Control Products Dual Relay $60 Shipped on Amazon

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

NYC

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2011
Messages
95
Reaction score
1
Location
NYC
Hi,

Long-time lurker here. I've finally made the plunge into a dual-stage temperature controller and figured I'd pass on what looks like a good deal:

http://www.amazon.com/Control-Products-TC-9102D-HV-Temperature-Controller/dp/B0057APR3I?ie=UTF8&tag=hombrefin-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969

The manufacturer sells them for almost twice this amount:

http://www.controlproductsonline.com/9102-series-temperature-controllers-p-103-l-en.html

My only problem is I have no idea how to wire it, if I is unwired (I couldn't figure this out from the Amazon ad). Oh well, half the fun of this hobby is tinkering right? :)

Anyone have advice on how to wire it, or reviews on how well it works? I searched the forums and could only find a vague reference to their products being pretty good.

Thanks in advance! :mug:
41TJnC1mZLL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
 
The wiring instructions are on the first page of the manual (http://www.controlproductsonline.com/9102-series-temperature-controllers-p-103-l-en.html)
Basically wire power to the correct terminals (common and either 120 VAC or 240VAC depending on what you have)
Then wire the live wire of your controlled device through the stage 1 (or stage 2 depending on which "stage" you want to control the device) relay terminals (wire it as you would a manual switch to turn what ever it is off or on)

What are you using this to control? HLT?
 
First, thanks for the reply and the link :mug:

I'm hoping to wire it to turn my keezer on/off and keep a 5 gal fermenter at the right temp for lagering. I know (think?) what I'm describing only requires a single-stage controller, but for the price I thought it couldn't hurt to have the flexibility down the road.

For the past few months I've been controlling the keezer with a $10 programmable daily timer--which turned out to be a great, cheap alternative--but this seemed like a good deal and I can finally give lagering a shot during this hot Summer.
 
Well, I bought one of these. I'm not a complete electrical newbie. I've wired my dark room, my bathroom, my kitchen. I've assembled computers, so I thought I'd be able to handle wiring this thing.

[Sigh] Note to self: just buy a pre-wired next time. After going to HD and buying the cord, plugs, connectors and junction box (see below) needed to finish the job, I don't think I saved any money over the pre-wired units.

This thing has 30 amp relays and I was going to be powering my fridge and a small heater to stick inside the fridge to control fermentation temps. So I went with 14 gauge wire. 12 would have been better, but oh well. There's 3 sets of connection points inside - 1 for the power in (either 120 or 240 volt) and then there's 2 sets of 2-wire non-polarized connectors for the dual stages. Problem #1: the connectors are really difficult to connect to. They don't play nice with braided copper wire, even if you do tin the leads. And there was no way I was getting three sets of 14 gauge wire through one 1/2" knockout hole, so I had to attach a junction box onto the thing and run solid copper wires to the inside of the controller and then inside the junction box I could make my connections to the actual cords. And it seemed like the connectors easily torqued on the circuit board when you tried to screw down the connector, so you had to hold the connector block to make sure that the block didn't torque on you when you screwed it down. Fun. I used a continuity tester to verify that I had the right wires going to the right plugs and no wires were shorting any of the other wires inside the plugs, since the wires have to be so scrunched up in the plug ends.

So then, after ALL THAT WORK, I plug in the thing and...it didn't work right. The controls were seeming to do what they were supposed to do, and it sounded like the relays were turning on when they were supposed to, but there was no power going to the fridge or to the heater. I tested the lines with an outlet tester and it verified that no power was getting to either of the stage outlets. God damn it. There's jumpers inside, but the instructions don't tell you anything about them.

So now I'm off to the LHBS to pick up a pre-wired dual stage controller, because I'm supposed to be lagering a batch of beer tomorrow with my friend and we have no fermentation chamber yet. Hopefully I'll get this thing worked out later, but right now I'm out of time and I'm really frustrated with this thing. I hope it works right later. It seems like a good unit, and it's actually made in the USA (MN).
 
Oh god, I had really hoped not to read something like this...I have minimal wiring experience so this is going to be a nightmare for me :(

Thanks for the tips though and I hope you get it running. I've been putting mine off for a while because I hoped to read someone's "look how easy this is" email, but maybe it's going to be a while before I see one of those. UGH.
 
I just opened mine and uggg, not going to be easy. Wiring diagram is crap and ports are all so small...
 
Tip: Pigtail everything

Use a small ground wire.

I pigtailed off the common, 120, and both posts of relay one. Turned off stage 2 since I wont be heating.

Works good. Lots of menu options, read through that.
 
Yeah, I went to their website and they have a wiring diagram that makes more sense than the one that came with the unit. I'm going to try that this weekend and see if I can get it working right. I'll take pics and post them as I work. But you'll only see the pics if it works. :)
 
It actually is really simple if you use a 2 inch pigtail wire off everything you need then just wirenut them to your cords. Bending them back into the box was the tricky part heh.

