Heating device for Fermentation Chamber

[SpartyBrew]

Hello -

I just bought a 7.1 cubic foot chest freezer and an Inkbird ITC-308 2-stage temperature controller. (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011296704/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

I'm using it currently as a fermentation chamber for my first all grain batch. Believe it or not, it's gotten cool enough in this muggy Michigan August that I've needed to use the heater side of the controller. I thought I'd get one of those wrap-around carboy heaters (I ferment in a glass carboy because that's what I have). I realized that if all goes well, I'll be fermenting more than one thing at a time so I put a light bulb with a 45w fridge bulb in there. It seems to work okay, but I had to wrap my carboy in a black garbage bag so the light didn't get to it. Not ideal

What other devices do people plug into the heater side of the controller? Small space heater? Reptile heater? Thermonuclear device? I have a little space heater, but I'm not sure that's the best idea.

Thoughts?

 

[ChicoBrewer]

I use a seed heat mat. Two of them actually. Works pretty good

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

if you set your inkbird right you wont even need one, the yeast will be the heat source for the first 4 days after that just set it high and let it rise slowly

 

[Mark Farrall]

Another heat pad user here. Just the one in a relatively small fridge. Gets it up high enough to do kettle sours.

 

[Nosybear]

Hello -

I just bought a 7.1 cubic foot chest freezer and an Inkbird ITC-308 2-stage temperature controller. (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011296704/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

I'm using it currently as a fermentation chamber for my first all grain batch. Believe it or not, it's gotten cool enough in this muggy Michigan August that I've needed to use the heater side of the controller. I thought I'd get one of those wrap-around carboy heaters (I ferment in a glass carboy because that's what I have). I realized that if all goes well, I'll be fermenting more than one thing at a time so I put a light bulb with a 45w fridge bulb in there. It seems to work okay, but I had to wrap my carboy in a black garbage bag so the light didn't get to it. Not ideal

What other devices do people plug into the heater side of the controller? Small space heater? Reptile heater? Thermonuclear device? I have a little space heater, but I'm not sure that's the best idea.

Thoughts?

In addition to my quantum foam inverter, I use a Fermwrap taped to the inside of the fridge.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

you can also use a light bulb in a paint can, I think there's an old blog post here about that

 

[ChicoBrewer]

you can also use a light bulb in a paint can, I think there's an old blog post here about that

Wave particle duality trapped in a can. I like it. A quantum fermerator.

 

[Vallka]

I use a 100 watt bulb in a new paint can, has worked great for me. I also have a 3or so inch computer fan to move the air around.

 

[Group W]

In addition to my quantum foam inverter, I use a Fermwrap taped to the inside of the fridge.

Firmwrap taped to inside wall of chest freezer here also.

 

[sn00ky]

I use a space heater - my chamber is in the garage, so winter time with doors opening creates a lot of ambient air changes, so I want fast changes inside the ferm chamber in case it needs it. Relatively cheap and stays dark, plus it has a safety for tip over which i kind of like.