Cheap Digital Temperature Controller

Anyone know the best place/price for a digital temperature controller?

Looking to turn my energy drink fridge (currently housing my bottled homebrew) into a fermentation chamber to keep everything at 68 degrees or so.

Fluxuating temps around here!

Any ideas or help would be great. Saw the one on NB for 79.99, bought thought it may be a bit pricey.

Check this one out:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/ebay-aquarium-temp-controller-build-163849/

Unless you've got decent DIY skills, $80 is probably the best you'll find (new). You could hack a thermostat or something, but may end up spending more in the end if you aren't sure of what you are doing.

Ah, Okay I wasn't sure if that was the best price out there or not. I did a lot of searching with not a lot of results so figured I'd just ask here.

I have some good DIY skills, but sometimes my time and sanity is just not worth it.

UPDATED: Just placed order for digital temp controller from NB.

I figure this is as simple as it gets, plug it in to the wall to the fridge and I should be all set.

Essentially it doesn't kick on the fridge until the ambient temperature reaches or exceeds whatever I set it at, correct?

Temps have been changing from 68-78 in my house and that can't be good.

Curious, will this unit also heat ferm chamber in the winter if needed? Not sure how, just thought I'd ask.

yes, it can be used to heat the fermentation chamber - it just doesn't do both at the same time. You have to change the mode from Cool to Heat and then plug in a heater. Pretty simple stuff.

bruin_ale said:

yes, it can be used to heat the fermentation chamber - it just doesn't do both at the same time. You have to change the mode from Cool to Heat and then plug in a heater. Pretty simple stuff.

Click to expand...

So to heat, you plug the heater to the wall, then the temp control in between the heater and the fridge? Sure when it gets here it'll make more sense. I heard you cold use an electric blanket even - lol.

No, you plug the temp controller into the wall and the heater into the temp controller - same way you would with a fridge.

I've used a heating pad to do temp control, but yeah, an electric blanket or a simple light bulb will work. I've never used a light bulb because I don't like the idea of light hitting my carboy - but I guess it's not the right wavelength to skunk your beer.

What about this for a cheap controller?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000E7NYY8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I got my Ranco from Amazon for right around $50.

cfrazier77 said:

What about this for a cheap controller?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000E7NYY8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Click to expand...

Great if you don't intend to lager with it, lower temp limit is 45F.

Damn.. I already bought the one from NB. Added it to my order I just did for the Bourbon Barrel Porter kit to take advantage of the shipping.

However, that one from Amazon looks good and can save me $50 (minus me returning mine to NB) because I don't intend to use it for lagering at all.

What would you do?

well, the amazon one doesn't have a temp probe from what I can see.. it's not really ideal for this application, but would probably work. You'll be happy with the one you purchased, and in a few months you'll forget that you could have saved a couple bucks for a cheapo unit.

bruin_ale said:

well, the amazon one doesn't have a temp probe from what I can see.. it's not really ideal for this application, but would probably work. You'll be happy with the one you purchased, and in a few months you'll forget that you could have saved a couple bucks for a cheapo unit.

Click to expand...

Good call, that is sort of what I was thinking as I had been thinking about it.

Figure if it is on NB, it is a perfect match with what I am trying to do.

With the probe, do I tape it to my fermenter? Or tape it to the inside of my fridge somewhere?

couple different thoughts on where to put the probe. I've both let mine dangle in the freezer (careful not to let it touch the walls as those will get very cold well before the ambient changes) and taped to the side of the carboy. Both work fine for me. Right now it just dangles and I adjust the ambient temp down 5-8 degrees for the first few days to combat the exothermic nature of fermentation.

Thanks Bruin -

I can't believe what I just found out. The height of my fermenter bucket with the airlock inserted is about 1" to tall to fit into my fridge.

What the hell am I supposed to do? I did a search for low profile airlocks but couldn't find anything-

bruin_ale said:

well, the amazon one doesn't have a temp probe from what I can see.. it's not really ideal for this application, but would probably work. You'll be happy with the one you purchased, and in a few months you'll forget that you could have saved a couple bucks for a cheapo unit.

Click to expand...

It does has a probe but I do not know how long it is. Another member found it and is using it for controlling his fridge. I personally use an ebay aquarium controller and have been happy with it.

bruin_ale said:

Great if you don't intend to lager with it, lower temp limit is 45F.

