15 replies to this topic

[Thirsty]

I have a 2 stage ranco digital to control my ferm fridge in the garage. Last fall I used the fermwrap to warm for the heat cycle, and it took a long time, and drastic temp drops it couldnt catch up quickly. George suggested using a hairdyer to cycle on. By then winter set in, so I ferment in my kitchen, (which holds a steady 63 ambient)so no need for the ferm fridge during those months. Well now that we are getiing sporadic days in the 80s, and nights from the 30s-50s, I need the ferm fridge back up and running. So I went to Savers and got a hairdryer for $3.99, and it cranks! Stays cool enough on the body to not harm the floor of the fridge or heat up my wooden leveling shelf, but blows and circulates nice hot air- perfect solution! Now my fermwrap is freed up if I want to do a hot saison or something, and my fermchamber steady. Thanks again for the idea George!

[Thirsty]

Just realized I posted in the PH and not the beer section. So if a mod could move me great, if not you PHers have to put up with a 2319 discussion for a bit!!

[BrewerGeorge]

Cool! Good thing they're cheap, too. In my fridge they get a little moldy and/or corroded by the CO2, so I just replace them every fall.

[3rd party JKor]

You could use a space heater, too. They're probably more durable than a $4 hair dryer, but whatever works. I inherited a thermostat controlled industrial enclosure heater from a defunct project. Works great. All it is is an expensive little space heater.It's this thing: LINK

Edited by JKoravos, 12 April 2010 - 02:44 PM.

[BrewerGeorge]

You could use a space heater, too. They're probably more durable than a $4 hair dryer, but whatever works. I inherited a thermostat controlled industrial enclosure heater from a defunct project. Works great. All it is is an expensive little space heater.It's this thing: LINK

I used a space heater for the first couple of years, but they corrode so fast I went with something cheaper. The condensation gets carbonated in the high CO2 atmosphere of a fermenting freezer. The carbonic acid so produced corrodes stuff pretty quickly. (You may not have this problem in an upright fridge that can let the CO2 drain out. Mine is a chest freezer that becomes a big bowl of CO2. Sticking your head in is dangerous. ) I opened up the first little heater I bought to see if I could fix it - after all it's just a resistive coil and a switch. Anything not covered with solder or insulation was green, and chrome was getting eaten as well. After that I decided to replace them quickly, so I found the cheapest thing I could.

[3rd party JKor]

...or you could vent the CO2.

[Stout_fan]

...or you could vent the CO2.

Or collect it in an old water heater.

[Thirsty]

Or collect it in an old water heater.

Then compress it and carb kegs with it. Where is OldFart when you need him??

[zymot]

I was faced with the how to keep my chest freezer warm in the winter problem.A northern California winter does not present the same challange as the rest of the country.My chest freezer is too humid with too much condensation for me to trust a hair dryer or space heater. I am a right tool for the job kind of guy. I am probably over the top in safety first. But those devices were not intended to be used like that.I went with a 50 watt aquarium heater in a 1 gallon pitcher. Virtually all the 50 watts goes to producing heat, the water acts as a buffer so you won't get wild up and down swings in temperature and you are using it in an environment it was intended.Just my two cents.zymot

[Howie]

I've got two small fermenting fridges. I'm about to move them out to my shed. So, next year, I'll need something to heat them up.Since I ferment in cornies, I was just thinking about using a light bulb. It should produce enough heat to warm it up a bit??

[BrewerGeorge]

I've got two small fermenting fridges. I'm about to move them out to my shed. So, next year, I'll need something to heat them up.Since I ferment in cornies, I was just thinking about using a light bulb. It should produce enough heat to warm it up a bit??

In NC, a light bulb would probably be enough heat. It's not enough here for the coldest months.

[dondewey]

I used a space heater for the first couple of years, but they corrode so fast I went with something cheaper. The condensation gets carbonated in the high CO2 atmosphere of a fermenting freezer. The carbonic acid so produced corrodes stuff pretty quickly. (You may not have this problem in an upright fridge that can let the CO2 drain out. Mine is a chest freezer that becomes a big bowl of CO2. Sticking your head in is dangerous. )

I was wondering the other day if anyone has ever been hurt by this. I'm pretty tall and could easily fall in when leaning over if I passed out. Fortunately, CO2 is obvious if you breath any in, so it's probably not as dangerous as something more inert like N2.

[japh]

I was wondering the other day if anyone has ever been hurt by this. I'm pretty tall and could easily fall in when leaning over if I passed out. Fortunately, CO2 is obvious if you breath any in, so it's probably not as dangerous as something more inert like N2.

N₂? I don't think people have a problem with breathing N₂ considering it's 78.08% of the atmosphere.

[3rd party JKor]

N₂? I don't think people have a problem with breathing N₂ considering it's 78.08% of the atmosphere.

Yeah, but if it becomes >81% you got a problem.

[Stout_fan]

Yeah, but if it becomes >81% you got a problem.

Whatever you do, don't tell Owlgore. We'll have a new global catastrophe on our hands that we can fix with more taxes and nitrogen credits.

[dondewey]

N₂? I don't think people have a problem with breathing N₂ considering it's 78.08% of the atmosphere.

Nitrogen doesn't make your lungs/throat burn when you breath it, so you don't notice it and just fall asleep then die. It's obviously not harmful in and of itself, but when it displaces enough oxygen, you are in trouble.