Incandescent light bad for beer?
Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 7:02 am
by PastNastification
I will be using a regular old light bulb and a temp controller to keep my fermentation chamber warm this winter. Will I need to wrap my carboys with a towel or something to protect them from the light.
I understand the safety issue with glass and plan on getting a couple more buckets or better bottles in the future but right now I have glass.
Re: Incandescent light bad for beer?
Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 7:14 am
by Brewdouche
Yes, buy a few BNA4 shirts from the store and put'em on your carboys.
Also, I use a Hard Duty, bulb like you would use in a garage light. It has a plasitc coating on the bulb so if it breaks it wont shatter, and it has a heavy fillament to last longer so your not surprised by a burnout from continuous use.
.
Re: Incandescent light bad for beer?
Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 7:44 am
by Quin
You could also put the light in an enclosure so that you just get the heat from the bulb like this guy.
http://brewstands.com/fermentation-heater.html
Re: Incandescent light bad for beer?
Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 11:04 am
by Brewdouche
THAT, looks dangerous. I have done enough elecrical work to know that an un-grounded lamp cord in a metal can that can...
"bring the temp up from 58 to 68. and it only took a couple hours with a 60 watt bulb " site quoted
is asking for a fire or just a bit less bad, a tripped breaker on the fridge.
If I were doing the "bulb in a can" thing I dont think I'd go over a 25watt bulb.
Re: Incandescent light bad for beer?
Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 12:22 pm
by Brandon
Brewdouche wrote:THAT, looks dangerous. I have done enough elecrical work to know that an un-grounded lamp cord in a metal can that can...
"bring the temp up from 58 to 68. and it only took a couple hours with a 60 watt bulb " site quoted
is asking for a fire or just a bit less bad, a tripped breaker on the fridge.
If I were doing the "bulb in a can" thing I dont think I'd go over a 25watt bulb.
I was thinking the same thing. That plan is so unsafe. Why not just use a heatwrap in the enclosure?
Re: Incandescent light bad for beer?
Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 1:22 pm
by Henning1966
Re: Incandescent light bad for beer?
Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 5:11 pm
by animaldoc
Get a ceramic heating element at the pet store ..... used for heating reptile cages at night without light
Re: Incandescent light bad for beer?
Posted: Fri Oct 07, 2011 7:23 pm
by Bugeater
animaldoc wrote:Get a ceramic heating element at the pet store ..... used for heating reptile cages at night without light
I've got one of those and it works great.
Wayne