Alright, final suggestions for temp controller...

I've been reading here about the temp controllers. I need to know what the concensus is on which controller to get. I only need a single stage controller to control the temp in my fridge. I'm wanting it to control temps for fermenting. My main problem will be my wort getting to warm. Is it Love, Ranco, or Johnson, or any other controller? I'm not electrically savvy so a plug and play would be my preference.

thanks fellas

if you can understand If/Then arguments, and want a little better controller, I suggest this:

Digital Aquatics Online Store

It's an aquarium controller, and it does have 4 outlets. It's a bit overkill but for $100 it's not bad.

I have a similar one on my fish tank, and it's great.

Programming looks like this:
if temp <75, H-1 = ON
if temp >77, H-1 = OFF
If temp >81, C-1 = ON

H1= heater
C1= Chiller.

SO in your fridge/freezer (since you're fermenting) you can set your temps and be safe to ferment in summer or winter.

If you're willing to do a bit of wiring, you can get a Love or Johnson/Ranco for less, then spend the cash on parts. I have two Love controllers and I dig them. One's on the keezer and one is in my fermentation bath.

B

bump, bump

I do not have one, but just purchased a johnson analog on ebay today for $28. It seems to be pretty even, I'd just go with whatever one you find with the best deal.

I searched far and wide to find one better than the other and couldn't find any convincing evidence that one beat another.

I have a love and 2 Johnson controllers . I like the love seeing the led display and the temp . But the plug and play Johnson's were cheaper and super quick to install and they work fine . So if you are techno challenged or just lazy like me the Johnson is a good choice

They are personal preference Just ask your self what you want out of, Write all that down and see which has most of those.

I have a LOVE on my keezer and love it for that application. I bought a thermostat at Menards (A Home Depot/Lowes type store) for my fermentation fridge for $34 that has programmable digital readout and can control up to 16Amp load and handle heating and cooling. I will be buying a Ranco for my E-HLT build. Mounting plays a lot into your particular build. Ranco's and Johsnons are there own enclosure that just need attached. LOVE's need built into a project or placed in a project box.

Check out my Keezer in my sig line to see my LOVE mounted. They provide a more stylish integration IMO which is why I went with it for that particular application.

I am a big fan of the digital Rancos. Maybe because I own nothing else. Maybe because I had never wired anything like that before, and I figured it out. (It wasn't hard at all).

i have 2 rancos pretty nice. one is mounted on the wall behind my fermentation freezer, the other is mounted on the back of my keezer via industrial velcro. you will need to spend about $6 and pick up an extension cord for the ranco but its is easy to wire up.

I have Rancos and Loves, I prefer the love controllers because they are more adaptalble and have a cleaner install. If you don't want to wire anything, Love is not an option for you.

I have a Johnson A419 digital, and it works great. I probably would have gone with a Love if I was going to mount it in a cutout in the side of the freezer or fridge, but I wanted an already packaged unit. The Johnson has a very simple menu which makes it really easy to change the setpoint temp. or differential. So far, I'm totally happy with my A419.

TheMan said:

I do not have one, but just purchased a johnson analog on ebay today for $28. It seems to be pretty even, I'd just go with whatever one you find with the best deal.

I searched far and wide to find one better than the other and couldn't find any convincing evidence that one beat another.

Click to expand...

Nice score! What did you use for your search? I was looking yesterday and only got 2 hits by searching for Johnson A419, and they were well over $28.

thanks for helping!

Beavdowg said:

Nice score! What did you use for your search? I was looking yesterday and only got 2 hits by searching for Johnson A419, and they were well over $28.

thanks for helping!

Click to expand...

The a419 is the digital version which is not the a19 analog version.

My search was "Johnson Control". I don't see mine on there anymore, there is a thread here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/johnson-controls-a19-probe-bulb-question-123361/

I don't know if the OP of that thread bought from the same person as me, but if you should find the guy on ebay you may want to wait till I get mine to see if its a rip off. I'll report back when I get it.

IrregularPulse,
What brand/model was the thermostat from Menards? Having trouble fiding a cheap 120V version

So if I wanted to search for a Ranco controller what is the actual model number I need? Analog is fine with me, I'm interested in an inexpensive solution.

thanks

The Ranco ETC Store

Thats the ranco I think most people have. I just got one last night it was really easy to wire and get setup. As far as I know ranco only makes digital controllers but I could very well be wrong. I got mine off ebay it was $10 cheaper buy now than on the ranco site

I love my rancos cause they are super adaptable, I can plug anything I want to heat or cool into them. But I do have a love on my kegerator and wouldn't have it any other way. If you are only using it for one thing like that the loves are pretty sleek.

millerbp said:

IrregularPulse,
What brand/model was the thermostat from Menards? Having trouble fiding a cheap 120V version

Click to expand...

I bought the Lux WIN100

Been connected to my fermenting fridge for 1 week now, seems to be working fine.

Thanks. greatly appreciated

IrregularPulse said:

I bought the Lux WIN100

Been connected to my fermenting fridge for 1 week now, seems to be working fine.

Click to expand...

This looks like a plug n play like the others? How much is this unit? I noticed that it only goes down to 45*.

Beavdowg said:

This looks like a plug n play like the others? How much is this unit? I noticed that it only goes down to 45*.

Click to expand...

I picked one up at Menards for $38 & it is plug & play but the sensor lead is very short. I extended the wiring so I could tape the sensor (thermister) to the side of my fermenter & mounted the controller to the outside of my fermentation chamber/fridge.

yeah it was $0.xx after taxes. I did not notice it only going to 45* I'll have to double check.

BEACH - I was considering lengthening the leads as well, but didn't know if it was a particular wire type being a thermocouple. I talked to an ex-HVAC guy here at work and showed it to him, and he said I wouldn't be able to lengthen that type. Let me know how your temp accuracy holds after lengthening the leads.

So Beavdog, what'd you end up going with?

I was cleaning my garage last night and came across the temp controler for the Salamander heater I use in the winter. It goes from 40° to 90° not sure of the Amps it can carry but I'll look at it tonight . Drawback being the unit has to be inside the freezer plus is you can get them at any hardware store

springer said:

I was cleaning my garage last night and came across the temp controler for the Salamander heater I use in the winter. It goes from 40° to 90° not sure of the Amps it can carry but I'll look at it tonight . Drawback being the unit has to be inside the freezer plus is you can get them at any hardware store

Click to expand...

Does it do heating and cooling or just heating? How much?

Most of the analog controllers can be used for heating or cooling. It's simply a matter of taking off the cover and switching one wire to the opposite terminal on the internal double pole switch. I've done this with my Johnson A19 analog controller.

IrregularPulse said:

Does it do heating and cooling or just heating? How much?

Click to expand...

like Catt says it should do both I am going to take off the cover when I can this weekend. It was like 35$ at Lowe's

IrregularPulse said:

So Beavdog, what'd you end up going with?

Click to expand...

IP, I didn't end up getting a controller yet. I went out to Fred Meyer and bought a huge 19 gal storage tub, threw my fermenting bucket into it, filled it with cold water, threw some frozen water bottles in it, and wrapped a wet bed sheet around the fermenting bucket with the extra laying in the water. It cooled my ferm bucket by about 5 degrees or so, but I have to change the bottles daily. It's a pita but way cheaper than buying the temp controller. Ultimately I'll get a temp controller but I don't really want to hijack the garage fridge just for brewing. I'm thinking I'd like to get a cheap mini fridge and build an "addition" on it like I've seen here on HBT. That won't take up so much room.