Mines holding a nucool fridge at 41 degrees as we speak. Ran well overnight. Pretty darn impressive dual stage controllers. You can set like 30 things on it.

Like C or F
upper limits,
both stages can heat or cool, or one of each, or off
cycle times so you dont burn a compressor
safety limits for heat/cool no overlaps
etc
etc.

Shows you what stage is on also, I like that.

I didn't touch a jumper FYI.

I did ground over to the circuit board that has the sensor on it. Just used a small wire from a PC fan.
 
Okay, I got it working. Here's what I did:

BTW, I'm writing this for electrical newbs / beginners like myself. Any professional electricians out there, feel free to point out where I screwed up.

Some people call them receptacles. I call them outlets. That thing in the wall with the slots that you plug things into? I call those things outlets.

Get the following materials:

* (1) 4" x 4" square electrical outlet box with 1/2" knockouts
* (1) pretty big wire nut (big enough to connect 4 12-gauge wires together)
* (1) "mud ring" - a metal plate that connects the single outlet to the box
* (1) cheap outlet cover - single outlet
* (1) 15 amp outlet
* (1) 2" piece of 1/2" conduit
* (2) connectors to connect the conduit to the boxes
* (1) 8' long piece of 12 or 14 gauge cable (3 wires inside the cable)
* (1) 3-prong plug to turn the 8' long cable into a corded plug
* (1) connector to connect the cable to the outlet box
* About 24" worth of 12 gauge wire, white insulation, solid wire (not standed) - this is to make (3) 8" long pieces of white wire
* About 24" worth of 12 gauge wire, black insulation, solid wire (not stranded) - this is to make (3) 8" long pieces of black wire

Tools needed:
* screwdrivers (flat and Philips)
* wire cutter / stripper
* needle nose pliers
* electrical tape
* outlet tester (optional)
* continuity tester (optional)

[Please go to post #34 in this thread to see how I eventually wired it all up correctly with pics and a diagram and everything]
 
All the white wires get connected together in the outlet box. Use the big wire nut to connect them. Then use electrical tape and wrap it up good.

Chop off the metal connection on the white (silver screw) side of the outlet.
20110904img6582.jpg


In case you're wondering, this is how long you strip the wires for connecting in the back.
20110904img6584.jpg


20110904img6586.jpg


20110904img6585.jpg
 
Okay! The wires are all connected, you used your continuity tester to make sure the wires are connected where they should be, you wiggled the "mud plate" around the outlet and put it on the box, and then you just screw down the outlet. Oh, it's so pretty. Handy Manny would be proud.

20110904img6588.jpg


Install an outlet cover and write a "1" and a "2" next to the individual circuits. If you followed my pics, then your "1" should be on top and your "2" should be on the bottom.

Plug it in. Wait for sparks and/or smoke. If none, then check to see if your controller box came to life. Hopefully your probe will be reading something close to your room temperature. Read over the directions and play with your temp controller until you understand how to program it. Once you know how, then test the individual circuits with your outlet tester. When my outlets were not running, I got a "neutral open" light on. When the outlet was running, I got a "wired correctly" set of lights on the tester. Well, I really don't know how else to wire this thing, and it seems like it's doing what it's supposed to be doing, so...there. Enjoy.

[Note: I did get it wired up correctly, eventually, getting rid of that "open neutral" problem. Check out post #34 in this thread.]

20110904img6590.jpg
 
Nice job. I suppose I didn't need to ground to the temperature probe leads. I might rewire mine with a separate box if I get into 2 stage, I would like having the electrical box on the ground.

Mine basically has 2 1 foot extension cords coming out the bottom of the black box. 1 male 1 female lol. But only using it to cool atm.

These are awesome controllers by the way, been testing it out past couple days. Took some wort to 60 today and held it there till I got home to aerate and pitch yeast, then set it up to 64 and its slowly climbing.
 
Yes, they do seem to be quite nice. Hopefully they'll give us years of reliable service.
 
Thanks so much for the roadmap! Props to LandoLincoln (esp. as one who grew up outside Chicago), this is very helpful and heartening. :rockin:

OK, off to the project (...eventually...)! I've got my push in the right direction.
 
So I just ordered one of these. Other then wiring, any one have any issues with this controller?
 
So after putting it off for a while I finally got around to tackling this. I've never wired electronics before, so it's slow going (but fun).

I have everything on LandoLincoln's list. The controller is wired up. And I think I'm wiring it to the receptacle/outlet correctly. But I have a few questions about the wiring diagram:

1) What is the best practice to connect where wire 1 turns into wire 7, and wire 2 turns into wire 8? Do I just use 2 wire nuts?

3) Does the green ground on the outlet also get connected to the green ground screw in the outlet box?

3) For safety I should probably use a 2-wire corded plug with 12 gauge wire, right?

