Guy,
What are your thoughts for insulation on your fermenter?
I brew ale (not lager) outside in an unheated room. During the winter I insulate & heat the fermenter.
In the summer, the ambient room temp will be higher than 19c. I will be using the chiller.
My thoughts are, to continue using the insulation.
Have you any experience with or without insulation?
Remote chiller with flojet for fermentation Q
Re: Remote chiller with flojet for fermentation Q
Why would you not use insulation?
If the room temperature is higher than the (Target) temperature of the fermenter, insulation will slow the rate at which heat will flow into the (cooler) fermenter and thus reduce the need for cooling.
Simple thermodynamics.
And saves you money too.
If the room temperature is higher than the (Target) temperature of the fermenter, insulation will slow the rate at which heat will flow into the (cooler) fermenter and thus reduce the need for cooling.
Simple thermodynamics.
And saves you money too.
Fermenting: nowt
Conditioning: English IPA/Bretted English IPA
Drinking: Sunshine Marmalade, Festbier, Helles Bock, Smokey lagery beer, Irish Export StoutCascade APA (homegrown hops), Orval clone, Impy stout, Duvel clone, Conestoga (American Barley wine)
Planning: Dark Mild, Kozel dark (ish), Simmonds Bitter, Bitter, Citra PA and more!
Conditioning: English IPA/Bretted English IPA
Drinking: Sunshine Marmalade, Festbier, Helles Bock, Smokey lagery beer, Irish Export StoutCascade APA (homegrown hops), Orval clone, Impy stout, Duvel clone, Conestoga (American Barley wine)
Planning: Dark Mild, Kozel dark (ish), Simmonds Bitter, Bitter, Citra PA and more!
Re: Remote chiller with flojet for fermentation Q
Yeah and I am with you, with special emphasis on saving money.
But because I brew outside, I do have nighttime cooling. Which muddies the waters of thought a little....and simple thermodynamics
But because I brew outside, I do have nighttime cooling. Which muddies the waters of thought a little....and simple thermodynamics
Re: Remote chiller with flojet for fermentation Q
Our am I just over-thinking it?
Re: Remote chiller with flojet for fermentation Q
I think you're just over-thinking that.
Insulation is simply there to reduce heat transfer across a temperature gradient (hot to cold)
If you have nighttime cooling, the insulation will reduce heat transfer if the ambient temperature falls below your target temperature and stop it getting too cold
During the daytime if the the ambient temperature rises above your target it will reduce heat transfer into the beer and reduce the need for cooling; saving you money.
The only reason not to use insulation (when possible) is if your beer is too warm and you have no other means of cooling it than heat transfer to a colder ambient temperature.
The only thing to consider is if the nightime temperature gets so cold for so long that the beer drops below your target even with insulation (at which point a heating element should be considered to bring it back up).
Insulation is simply there to reduce heat transfer across a temperature gradient (hot to cold)
If you have nighttime cooling, the insulation will reduce heat transfer if the ambient temperature falls below your target temperature and stop it getting too cold
During the daytime if the the ambient temperature rises above your target it will reduce heat transfer into the beer and reduce the need for cooling; saving you money.
The only reason not to use insulation (when possible) is if your beer is too warm and you have no other means of cooling it than heat transfer to a colder ambient temperature.
The only thing to consider is if the nightime temperature gets so cold for so long that the beer drops below your target even with insulation (at which point a heating element should be considered to bring it back up).
Re: Remote chiller with flojet for fermentation Q
We are in the same place. Thank you.
I was thinking too hard about a night cooling system I use in the cellar itself (temp control on timer).
My FV already has a stick on heat pad & Inkbird.
For cooling the inkbird will drive the pump, which circulates refrigerated water through the coil.
I will connect heat and cooling to the inkbird.
Also have a rc-4 temp data logger that I might deploy the first time, so I can see what is going on in detail.
I was thinking too hard about a night cooling system I use in the cellar itself (temp control on timer).
My FV already has a stick on heat pad & Inkbird.
