ebay aquarium temp controller build

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peter78 said:
That is covered somewhere in the thread. I remember reading about it. You have to wire a relay or something. I thought about doing it myself, but decided to go with the fan always on to start with. Now I don't see a real benefit to have it stop when heat/cool stops.
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Continuous circulation is probably the best, although it maybe overkill.

If you want one fan (or one group of of fans) to run for an additional x amount of time after the fridge or heater kicks off then you need to design some sensing and control circuitry to operate the fan(s). There is no simple plug in adapter that could work like that AFAIK.
 
IslandLizard said:
I just ordered 2 STC-1000s off Amazon (@ $18.00). Decided to build 2 H/C controllers for the price of one Auber TD100A I had set my mind on last week.

But we should not really compare apples with oranges here. The Auber has a much better sensor encapsulated in silicone, The STC has a cheap NTC in a PVC sleeve.

Does any of you have a link to those black project boxes? 8x6x3" seems to be the norm to house 2 AC wall sockets?
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Try Radioshack. That's where mine actually came from.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Just finished my build and works as intended, now I just need to figure out the proper settings. In testing it out my chest freezer drops way below the desired setting.
 
I just ordered an STC-1000 for a HB club member. I got it from Amazon, and on the bottom of the page, they offered a project box. I did not buy it...

Cigar box! I get them for $2 at the local cigar emporium. Much cheaper, much easier to work with, most people love the look, and the inside of the box smells great. The downside? I really haven't found one. I make them essentially at cost for my club members. Of course, you need a fairly large box.

Mine runs and extended mini-fridge, a 35W soldering iron in a stand, and an always-on PC fan.

Controller Components.jpg


Controller Interior.jpg


Operational Controller.jpg
 
cincybrewer said:
Just finished my build and works as intended, now I just need to figure out the proper settings. In testing it out my chest freezer drops way below the desired setting.
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Where is the probe? Is it attached to a vessel? It should be.

Are you using a fan in the freezer to keep temps fairly even inside?

How are you measuring the temp in the freezer? If you have the probe on a keg, and you are measuring the air temp, yes, it will drop below your "desired" temp, but the beer won't. And the beer temp is what you care about.

Alternatively, you can just dangle the probe in the freezer and eventually it will get the beer to about the temperature you want. For fermentation, I tape the probe with insulation to the newest, most active fermentation. For my keezer, I dangle it in the air. I don't care THAT much about my exact serving temp.
 
marshallwms said:
I just ordered an STC-1000 for a HB club member. I got it from Amazon, and on the bottom of the page, they offered a project box. I did not buy it...

Cigar box! I get them for $2 at the local cigar emporium. Much cheaper, much easier to work with, most people love the look, and the inside of the box smells great. The downside? I really haven't found one. I make them essentially at cost for my club members. Of course, you need a fairly large box.

Mine runs and extended mini-fridge, a 35W soldering iron in a stand, and an always-on PC fan.
Click to expand...

Looks awesome, On my next build I may use a cigar box to hide the controls. Where it looks like a regular cigar box, but open it and inside you would have the control panel. All wires will run through the bottom of the box and to plugs in a different location. So as to look like a cigar box just sitting on top of the fermenter, or a table/bar. I do wonder though, whats the soldering iron for? Surely its for heating, but, what advantage does it have over other heat sources?
 
Has anyone had any issues using stranded wire? Code tells me that only solid wire should be used, but common sense tells me that extension cords are stranded and many people use them permanently to plug in their freezers. I've read a thread on another forum that says stranded wire is a better (easier) application because of its flexibility.

I'm a little uneasy about using clippings from the extension cord for all of the connections. Any advice?
 
uatuba said:
Has anyone had any issues using stranded wire? Code tells me that only solid wire should be used, but common sense tells me that extension cords are stranded and many people use them permanently to plug in their freezers. I've read a thread on another forum that says stranded wire is a better (easier) application because of its flexibility.

I'm a little uneasy about using clippings from the extension cord for all of the connections. Any advice?
Click to expand...

The cord for the freezers and refrigerators are stranded.

I take a lot of electrical equipment apart that has stopped working to reuse what I can in building things. I would say that 99.99 to 100% of the wire used in the various electrical equipment is stranded. Therefore I don't see a problem with using the stranded wire for this project.
 
marshallwms said:
Where is the probe? Is it attached to a vessel? It should be.

Are you using a fan in the freezer to keep temps fairly even inside?

How are you measuring the temp in the freezer? If you have the probe on a keg, and you are measuring the air temp, yes, it will drop below your "desired" temp, but the beer won't. And the beer temp is what you care about.

Alternatively, you can just dangle the probe in the freezer and eventually it will get the beer to about the temperature you want. For fermentation, I tape the probe with insulation to the newest, most active fermentation. For my keezer, I dangle it in the air. I don't care THAT much about my exact serving temp.
Click to expand...

I just stuck the probe in a cup of water to test it out. It actually seems to be working pretty well right now. I think it was just that first run where it had to cool to get down to the set temperature and then took a while to warm back up. Now that it is stable the temp swings seem to be minimal.

I'll probably do what you do once I begin fermenting in it and tape the probe to the bucket with insulation.
 
Wow! I ordered a couple of the stc-1000s from ebay seller sureelectronics late on 8/7. I had an issue with not being able to upgrade shipping via paypal and emailed the seller. Seller gave me instructions and I sent the paypal for the upgraded shipping on 8/8. The package just arrived. Seller also emailed me the instruction manual as soon as I ordered them. UNBELIEVABLE great service.
 
