ebay aquarium temp controller build

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Man this thread is so off topic i am tempted to not update with my build photos.

I went with a 6X6X4 utility box from Lowes. I wanted some airspace because the little unit got pretty warm while i was testing it.

I wired mine to power two separate outlets. one on the hot cycle and one on the cold. I have two PC fans on an old cell phone charger that i plugged in as well as the A/C unit.

I also grabbed a mono audio headphone plug and jack from radio shack. wired the probe up with those so i can remove it if necessary.


I like the ideas of a removable probe, might have to modify mine to have that!
 
barleydude said:
I like the ideas of a removable probe, might have to modify mine to have that!

Mine is removable too (as is many people's). I also had the idea of using a headphone jack, but it was less than ideal for something I'm planning, and I got such a great deal on 3-pin XLR components, that I ended up going with that instead.

Also, I'm kind of OCD about these kinds of things, so literally *everything* is removable on mine, allowing it to be stored as literally just a cordless box if I want.
 
I am building one of these either this week or next, so I for one appreciate the updates and photos before I get started.

Could you explain a little bit more about the headphone jack setup and wiring, and also the reasoning behind it? What are the advantages to a removable probe? Also, for those without collars on their units, is the probe wire just going through the back of the door near where the hinges are? Does it effect the seal at all?
 
Since someone wanted a source cited-
From 2002, but reflects the basic behavior of switching PSUs.
Most likely "fixed cost" current needed to support higher wattages is the main reason for the sharp decline below ~20%.

PowerSupplyEff.jpg
 
the headphone jack allows me to

1) replace the probe easily if it goes bad
2) have the unit be portable
3) allow the probe to be fed through the back of the Ferment chamber rather then the door etc.

Basically i don't want to crack the box back open again if i don't have to
 
So I have wired up my build, just waiting on the temp controller at this time. Attached is the wiring schematic. Please review, make sure it looks okay please. I am positive it is correct, and it is a hack of a few different diagrams and schematics. The tab between the Heat/Aux side is broken, the wire nuts were replaced by a terminal block to the hot and neutral wires, and the colored circles are the lamps.

Let me know what you think, and when the temp controller is here, will post pics of the final build.

Thanks,
Ryan

Wiring.gif
 
All this bitching and crying about how much power is consumed by this power supply or that power supply..
Does it really ****ing matter when your wife and kids won't turn a damn light off?
 
Does it really ****ing matter when your wife and kids won't turn a damn light off?

Haha, could not agree more... My kid is too young to turn the lights on, let alone off. But the wife... she is bad enough for the both of them...
 
Just assembled one of these into a 6"x4"x2" Radio Shack project box. It was a tight fit, but I was able to cram everything in there. The hardest (read: time consuming) part was cutting all the holes with my Dremel. I used barrier strips (also from Radio Shack) instead of wire nuts. This was a bad idea. It is really hard to cram multiple 14 gauge wires under one screw. The next one I build (need one for the fermentation chamber) will either use wire nuts or maybe solder joints.
 
I used a barrier strip from lowes, and it fit 2 wires under the screw pretty nicely. Cleaned everything up real nice in the box too. Need the damn controller, and i will be set. That was with 14 gauge solid copper wire.
 
Just out of curiosity, would 14gauge speaker wire be ok for inside the box? What's the difference between 14gauge speaker wire vs 14 gauge extension cord wire, other than the extension cord has a 3rd wire for ground?
 
Sorry for asking a dumb question or one that has already been asked (going through all 194 pages is a bit time consuming).

Will this be able to turn on the fridge when too warm using the cold plug and then turn on the heat lamp when it gets too cold using the heat side of the plug? Or would I need two controllers to do that.

The reason I ask is because living in Rhode Island, the temp difference from night to day can swing quite a bit. It can be 80s during the day and then fall to the 40s late at night. During the summer it will just need to cool and winter it would just need to warm but spring and fall can be tricky to keep temps in the mid 60s with the temp fluctuation.
 
h22lude said:
Sorry for asking a dumb question or one that has already been asked (going through all 194 pages is a bit time consuming).

Will this be able to turn on the fridge when too warm using the cold plug and then turn on the heat lamp when it gets too cold using the heat side of the plug? Or would I need two controllers to do that.

The reason I ask is because living in Rhode Island, the temp difference from night to day can swing quite a bit. It can be 80s during the day and then fall to the 40s late at night. During the summer it will just need to cool and winter it would just need to warm but spring and fall can be tricky to keep temps in the mid 60s with the temp fluctuation.

All you'll need is the one controller.
 
And the diagram from the OP or is there a better one you recommend?

The diagram the OP posted is accurate, and compact. The black line corresponds to the hot wire (usually black), blue is neutral (usually white) and green is ground. Just make sure to snap off the little tab bridging the hot and neutral sides of the outlet. (I snapped the neutral side, you may not need to somebody with more electrical experience can speak to that.)