For cooling the inkbird will drive the pump, which circulates refrigerated water through the coil.
I will connect heat and cooling to the inkbird.
Also have a rc-4 temp data logger that I might deploy the first time, so I can see what is going on in detail.
Re: Remote chiller with flojet for fermentation Q
No worries, insulation can only help on that setup.
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guypettigrew
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Re: Remote chiller with flojet for fermentation Q
Insulation? Silver backed mats cut to shape and size. Double layer. I think they're yoga mats, but not sure.
Guy
Guy
Re: Remote chiller with flojet for fermentation Q
Camping mats. Last time I bought one, I got it for £5 in Tesco. Probably more now due to the dreaded inflationary pressures, but still good value.
Fermenting: nowt
Conditioning: English IPA/Bretted English IPA
Drinking: Sunshine Marmalade, Festbier, Helles Bock, Smokey lagery beer, Irish Export StoutCascade APA (homegrown hops), Orval clone, Impy stout, Duvel clone, Conestoga (American Barley wine)
Planning: Dark Mild, Kozel dark (ish), Simmonds Bitter, Bitter, Citra PA and more!
Conditioning: English IPA/Bretted English IPA
Drinking: Sunshine Marmalade, Festbier, Helles Bock, Smokey lagery beer, Irish Export StoutCascade APA (homegrown hops), Orval clone, Impy stout, Duvel clone, Conestoga (American Barley wine)
Planning: Dark Mild, Kozel dark (ish), Simmonds Bitter, Bitter, Citra PA and more!
Re: Remote chiller with flojet for fermentation Q
I quite fancy the keg cooler style jobbies... But at £80. 
Re: Remote chiller with flojet for fermentation Q
Some time has passed, but I’ve managed to use this successfully so far on first trial.
Kept 12c nicely throughout a lager ferment.
Cold crashing time, it gets down to 5c nicely, but as I haven’t used the flojet agitator yet (just pumped from bath) I think the water needs mixing to help chill the tank.
I can’t for the life of me find the piping to recirc the flojet python - I did by a cheap jg u fitting but when I tried it, it was too close and pipes didn’t engage - spraying water out of jg fitting.
So, anyone know where I can get the loop to loop the recirc from a flow jet, gas line etc I’d say is too stiff to flex it round that tight.
Kept 12c nicely throughout a lager ferment.
Cold crashing time, it gets down to 5c nicely, but as I haven’t used the flojet agitator yet (just pumped from bath) I think the water needs mixing to help chill the tank.
I can’t for the life of me find the piping to recirc the flojet python - I did by a cheap jg u fitting but when I tried it, it was too close and pipes didn’t engage - spraying water out of jg fitting.
So, anyone know where I can get the loop to loop the recirc from a flow jet, gas line etc I’d say is too stiff to flex it round that tight.
Re: Remote chiller with flojet for fermentation Q
Some time has passed, but I’ve managed to use this successfully so far on first trial.
Kept 12c nicely throughout a lager ferment.
Cold crashing time, it gets down to 5c nicely, but as I haven’t used the flojet agitator yet (just pumped from bath) I think the water needs mixing to help chill the tank.
I can’t for the life of me find the piping to recirc the flojet python - I did by a cheap jg u fitting but when I tried it, it was too close and pipes didn’t engage - spraying water out of jg fitting.
So, anyone know where I can get the loop to loop the recirc from a flow jet, gas line etc I’d say is too stiff to flex it round that tight.
Basically one of these
[
Kept 12c nicely throughout a lager ferment.
Cold crashing time, it gets down to 5c nicely, but as I haven’t used the flojet agitator yet (just pumped from bath) I think the water needs mixing to help chill the tank.
I can’t for the life of me find the piping to recirc the flojet python - I did by a cheap jg u fitting but when I tried it, it was too close and pipes didn’t engage - spraying water out of jg fitting.
So, anyone know where I can get the loop to loop the recirc from a flow jet, gas line etc I’d say is too stiff to flex it round that tight.
Basically one of these
[
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