Just finished my STC-1000 build based on this thread. Thanks to everyone! Some minor modifications to the layout, but I think it came out sexy, and it works like a dream. Hooking it up to my spare fridge/heater for a nice fermentation chamber. Time for some healthy fermentations for the first time! :ban:

2013-08-14 16.28.39.jpg


2013-08-14 16.28.58.jpg
 
I have just been using mine for a couple weeks, and I'm amazed at its versatility. I used it to cold crash an ale, cool a batch to pitching temp, and now I'm fermenting a lager. The 75w stoplight works well for heat inside the freezer, too.
 
Yretsof said:
How did you split the outlet to work heat on one side and cool on the other?
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That's how the STC-1000 works. It has dual controllers, one for heating and one for cooling.
 
I'm having issues wiring mine. Do you not run white and black into anf from stc? It looks like you have to run black(hot) from power cord to stc power then also to #7. Then you run another black from 8 to the outlet? And the white runs from power cord to switch then to stc? Correct?
 
beercity23 said:
I'm having issues wiring mine. Do you not run white and black into anf from stc? It looks like you have to run black(hot) from power cord to stc power then also to #7. Then you run another black from 8 to the outlet? And the white runs from power cord to switch then to stc? Correct?
Click to expand...

You need three pigtails wired to your hot and two to your neutral. Hot 1 goes to main pin, neutral 1 goes to other main pin, hot 2 goes to cooling pin, and hot 3 goes to heating pin. Neutral 2 goes to neutral side of outlet (don't break the tab and use either screw). You'll now need two additional pigtails; one to go from heating pin to hot side of heating plug (do break the tab on the hot side of the plug), and one to go from cooling pin to hot side of cooling plug. The heating and cooling pins serve as a switch that breaks the hot wire...do not wire both the neutral and the hot to anything other than the main pins on the controller.
 
beercity23 said:
I'm having issues wiring mine. Do you not run white and black into anf from stc? It looks like you have to run black(hot) from power cord to stc power then also to #7. Then you run another black from 8 to the outlet? And the white runs from power cord to switch then to stc? Correct?
Click to expand...

I'm a bit confused as to what you're describing, but it doesn't sound correct. You need to run hot (black) and neutral (white) to terminals 1&2, which provides power to the controller. You then need to run a hot (black) to either terminal 5 or 6, and then an outgoing hot from the other one to your heat receptacle. Then run another hot (black) to either terminal 7 or 8, and an outgoing hot from the other one to your cooling receptacle. You'll want to run neutrals (white) to the neutral side of both your heating and cooling receptacles, and ground both receptacles as well. Terminals 3&4 are where the temp probe wires go. If you want heating and cooling on the same duplex outlet, then break the hot side tab, and only run one neutral to the receptacle.

stc-1000-wiring-diagram.jpg
 
itsme_timd said:
Yep. The STC-1000 will control heat/cool on/off and breaking off the tab allows each outlet to run independently.
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Oh you broke the tab off of the outlet not the controller, I understand the controller works both sides, just making sure he didnt wire the heat to one outlet, and cool to the other without seperating them. Then both outlets would be powered on heat and cool....making the heater and fridge run at the same time. I've never wired one like that, I used 2 outlets, allowing for 2 heaters.
 
i see! i was thinking you ran black and white into each heat and cold, then to outlet you wanted to use.
I am not using heat at all though, so i wont be using that

THANKS!
 
Okay, so I'm in process on my build. I got the holes cut beautifully for the outlet. Then proceeded on to the hole for the temp controller. I traced it (assumed the front) and went to put it in and those orange brackets started holding me up. Now it turns out after. Tiny amount of shaving I have a hole large enough for the brackets to go through, but also gaping once the entire thing is in. Where have I gone wrong? I suppose I'm willing to buy another box and just start over if there's no other option, but if someone has some advice that would save me the $$$, that'd be great!
 
The orange brackets slide off then you want the hole the size of the internal dimensions of the controller. Once you put it in the hole you slide the brackets back on to lock it in place. If you cut the hole based on the outline of the faceplate it's likely you'll just need another box, or make some kind of trim plate that fits in the first hole.
 
itsme_timd said:
The orange brackets slide off then you want the hole the size of the internal dimensions of the controller. Once you put it in the hole you slide the brackets back on to lock it in place. If you cut the hole based on the outline of the faceplate it's likely you'll just need another box, or make some kind of trim plate that fits in the first hole.
Click to expand...

I was really hoping you'd just lie to me and say I didn't screw it up haha

On that note: thank you for the quick reply! My dad is pretty creative with the things I mess up, maybe he'll have a quick fix for it
 
vogtenstein222 said:
I was really hoping you'd just lie to me and say I didn't screw it up haha

On that note: thank you for the quick reply! My dad is pretty creative with the things I mess up, maybe he'll have a quick fix for it
Click to expand...

LOL, I almost did the same thing. Hopefully it's something you can save.
 
itsme_timd said:
LOL, I almost did the same thing. Hopefully it's something you can save.
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I'm sure it's salvageable. The good news is its not an URGENT project as its gonna be for my fermenter for now and I am not brewing for another couple weeks at least.
 
That sucks. Those orange brackets slide off. U gotta lift up on the little tabs on the side. They are what hold the controller in place
 
Get a solid wall plate and cut the correct sized cutout in it. Attach the wall plate, then slide the controller through and use the brackets to hold it into place. They're like $1, so it beats buying a new project box.
 
For now I just flipped the box over and cut a new hole. I am planning a walk-in ferm chamber in my basement as we speak with two zones (one for lagers, one for ales), plus a 20 cu.ft. keezer; so ill be operating a few controllers and plan to just get my hands on a larger industrial box with all the business contained there. This one will do for now as the make-shift while construction moves forward. Thanks for all the advice though folks!
 

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