I live in Fairbanks, AK where temp control tends to be more heating-centric than cooling-centric. Unsatisfied with the lower priced plug and play options on the market that would fit my 7 gal Chronicals, I reluctantly decided to spend the money on this heating upgrade. I'll start by saying that overall I've been very satisfied with my purchase. The FTSs controller is really sharp and doesn't lack in functionality. Once assembled, this kit performs exactly as advertised, reliably maintaining ferm temp to within .5 degrees of my settings (per my preference. This precision can and probably should be adjusted to reduce pump motor wear if using the cooling package.) My dissatisfaction arises from the lack of versatility in customizing this system. Admittedly, this is a retrofit kit, intended for use by someone who already has the FTSs cooling package. Unlike that system, which can be retrofitted to include heat, it doesn't work the other way around, so I'm stuck trying to patch something together if I ever should decide that I want to add that functionality in the future. Neither the neoprene jacket nor the pump which comes with the cooling system is available by itself from SS Brewtech as of this writing, leaving the purchaser of this kit to improvise some other way of insulating their fermenter (in my case, a blanket). It also necessitates the use of tape or silicone to adhere the heater pad securely to the conical. The included hook and loop fastener is more of a suggestion than a real solution. A suitable circulation pump with the same power input specs as SS Brewtech's FTSs pump would have to be sourced separately as well if cooling were to be added. Because this system fits my needs as advertised it gets five stars, but prospective purchasers should appreciate the limitations of this kit as it's offered.