Click to expand...

Or to crash cool a brew before kegging.

Can't tell from the pic or description how long the probe is, but as it's intended for HVAC use, I doubt it's a handy length...

The Ranco single stage ET-111000 digital can be had from Amazon for just over $50 (Patriot Supply). I have two of my three chillers using them and they do a great job controlling them...

Cheers!

craig_reed said:

Thanks Bruin -

I can't believe what I just found out. The height of my fermenter bucket with the airlock inserted is about 1" to tall to fit into my fridge.

What the hell am I supposed to do? I did a search for low profile airlocks but couldn't find anything-

Click to expand...

You could go with a blow off tube.?. That should save you some head space.

Cruzn4aBrewzn said:

You could go with a blow off tube.?. That should save you some head space.

Click to expand...

I have never done a blowoff tube. Essentially just insert a tube into rubber stopper and put end of tube into sanitized solution in a bucket or something right?

Get a sheet of clear acrylic a little bigger than the opening of the bucket. Now you can watch your kraeusen (to time a d-rest)!

craig_reed said:

I have never done a blowoff tube. Essentially just insert a tube into rubber stopper and put end of tube into sanitized solution in a bucket or something right?

Click to expand...

Yup, that's the gist of it.

If your head space in the fermentation vessel isn't large you should use the largest diameter tube possible so it doesn't get plugged up - which would put the "blow off" in "blowoff tube"

For an example, I run 1" ID vinyl blowoffs on my carboys which provides an OD big enough to "press-fit" into the carboy necks, and I've never had one plug up...

Cheers!

If you ordered the johnson controls a419 there is a jumper with 3 pins inside you get it factory set to cool but if you want heat you just open the control box and move the jumper over 1 position to make it a heat controller or in control terms it will break on rise.

day_trippr said:

Yup, that's the gist of it.

If your head space in the fermentation vessel isn't large you should use the largest diameter tube possible so it doesn't get plugged up - which would put the "blow off" in "blowoff tube"

For an example, I run 1" ID vinyl blowoffs on my carboys which provides an OD big enough to "press-fit" into the carboy necks, and I've never had one plug up...

Cheers!

Click to expand...

Ah I see. But the stopper I got in my bucket fermented is probably only an inch itself. I use 6 1/2 gallon buckets for fermentation so I have a good 6 or 7 in.

Should I pu a 1" tube right through the hole in my lid with no stopper?

944play said:

Get a sheet of clear acrylic a little bigger than the opening of the bucket. Now you can watch your kraeusen (to time a d-rest)!

Click to expand...

This sounds cool. Any Pics?

944play said:

Get a sheet of clear acrylic a little bigger than the opening of the bucket. Now you can watch your kraeusen (to time a d-rest)!

Click to expand...

Yeah, I am curious exactly what you are talking about?

Stevo2569 said:

This sounds cool. Any Pics?

Click to expand...

I don't do this. Bob does.

craig_reed said:

Yeah, I am curious exactly what you are talking about?

Click to expand...

Take a sheet of acrylic that's bigger than the opening of the fermenter. Lay the acrylic on top of said fermenter opening. Done.

Ahhh... Interesting.

I suppose for my space constraints I will just use a blowoff tube. Although the hole in my stopper is pretty small, I think the tubing from it may be too narrow and could get clogged up a bit. It is the same diameter as a racking cane 3/18 I think.

I have a similar problem, my glass carboy with airlock is slightly too tall to fit in an old freezer I picked up.

Is there anything stopping me (or Craig) from taping the airlock to the wall of the fridge/freezer somewhere and then connecting it to the rubber stopper/bung with a length of tube. This would mean the airlock would be below the top of the fermenter, but I guess this shouldn't matter?

bastianegeter said:

I have a similar problem, my glass carboy with airlock is slightly too tall to fit in an old freezer I picked up.

Is there anything stopping me (or Craig) from taping the airlock to the wall of the fridge/freezer somewhere and then connecting it to the rubber stopper/bung with a length of tube. This would mean the airlock would be below the top of the fermenter, but I guess this shouldn't matter?

Click to expand...

Not a bad idea....have a hose from the rubber stopper to the airlock taped somewhere on the wall