I have a Frigidaire Stand up freezer that I intend to use for fermentation and lagering. I bought a Johnson Controls A419 Temp controller to control the freezer compressor.
My problem is that right now, and for the next month or so, the average temps in the garage are below 50F and the internal temp of the freezer hovers around 50 while it is unplugged.
My question is, can I just put a lamp inside to warm it up and then let the temp controller regulate the temp? I’m thinking about a 25W bulb, but do I need a 50W or 60W? It is a 19 cu ft freezer if that helps.
Regardless of the heating solution you come up with, it would be best to get a dual stage temperature controller if you can afford it. Then you can just set it and forget it, and you won’t be working against yourself with the strategy of leaving the heat source on all the time.
Personally, I’d probably opt for a little space heater instead of a bulb. Probably overkill, but you don’t want your beer light-struck before you even get around to bottling.
Good points. I was looking for a cheap way out. :) I guess I’ll just go buy another temp controller. I was looking at a mini space heater for the job, so that’s probably the way I will go.
A regular incandescent bulb works fine for this. The danger comes from full spectrum bulbs or bulbs that emit UV light.
I’m using a small space heater on a second Ranco controller for the few times I may need heat, but that’s rare here in Florida. You can see the little purple heater in the lower left corner and the controllers upper left side. I’m considering some sort of heating pad attached to the fermenter itself as soon as I find one capable that doesn’t shut off automatically.
If the temp stays at or below your target during the winter, another option would be a big plastic tub full of water with an aquarium heater. It’s a little extra equipment, but it sounds more efficient. (Less wear on the refrig. too.)
That wouldn’t work if there is any cooling required though.
I use a “reptile heater” to provide the heat needed. It is basically a low wattage heating pad that is intended to be adhered to the bottom of a reptile tank. The first one I got was 7W, but for the bigger chest freezer I’ve got now I got a larger 16W one. When it is “cold” out in the garage, I just put the heating pad in the chest freezer and leave it plugged in. I have the A419 temp controller. It will run the freezer and the temperature will undershoot the setpoint by a couple of degrees, the heating pad will slowly bring the temp back up until the controller turns on the freezer again. I admit a dual stage controller would probably be better, but this is working fine. There are higher wattage (60W or 100W) ceramic bulb style heating elements, drawback to those is that they aren’t supposed to get wet.
I ended up buying a second temp controller vice getting a two stage controller. One will control a small space heater whilst the other will control the freezer.
I’ve heard that the Brewer’s Edge space heaters (similar to Fermwraps) heat hotter and faster than the Fermwraps. I have a couple Fermwraps and they work fine for me, and I feel they are less dangerous than an exposed element space heater.
Be aware - I spoke to a guy in my homebrew club who has one of the Brewer’s Edge heaters and he said he had to mount it slightly offset from his fridge temp chamber back wall, because adhered directly to the inside surface it started to warp or melt the fridge wall plastic a little. And that was when also using a temp controller.