EDIT: When I say I snapped the tab. I snapped it and ran a dedicated neutral to the wire nut. I am pretty sure you don't have to, but i had already snapped it.
 
This is my version of the aqaurium temp controlled chamber.. Scored the Freezer locally for 35 bucks, carefully cut the shelf supports and bent the shelves up and out of the way, and installed the temp controller...

I chose not to use an outlet to plug the existing freezer plug into, but instead just used the existing plug and wired it in series there...

The duplex receptacle inside the freezer are for future heating blankets..

Anyways, just got the thing operational last night...

Very nice thus far.. Set it to 19 degrees centigrade and attached the probe to a jar of water and then let it sit over night.. it's holding the internal temp very close to the target 19 degrees..

Made a silly little control 'panel' from oak with a carved 3D eagle wrapped in an American flag... Calling it the 'Ferminator 3000' by PhanMeister.. LOL

So, without further adoo, (drumroll please) introducing the Ferminator 3000!

fermentationchamber001.jpg



fermentationchamber003.jpg



Next to do something about a blowoff system with the carboys in there, and then to get a couple cheap heating pads from amazon.. saw some low wattage ones for like 8 bucks each.. and then make a thermowell...

Original Thread here
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How are you guys rigging up the pc fans to the cell phone chargers..... Maybe easier to just get a small 110v fan and wire into heat/cool circuit??? Not sure yet.... My controller just came in, still looking on cl for the freezer
 
Wild Duk said:
How are you guys rigging up the pc fans to the cell phone chargers..... Maybe easier to just get a small 110v fan and wire into heat/cool circuit??? Not sure yet.... My controller just came in, still looking on cl for the freezer

Cut the tip off (ouch!) the cellphone charger cable and you'll have two wires. Splice these two wires into the (IIRC) red and black fan wires (but NOT the yellow). Very simple.

Make sure it's a decent voltage... technically 12V is ideal, but lower is fine as long as it can start AND sustain the fan.
 
So would a 6 or 8 inch computer fan mounted on the top, blowing down in a 7 cf freezer move enough air for a ferm. Chamber???

That's kinda what I'm thinking of wiring up
 
I have a 4 inch squirel
cage fan in a 5 cu ft keezer. It's mounted on the lid and does an amazing job of moving air. I originally thought the fan was too small, but it doesn't take much air movement.
 
I have the fan mounted under the lid and setup to blow onto my beer taps. They are ice cold to the touch. It works really well, and allows me to direct the airflow wherever I want. It took care of some foaming issues I was having. I have a 12 inch collar and couldn't keep it cold enough without the fan.
 
Loving this thing so far.. My first ferment in the new chamber has stayed right on target, right from the get go... Thinking about buying a gun safe dehumidifier to use as a low wattage heater.. They are less than 20 bucks, and mount easily...

Have a couple more batches I can brew before it starts getting cold enough to worry about it though...

fermentationchamber005.jpg


fermentationchamber004.jpg
 
"quote"Have a couple more batches I can brew before it starts getting cold enough to worry about it though..."

r8rphan,
Nice job, But hey, how do you have your blow off tubes attached to your carboys? Interesting.

I have some 1 1/8 or 1 1/4 tubing thats just a little to small to shove in my 6 gal carboys and make a tight seal. Is that a pvc fitting and some larger clear tubing to slide over the carboy neck?
 
Temp. Probe:
How are most attaching it to get the temp.... Taping it to the side/ submerging it in the wort....

If you tape it to the side, have you done a compare on the temp it reads with the actual temp of your wort????

Just wondering what works best.... Not sure how I would submerge it and still keep my brew bucket sealed
 
Wild Duk said:
Temp. Probe:
How are most attaching it to get the temp.... Taping it to the side/ submerging it in the wort....

If you tape it to the side, have you done a compare on the temp it reads with the actual temp of your wort????

Just wondering what works best.... Not sure how I would submerge it and still keep my brew bucket sealed

A lot of temp probes (generally the stainless steel kind) come threaded, allowing you to drill a hole in the side and insert it through there, if you want.

Both my controllers use SS probes... I got one of them off eBay cheap to replace the stock rubber one. But I just tape them to the side and cover with bubble wrap... it's very accurate.
 
Okay. Whats up with the bubble wrap? I tried that and the temp probe read super high... Maybe i need to let the bubble wrap cool down a bit more first... Just taped the probe to the wide metal portion of the rack. Seems to work okay for now. Would not stick to the inside of the wall of the fridge.

