What
Moderator: slothrob
Freezer with temp control
I use a chest freezer with a Johnson temp control for all my fermeniting.
wet tee shirt contest!!!
A wet tee shirt over the glass fermenter will do "the trick" so to speak. Evaporating water from the cloth will lower the temp to acceptable ranges if you don't see 90+f. Try it when humidity is less than 60%- amazing!
perpetual summer
Its the middle of winter here and we are enjoying normal temperatures for us humans, during the rest of the 9 month summer though of temps up to 110 plus, my fridge is my best friend, with a little experimentation i found that if you turn everything right down on the thermostat and switch of at night then perfect fermentation temps are achieved. basically i have the fridge so it is barely on and run it for 12hrs a day. in winter i enjoy the luxury of just leaving it to the elements like all you normal people. A bit more work but very successful
Johnson control
Where can I get the Johnson control. Does it prevent excess on off cycling?
A19 series vs 350
Any commercial heating/cooling supply house has Johnson controls. If you want digital use the series 350(about $45.00). A19 needs no power source and the two wires from the old Stat connect to the common and open on fall terminals- they should be color coded. Yellow and blue I think. You will have a choice of remote bulb or coiled bulb.(take the remote)The bulb must be mounted in the cabinet.(I drill a hole) The 350 needs an additional connection to 120volt to power the display and computer. More complicated, more precise.(+- 1f) A19(+-3f)The 350 also can use a "well" inserted directly into the beer vessal to keep absolute precise liquid tempreture.(I admit that I over do things)
The controls do not have a relation with cycling, they do what is required to keep the temp. you set. Cycling would be caused by poor insulation or door opening. A good box will hold for 10+minutes with out the compressor on. Mine cycles every 1/2-3/4 hour or so for 2 min. unless I open it. Hope this will not cause you a "project". Cheers.
The controls do not have a relation with cycling, they do what is required to keep the temp. you set. Cycling would be caused by poor insulation or door opening. A good box will hold for 10+minutes with out the compressor on. Mine cycles every 1/2-3/4 hour or so for 2 min. unless I open it. Hope this will not cause you a "project". Cheers.
Thanks
Really great concept - I would guess that your beer is more consistant with this setup. I always made my lagers in the winter - I was going to experiment with making them with a higher temperature. Sometimes the advice not to do certain things is from perfectionists.
Anyway - I will try your setup.
Anyway - I will try your setup.