Best Temperature controller on a budget?

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tardisode

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I am in the market for a temperature controller, and would be looking into getting a dual stage preferably as eventually i want to get a fridge to control more accuratley. My plan as of now would be to put the fermenter on my brick floor, which is capable of cooling down to 58 f and then using a heater or a wrap heater to bring it up and maintain. Whats the best/least expensive temp controller out there?
 
The STC-1000 runs about $25 shipped on eBay (from Hong Kong). You will need to spend about $20 more on an enclosure, outlet and wiring, and it is in Centigrade.

The Love controller is about the same type of controller, ships from the US, and runs about $75 and is either C or F. You would still need to put it in an enclosure and wire it up.

Then there are a wide variety of Johnson controllers that start in the same range as the Love.
 
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Thanks for the links, the wiring looks like it would literally take ten minutes to setup and saves 20 dollars. Not a bad deal at all. That might be my best route to go, seeing as how I want to upgrade to a refrigerated fermentation chamber in the next six months. I could get two of these for the price of one dual stage temptroller.
 
I'm electronics retarded so building was out of my comfort zone those Ranco I linked are single temp but I've yet to need to heat and cool my fermenter in the same season although I understand wanting to have the capability. If you get it at Home Depot or Lowes you can get a really good deal on an extension cord, it comes with both ends wired and then you have enough extra wire to make a few more with minimal expenditure for the plugs which are dirt cheap. Wiring is as easy as it looks, believe me If I can do it anyone can.
 
Living in NM probably doesn't require a 2 stage controller anyway.

For me, as soon as I get one or two more projects finished up, I'll be looking to build a cheap 2-stage controller and selling my Johnson. Where I live I could use a 2 stage about 50% of the time!
 
I am not sure if anybody has mentioned this but i found the following:
Thermal Monitors

I havent made a fermentation chamber yet but i am planning on making one soon.

I believe that unit just monitors temp, it doesn't switch anything. The controllers use relays to cycle power on or off (or activate relays depending on the controller type) based on set temperatures.
 
I bought this one from Amazon.com:

Control Products TC-9102D-HV Dual Stage High Voltage Digital Temperature Controller

Mounted it to a backboard along with a duplex receptacle. One for the heat stage, one for the cool stage. Hangs on the side of my ferm chamber.
 
I got the Ranco one on ebay for $45 and I had a old refrigearater extension cord to use. Works great as I need to cool in the summer and heat in the winter. No need for a belt, I just use a 40w light bulb and right now I have 14gallons fermenting away at 65f. The temps are in the single digits, at night, as I do not run heat in my detached garage unless I am working in it.
 
Yes, I have used temperature controllers. My friend suggested me to check into coulton. I looked at a few and the prices are very cheap and I can afford them.
 
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