Having a hard time controlling my (cyclomatic - thinks thats the term) fridge at the moment. The old style with the freezer kinda built into the fridge, not seperated into two compartments and the cooling fins/wires on the outer backside of the fridge. The fridge temp probe keeps overriding the controller, and shuts the fridge off even though the fridge thermostat is set to the highest setting. The controller throws power to that outlet, but the fridge thermostat shuts down the compressor even tho it should be cooling. Have to move the fridge temp probe from the freezer into the fridge cavity, should fix that little problem, as the fridge probe mounts to the top of the freezer. Love DIY baby!

Anyway/otherwise temp controller was a fun build, works exactly as it should.

Ryan M.
 
... the fridge thermostat is set to the highest setting. The controller throws power to that outlet, but the fridge thermostat shuts down the compressor even tho it should be cooling...
Ryan M.

When you say the "fridge thermostat is set to the highest setting" you mean coldest setting right?
 
Here is my controller. Have to drill out a spot for the probe yet in the back of the freezer to run it inside; I hate loose wires everywhere. Otherwise working fine!

Also, a picture of the inside of the fridge. It takes a while for the controller/fridge to cool down again once you add a few items that are not cold, and again, the fridge thermostat keeps overriding the controller due to placement of the factory fridge probe (placed on the top part of the freezer). See previous post for more details. Therefore I moved the factory probe into the fridge cavity from the top of the freezer, and now it seems to be working much more efficiently. Only problem I see in the future is that it has to run every now and then, otherwise it defrosts a little and deposits water in the plastic drip tray that slides under the freezer. Will see how it works when the temp outside drops and the fridge does not have to run as often to maintain temps...

IMGP0004.jpg


IMGP0001.jpg


IMGP0003.jpg
 
Well I completed this build tonight. It doesn't look as good as others. I bought the wrong size project box so the outlet plate is too big...and I did a horrible job cutting the hole for the unit. But it works!!! I tested it using a plug in heater and ice pack. When it got too hot, the cold side turned on (I put a charger in it). When it got too cold, the heater turned on.

I'm no electrician so I'm just worried that this plastic box will catch fire. I soldered the 4 wires (coming from 1, 5, 7 and into the extension cord) and wrapped that in electrical tape instead of using a wire nut. I know I shouldn't be worried and someone can tell me to shut up and start using my newly built temp controller lol
 
I'm no electrician, but have done a lot of wiring around the house.... I don't feel that soldering 110v wiring is the best way to go.... Just use wire nuts.... Soldering is mostly used in DC applications

I could be wrong here, I'm sure others will chime in...
 
"quote"Have a couple more batches I can brew before it starts getting cold enough to worry about it though..."

r8rphan,
Nice job, But hey, how do you have your blow off tubes attached to your carboys? Interesting.

I have some 1 1/8 or 1 1/4 tubing thats just a little to small to shove in my 6 gal carboys and make a tight seal. Is that a pvc fitting and some larger clear tubing to slide over the carboy neck?

One and a half inch no hub couplings attach it all to the carboy necks.. In the other end of the no hub couplings, I have one and a quarter inch PVC Male Adapters.. The No Hub Hose Clamps hold it all together...

The tubing is just 1" ID clear tubing from the big box store... It will slide through the 1.25" fittings, and into the opening of the carboys.. I slide it a few inches down past the opening of the carboy.. Not an airtight seal, but close enough (semi airtight) that you don't have to worry about it... The ferment is always producing positive pressure... I've left it like that up to a month without issue... But I usually pull them out and switch to stoppers and airlocks after a week or so...

The stoppers fit nicely in the end of the PVC fittings... So I install the coupling and fitting before I even fill the carboys with wort... stick a blank #7 stopper in there and then carry them to the chamber where I pitch the yeast, stick them in the chamber, pull the #7 stoppers and install the tube...

Later I just pull the tube and stick in the #7 stopper with the airlock already installed and filled...
 
I'm no electrician, but have done a lot of wiring around the house.... I don't feel that soldering 110v wiring is the best way to go.... Just use wire nuts.... Soldering is mostly used in DC applications

I could be wrong here, I'm sure others will chime in...

This would be good to know if someone could chime in. I also soldered my keezer fan which is AC.

I wouldn't see how it could be bad but I don't know much about electricity. My only work with electricity was soldering chips onto boards in boy scouts and working on car radios and speakers.
 
At the very most, you just need to make sure your soldering isn't too thin anywhere. It's the same idea as wire gauge really... the minimum thickness increases as the power requirements do.

If you're just soldering wire leads to each other (eg instead of using wire nuts), there really shouldn't be an issue, as the wire itself is obviously sufficient... in this case, the solder is more useful as a mechanical joint than as an actual conductor anyways.

The box I'm working on is really more complicated than any that I've seen here, and soldering is pretty much necessary in my case. Soldering is definitely still appropriate for AC, and is often unavoidable, depending on what you're doing.
 
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