO hot. But there's really no way to know the temp for sure. I'd recommend at least getting a stick-on thermometer for a couple bucks. Do not open the carboy and take the temp of the wort/beer if you can avoid it.
If you decided you are really into this hobby -- and I bet you WILL be -- I recommend investing in a temperature control unit like this one. It's not that expensive, but it allows you to control the fermentation temp. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GWY847D/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
If you decided you are really into this hobby -- and I bet you WILL be -- I recommend investing in a temperature control unit like this one. It's not that expensive, but it allows you to control the fermentation temp. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GWY847D/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
RPh_Guy
Bringing Sour Back
What wattage have you used?
My 40 watt Fermwrap easily maintains at least 27°F (15°C) above ambient, with just a little bit of insulation. ... And that's on a controller. I have no idea how high it would actually get if it were on all the time.
That would be way too hot for most yeast.
My seedling mats are 18W and cannot overheat a fermenter without intentionally insulating them very well. I had a rum wash wrapped up in 2 layers of reflectix with one of them, in a room at 68f and it simply could not reach 90f even over the course of a week, it topped out at 87f. It was running constantly trying to reach 90f but just never made it.
SRJHops
Why did the rabbit like NEIPA's so much?
That's fair. Without knowing the ambient room temp and the type of heating pad/wattage, there is no real way to know for sure. I was just using a heating pad for growing veggies, and in a cold room it would struggle to heat the full carboy even 10 degrees. BUT when I wrapped it up in blankets, the wort got too hot.
I was assuming crazyeyebrow was fermenting in a pretty cold room and was just placing the pad under the carboy and not wrapping, but that's not a great assumption.
The bottom line, I think, is that there needs to be some way to measure the wort temp in the carboy, even with a little stick-on thermometer. But if that's not possible, probably best to just give it a go and not wrap the carboy... and hope the yeast is forgiving if it gets too hot.
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crazyeyebrow
Active Member
yep i have it in a coldish press in my hall had it on for 3 hrs didnt notice a great change was hanging around 22 d thought it was fine then checked this morning and it was about 24 slighty 25 was showing up on thermometer strip so knocked it off but temp dropped below 21 today so i have it on an 10 hr timer during evening and early morning my wort should be between 21 and 24 do u think this will be all right or temp moving up and down might damage it
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My seedling mat wouldn't do much at all. 17.5 watts.
It is, however, wonderful for putting pans of formed dough on, to rise nicely on colder days.
It is, however, wonderful for putting pans of formed dough on, to rise nicely on colder days.
SRJHops
Why did the rabbit like NEIPA's so much?
Having it going one degree over your yeast range should not be a big problem. However, dropping down below the range could in theory cause the yeast to slow down and even go to sleep. How far below 21 did it go? Have you seen evidence of active fermentation?
Getting the temp back up to the high end of the range will likely keep your yeast fermenting once they've warmed up. However, if you think fermentation has stalled and warming didn't help, you could try gently rocking the carboy to try to get the yeast back in suspension. (Rocking should not be your first choice - because it can cause oxidation.) You can also pitch more yeast.
If you have a really hoppy IPA, it's not a great idea to keep opening the carboy - the beer will likely oxidize. But if you think fermentation has stalled, you are going to have to check the gravity to see what is happening. Do you have a hydrometer?
Soulshine2
Well-Known Member
I have used them . Not the fancy carboy heaters , just the plug in seedling starter heat mats sold in the garden dept of your average home improvement center. Theyre like $20 and generally raise the temperature to about 10*F above ambient. . I put my carboy in a bucket with a little water in the space between the carboy and bucket . Set the whole thing on top of a heat mat and wrap the top in a towel. If you need a temperature control , get one of the $15 controllers(cheaper than an inkbird) on ebay ,wire it to a remote outlet to plug the heat mat into it. put the temperature probe into the water and adjust your controller.
Note- it is better healthwise for your yeast to be in its lower end of working range as it will just slow down until the temperature come back up.
On the flipside , any amount OVER the range , may in fact kill it.
Not sure about yours, but my wrap-around carboy heater is temp controlled and spends much more time off than on. No way I would not regulate it, and no doubt it would quickly get the carboy too hot if on all the time.
I'd get an Inkbird controller.
I'd get an Inkbird controller.
I've been using a $10 Home Depot heat lamp plugged into my $40 Bayite controller from Amazon in my ferment fridge for the last few brews, and couldn't be happier. Latest brew is sitting happily at 65/66 degrees and going gangbusters, with the ambient temp in the garage hovering at 40. Just need to cover the carboy/bucket/fermentation vessel with a black/dark t-shirt and good to go. I got a fancy fermwrap for Xmas but haven't tried it yet, the connections seem flimsy and I trust the air temperature more than I trust something wrapped around my plastic carboy that may or may not melt/fry/do something else bad, since I work two jobs and am not home a lot.
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