Super cheap heat pad

[Chris]

I bought one of these for my dog. He hated it. Not one for waste I stuck it under a 33 litre fermenter with a pale ale in it. Amazingly on the middle setting it kept the fermenter at exactly 20deg. Handy cheap temp control for the winter.

[Drum]

Do you have a link? That looks dead handy

[Leann ull]

Heat pads so you are cooking the all the shit that the yeast has munched through and fallen to the bottom of the bird cage? Discuss...?

[Chris]

Heat pads so you are cooking the all the shit that the yeast has munched through and fallen to the bottom of the bird cage? Discuss...?

possibly though I don't think it gets hot enough to cook anything. I'll know around Christmas when I try the first pint from the batch I have on

[Chris]

Do you have a link? That looks dead handy

this is the link delivery was free but took 6 weeks.
http://m.ebay.ie/itm/HOT-Pet-Warm-Electric-Heat-Heated-Heating-Heater-Pad-Mat-Blanket-Bed-Dog-Cat-/121832477377?nav=SEARCH

[auralabuse]

They are very handy for bottle conditioning

[Leann ull]

I don't know enough about them tbh just thinking out loud
I just know in commercial breweries that we all try to copy heating and cooling are jacketed

[Greg2013]

If you were using these i think you would be far better off strapping one to the side of the FV rather than leaving the FV on top of one IMHO. Heating from the bottom up is never a good idea because you are forcing heat through all the trub that falls to the bottom during fermentation and that will most likely cause issues with off flavours.
 
Again just my humble opinion but i reckon you would be far better off using these attached to the side of the FV. Other than that they do look like a nice cheap option for heating purposes.

[HomeBrewWest]

Greg, I'd second that . . . but for another reason.

Check with the supplier that you can place a 30 litre bucket full of wort on them. We looked at cheap reptile cage heaters (available from pet shops), but the manufacturers told us not to place heavy objects on them.

Having said that, I have 4 dogs and they are all heavier than a brew bucket!

[Greg2013]

Greg, I'd second that . . . but for another reason.

Check with the supplier that you can place a 30 litre bucket full of wort on them. We looked at cheap reptile cage heaters (available from pet shops), but the manufacturers told us not to place heavy objects on them.

Having said that, I have 4 dogs and they are all heavier than a brew bucket!

Good point,these are not designed to have 25-30kg sitting on them i would think in a concentrated space like the bottom of an FV,could lead to frayed wiring and electrical shorts,not something anyone wants.

Note: Not saying not to use them,i would for sure,just not underneath a full FV.

[Will_D]

Yes but they should also be waterproof:  as in "Your incontinent dog/cat/rabbit wets the bed and doesn't get electrocuted!

[phelixoflaherty]

Are they 240 v?

[Chris]

1)They are water proof.
2)They are 240v but come with chinese plug so must be replaced.
3) good idea about strapping them to the side of fermenter. Will try that. There must be pressure on the pad for it to activate but I'm sure a bungee cord would apply enough pressure.
At €4 each it's worth experimenting with a few.