Heat control, where to start

[Dave S]

Do I need to drill holes for temp monitor/heater cables or can I just shut the door?

I just feed the cables through the door. The door seal closes around it. No holes needed.

That's how I do it - never had a problem.

[orlando]

Do I need to drill holes for temp monitor/heater cables or can I just shut the door?

I just feed the cables through the door. The door seal closes around it. No holes needed.

That's how I do it - never had a problem.

Ditto.

[Goulders]

I feed my heater cable through the drain plug at the back and temp cable as above. STC-1000 price can add up if you use a project box and don't have spare flex etc. £14 for the stc, £5 for a project box (or use Tupperware hanging around), £2 to £6 for couple of plug sockets (I used the cable type not wall type) and £7 ish for 10m of flex.

[Jambo]

Agree, brew fridge really is a game changer! I went to all grain around the same time I built my brew fridge and moved to better yeasts... I keep threatening to try a kit again but with brew fridge and better yeast, I'm not convinced my better results of late are purely down to going AG but more to having better yeasts and giving them the conditions they like. Best investment you'll make!

[Padalac]

Like everyone else here more or less, I recommend the stc-1000 fermentation fridge build. I got my fridge for free by searching gumtree every day. After a couple weeks I managed to get hold of one. The STC was £15, the heater about the same so the whole thing cost me less than £40. I previously tried various fish tank style (immersion) heaters but it just isn't a good solution - you can't rely on it and it is too difficult to precisely control it. The fridge did take a bit of work but now i think all the other temperature controller attempts were just a waste of time/money.

[jimpy0]

Finally have some free time and all the bits together to build my brewfridge - just sat with morning coffee reading the various destruction books and seems my heaters thermal cut-out is 15 degrees on a 40 watt unit. Will this cause problems if im trying to heat to 20 degrees as in my mind it will never get there. Have emailed the supplier but thought i'd post here at the font of knowledge.

Jim

[Fil]

Finally have some free time and all the bits together to build my brewfridge - just sat with morning coffee reading the various destruction books and seems my heaters thermal cut-out is 15 degrees on a 40 watt unit. Will this cause problems if im trying to heat to 20 degrees as in my mind it will never get there. Have emailed the supplier but thought i'd post here at the font of knowledge.

Jim

what heater did you go for, sounds like an antifrost jobby, the popular choice is the 60w 12" tube heater circa £20 delivered from ebay/toolstation.... best used in conjunction with a fan to move the hot and cold air about.
Others have used ceramic reptile enclosure heaters which fit into light bulb fittings but can melt plastic fridge walls if too close..

brew belts, mats and even heat trace cables have also been used,

a 15c max temp heater would have limit the usefulness, any pics? the thermal fuse may be identifiable for bypassing or upgrading?

[jimpy0]

yea looks like i went with the frost option - bought from brewtime on eBay, tho to be fair most dont say at what point they will cut out.
will see if i can return or replace.
so much for having a free day LOL, cheers for the heads up


its a Hyco tubular heater TH01B, upon looking closer the actual heater says 45w on the end.
seller accepting return and new one being overnighted an Eterna 60 watt with 120 degree cut out, double checked by supplier with manufacturer.

Has anybody mounted LED's in the front to show heating cooling, or am i just complicating things