Immersion is a gentle cooler and heater that lowers and increases the temperature of your beer gradually over the course of a few days. Normal performance in a PET Carboy is 1ºF/hour for the first 10º F below/above ambient, 0.5º F/ hour for the next 10º F below/above ambient, and 0.25º F/ hour for the next 10 to 15º F below/above ambient. Other fermenters can take a little longer to cool or won't get as cool.
- Check your temperature probe position. Probes must be placed at the upper 1/4 of the liquid level. If your fermenter has a thermowell, use that only if it measures from the upper 1/4 of the liquid level.
- Check the ambient temperature of your room. If your room sees large swings in temperature, or generally increasing ambient temperatures, Immersion’s performance will be degraded. Both direct sunlight and lack of ventilation are two common causes of high ambient temperatures.
- Let your jacket equalize in temperature for a few hours before you begin using Immersion. If the jacket is too warm, it will cause a startup lag as Immersion must cool both the wort and the jacket to the same temperature before it can make measurable progress on cooling the beer.
- Make sure the temperature probe is plugged in tightly and is registering the correct temperature. Submerging into an ice bath should yield 33.6ºF / 0.9ºC. If your probe is not reading 33.6ºF / 0.9ºC in an ice bath, follow the instructions below to re-calibrate your probe. Taping your temperature probe to the fermenter in the upper 1/4 of the liquid level will ensure an even measurement.
- Unscrew your rod and make sure nothing is between the cold contact point on the head unit and shiny surface of the rod. Obstructions here will inhibit heat transfer.
- Turn on the unit, set it to cool. Wait between 5 and 10 minutes after the fan turns on and feel the air being released – it should be warm. If it is not warm at all or if it is very hot, contact support@brewjacket.com.
- Make sure the heat exhaust vents aren’t blocked by the jacket.
- Cinch the jacket tightly around the rod. A loose jacket can cause warm air to enter the insulated area and warm up the beer.
- Feel the jacket insulation for gaps, both the around the body and around the base. If the insulation is not uniformly distributed around the fermenter, heat will be able to enter the fermenter.
- More your fermenter to carpet or wood flooring or place a towel or blanket under your fermenter. Fermenting on cement or tile can allow heat to be transferred into the fermenter, hampering performance. Adding ground insulation can help performance.