cheap line-voltage thermostat from homedepot

**Walker** · 03-02-2006, 08:57 PM

the operating range is 50°F to 100°F, which is narrower than the thermostats you can get from your LHBS for $50. But at a price of only $27 it seems like a pretty good deal for a line-voltage thermostat if you are looking for one to control your fridge or whatever.

I can't get a link to work, but seach homedepot.com for "ductstat".

-walker

Kaiser · 03-02-2006, 09:07 PM

50F-100F will not be sufficient for breweing lagers since you may have to hold the amboient temp at 47 to hold the fermentation temp at 50F.

But for some line voltage thermostats the temp can be offset to match the desired temperature range. The like voltage thermostat that I have has a small screw which which I can shift the themperature range.

Kai

**Walker** · 03-02-2006, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by King Kai

50F-100F will not be sufficient for breweing lagers since you may have to hold the amboient temp at 47 to hold the fermentation temp at 50F.

But for some line voltage thermostats the temp can be offset to match the desired temperature range. The like voltage thermostat that I have has a small screw which which I can shift the themperature range.

Kai

agreed.. it's not perfect... but if you only brew ales (which I'm guessing most people here do), this would be perfect and costs $15 to $20 less than the alternatives from the brew shops.

-walker

Lou · 03-02-2006, 09:12 PM

i feel like an idiot, but i don't get it.... you plug your fridge into this and plug this into the wall... then you set your desired temperature -- say 60®F... without a probe reaching into the fridge to measure that temperature, how does it know when to cut power? it seems like the probe for this is internal/attached to the unit, making it good for controlling the fan that it's designed for -- because the fan would affect the ambient temp.
please set me straight if i'm not making sense...

**Walker** · 03-02-2006, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lou

i feel like an idiot, but i don't get it.... you plug your fridge into this and plug this into the wall... then you set your desired temperature -- say 60®F... without a probe reaching into the fridge to measure that temperature, how does it know when to cut power? it seems like the probe for this is internal/attached to the unit, making it good for controlling the fan that it's designed for -- because the fan would affect the ambient temp.
please set me straight if i'm not making sense...

it's not clear from the description if the thermal sensor is housed within the box, but... even it it IS, you can put the whole damn thing into the fridge and run yoru power cords into the fridge to plug into it.

-walker

Lou · 03-02-2006, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walker

it's not clear from the description if the thermal sensor is housed within the box, but... even it it IS, you can put the whole damn thing into the fridge and run yoru power cords into the fridge to plug into it.

-walker

yeah, i had considered that....
there's no conspicuous external probe in the picture, so i just assumed there wasn't one...
also, i don't know how well 2 running cords out of the fridge will work...

**Walker** · 03-02-2006, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lou

yeah, i had considered that....
there's no conspicuous external probe in the picture, so i just assumed there wasn't one...

yeah, I assume there isn't one either, but you never know....

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lou

also, i don't know how well 2 running cords out of the fridge will work...

Should work fine. I've curently got one power cord and one temp probe running out of the door of mine and it seems fine. The flexible, magnetic seal on the fridge door forms around them pretty well.

-walker

Kaiser · 03-02-2006, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walker

it's not clear from the description if the thermal sensor is housed within the box, but... even it it IS, you can put the whole damn thing into the fridge and run yoru power cords into the fridge to plug into it.

-walker

running the power cord into the fridge will create a bad seal on the doors. This and the limited temperature range may not be worth the $20-$15 savings you get. It's different when you get it for cheaper on E-bay and plan to modify your fride anyway. Then you can install this in your fridge.

Kai

**Walker** · 03-02-2006, 09:32 PM

devil's advocate:

Quote:

Originally Posted by King Kai

running the power cord into the fridge will create a bad seal on the doors.

not on my specific fridge, but I see your point in general.

Quote:

Originally Posted by King Kai

This and the limited temperature range may not be worth the $20-$15 savings you get.

This depends ONLY on what you brew. Yes, it's more limited than the one I have from the LHBS, but... the range imposed by this cheaper device would not get in my way at all. If anything, I could say that the one from the LHBS has TOO wide of a range for my uses. I only need temps between 55 and 72 degrees, so how is a $50 thermostat that goes from 30°F to 100°F better than a $27 thermostat that goes from 50°F to 100°F????

-walker

**david_42** · 03-02-2006, 10:55 PM

I'm familiar with these. The sensor is inside the housing and most of them are designed for heating applications. I used one in my fermentation box to control a small electric heater, as I've lived in colder areas most of the time. (and I don't lager)

There is a version available that is used to control evaporative coolers that would work with a refrigerator, but I see two problems: the cord problem and cooler thermostats have really huge dead-bands, about 10 degrees. By contrast, my electronic control can be set down to a one degree dead band.