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shrekfx
10-10-2009, 03:17 AM
o.k. i just went out and got a heating pad to raise my fermentation temp.. that wont ruin my beer with it since its at like 63ish degrees? to like 70 degrees, if it can get that high? Plus pad is just a 12x24 in pad, will cover like half the bucket, that should be good enough right?

I do want to get the pad off of midwest site someday cuz it is getting cold down there, I should do a lager while it is getting this cold.. LOL.
stirstarters
10-10-2009, 11:08 AM
How do you measure your fermentation temperatures? If you assume the air temp and the ferm temps are the same, you'll be off by a good 5 degrees. There is heat generated by the yeast during fermentation that will keep the wort warmer than the surrounding ambient air temps. Or did you already know all this?
Ó Flannagáin
10-10-2009, 11:23 AM
What stir said
shrekfx
10-10-2009, 11:49 AM
yup.. i have one of those liquid thermometer on the side of the bucket that tells me the temp of the bucket... but that stupid pad isnt working either. turns off after 120 mins and still at 63 degrees... arg!!!! and i cant take it up stairs cuz jackie wont let me have that stuff sitting around... tried a space heater and that didnt heat the room either...
Evan!
10-10-2009, 12:03 PM
Take it back and get a new one then. Mine will stay on indefinitely.

At this point you're not going to ruin anything by getting it warmer, even into the 70's. You're at least a few days into fermentation, and the most important time to keep fermentation temps under control is in the growth phase and probably the first 1/3 of fermentation. After that, it's ok if it starts getting warmer. So yeah, get a new heating pad that will stay on. Tie it to the side of the bucket like I said (the opposite side from where you have the strip thermometer, of course), turn it on medium, wrap a towel around it, and pay close attention to it.
shrekfx
10-10-2009, 12:13 PM
all the heating pads they had have an automatic shut off. :( i might just go get one from midwest though.. but that will have to wait sadly. *sigh*
Evan!
10-10-2009, 12:59 PM
I've never seen one with auto shutoff. Must be a lot of incidences of 'tards starting fires up there.
Steve Urquell
10-10-2009, 03:52 PM
Think he's talking about a non-brewing heating pad.All the new ones have auto shutoffs.
shrekfx
10-10-2009, 05:06 PM
ya these are just the ones mainly for pain stuff. but turned on the heat this morning plus with the pad, got my bucket temp up to 69-70 so i'm feeling better..
Evan!
10-10-2009, 06:10 PM
Think he's talking about a non-brewing heating pad.All the new ones have auto shutoffs.

That's what I'M talking about too. Bought one at the drug store a few months ago and it doesn't have an autoshutoff.
shrekfx
10-10-2009, 10:26 PM
That's what I'M talking about too. Bought one at the drug store a few months ago and it doesn't have an autoshutoff.

Ya really sucks... turns off every 1.5 hours... arg!!! and they dont have any that dont have an auto shut off.