Chest freezer: to bypass (or not) the thermostat

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paledragon

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So I built a chest freezer fermentation chamber to use with a sankey. I'm amazed at how exposed and simple to follow all of the freezer wiring is. In fact, the connection from the thermostat to the compressor is actually done with electrical quick connects. I had planned on just plugged the chest freezer into a Love TSS2 controller. Is there any advantage to bypassing the freezer thermostat and wiring the compressor directly to the Love? Compressor life? Better temperature control? I've got the Love temperature probe in a 6" thermowell in the side of the sankey.

My previous means of temperature control was ice bottles and a brew belt, so I'm hella excited to not have to obsessively monitor a sticker on the side of better bottle.

Thanks,

p.d.
 
I just cranked my kegerator thermostat wide open and let the Love controller do the work.

On my Fermenatrix, the thermostat was in the way so it went bye-bye.

If you ever have plans to use the freezer as a freezer again (without the Love,) you should just leave the thermostat inline.

B
 
So I built a chest freezer fermentation chamber to use with a sankey. I'm amazed at how exposed and simple to follow all of the freezer wiring is. In fact, the connection from the thermostat to the compressor is actually done with electrical quick connects. I had planned on just plugged the chest freezer into a Love TSS2 controller. Is there any advantage to bypassing the freezer thermostat and wiring the compressor directly to the Love? Compressor life? Better temperature control? I've got the Love temperature probe in a 6" thermowell in the side of the sankey.

My previous means of temperature control was ice bottles and a brew belt, so I'm hella excited to not have to obsessively monitor a sticker on the side of better bottle.

Thanks,

p.d.

If you understand the wiring and use properly rated relays, it shouldn't make a difference. The only exception would be if the freezer thermostat has some kind of mechanism to keep the compressor from cycling on and off too quickly. If it has that, you wouldn't want to bypass it. As far as degree of control goes, it shouldn't make a difference.
 
I just cranked my kegerator thermostat wide open and let the Love controller do the work.

On my Fermenatrix, the thermostat was in the way so it went bye-bye.

If you ever have plans to use the freezer as a freezer again (without the Love,) you should just leave the thermostat inline.

B

Are you suggesting that you cant use the Love controller to freeze?

My Love TS-2 that I have on my kegerator has a temp range of -58F to 302F
 
Were you able to override the chest freezer thermoststat? If so, how did you do it and what temperature were you able to maintain? I want to convert a chest freezer into a kegerator and maintain 36 to 37 degrees. ANy help would be appreciated.
 
I use an itc-1000 controller. Has internal relays for cooling and heating.

For the hookup, you disconnect the 2 current temperature control and place one into each of the itc-1000 cooling circuit, per the wiring diagram they supply.

Then you'll need power at pin 1 and neutral at pin 2.

Tons of diagrams on this site if you need.

I also have a seed heating mat running off the heating side, my keezer is now a fermentation chamber. Too cold it turns the mat on, too warm the compressor goes on.
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