Photos would be appreciated! Note I agree you take no liability for your advice, etc. :D

box.jpg


box2.jpg


wiringdiagram.jpg
 
Tip for the wiring diagram. I'd reccomend switching the power leg instead of neutral. It'll make for a slightly safer install. Otherwise whatever is plugged in will have 120VAC on it, even when it's not running.
 
So after putting it off for a while I finally got around to tackling this. I've never wired electronics before, so it's slow going (but fun).

I have everything on LandoLincoln's list. The controller is wired up. And I think I'm wiring it to the receptacle/outlet correctly. But I have a few questions about the wiring diagram:

1) What is the best practice to connect where wire 1 turns into wire 7, and wire 2 turns into wire 8? Do I just use 2 wire nuts?

2) Does the green ground on the outlet also get connected to the green ground screw in the outlet box?

3) For safety I should probably use a 2-wire corded plug with 12 gauge wire, right?

Photos would be appreciated! Note I agree you take no liability for your advice, etc. :D

1) Yes, I used wire nuts on the connection between wires 1/3/5/7 and 8/2.

2) The metal on the outlet itself will ground itself to a metal outlet box, so in my opinion there's no need to run a separate wire to the outlet box. HOWEVER...

3) You definitely should use a THREE-wire corded plug in order for the entire thing to be able to be grounded to the rest of your electrical system.
 
Tip for the wiring diagram. I'd reccomend switching the power leg instead of neutral. It'll make for a slightly safer install. Otherwise whatever is plugged in will have 120VAC on it, even when it's not running.

Yeah, that makes sense. That should fix my "open neutral" problem. Not that it's been a "problem" but...
 
Here's the modified wiring diagram that should be better than the previous one.

wiringdiagram2.jpg


If you use this wiring diagram, you would have to wire the outlet differently. The bar on the gold side of the contacts would have to be broken and the bar on the white side should stay intact. The two black wires should go to the two gold connections and one white wire should be connected to one of the white side connections and should then be tied back to the white wire that comes in from the plug.

Or perhaps BOTH bars would need to be broken and TWO separate white wires should go back to the white plug wire. Would that even make a difference? I don't know.

Obviously, I am not a professional electrician so take my instructions at your own risk.
 
Here's the modified wiring diagram that should be better than the previous one.

wiringdiagram2.jpg


If you use this wiring diagram, you would have to wire the outlet differently. The bar on the gold side of the contacts would have to be broken and the bar on the white side should stay intact. The two black wires should go to the two gold connections and one white wire should be connected to one of the white side connections and should then be tied back to the white wire that comes in from the plug.

Or perhaps BOTH bars would need to be broken and TWO separate white wires should go back to the white plug wire. Would that even make a difference? I don't know.

Obviously, I am not a professional electrician so take my instructions at your own risk.

Cool, thanks for the input...don't worry I'm taking your thoughts as academic advice only. But if it works I owe you a beer :D...now I'm confused about the wiring but I'll take another look at it. #1) #2) #3) are done. I got a 12-gauge 3-prong cord, check.

Earlier I cut the strips on the silver side, and now I'll wait to see if I should cut the gold side also. Once someone confirms that I'll wire out the rest of the revised diagram and give it a shot.

Thanks for you advice :)
 
Cool, thanks for the input...don't worry I'm taking your thoughts as academic advice only. But if it works I owe you a beer :D...now I'm confused about the wiring but I'll take another look at it. #1) #2) #3) are done. I got a 12-gauge 3-prong cord, check.

Earlier I cut the strips on the silver side, and now I'll wait to see if I should cut the gold side also. Once someone confirms that I'll wire out the rest of the revised diagram and give it a shot.

Thanks for you advice :)

I might pick up a new outlet and test out my revised wiring diagram this week. If I do, I'll post some new pics and tell you how it turned out.
 
Cool, thanks. I have no problem waiting another week but make sure it's safe/works!
 
Hey LandoLincoln, any chance you got the time to try this new setup? I may just wire my attempt up today and see what happens...which could be interesting in either case...:D

Thanks!
 
It should also be noted that at least on the product page it says Dual 20 amp relays not 30 amp relays.
 
Hey LandoLincoln, any chance you got the time to try this new setup? I may just wire my attempt up today and see what happens...which could be interesting in either case...:D

Thanks!

No, I didn't, but I might get to it tonight.
 
Land o Lincoln, you might want to take down your first drawing where you're switching the white wire. It's a pretty big safety hazard to switch the neutral!

Also, in the second drawing, you don't need the wire if you leave the tab on the white side of the receptacle. If you've broken the tab you can just put a wire between the screws and be fine.
 
I built out one of these this weekend. I'm an electrical noob as well, but I got it working and tested successfully without frying myself, lol. I followed CPs diagram and the diagrams posted in this thread, and pigtailed everything. It's a tight fit in the box, but it's working as advertised.

IMAG0040.jpg


IMAG0049.jpg
 
Land o Lincoln, you might want to take down your first drawing where you're switching the white wire. It's a pretty big safety hazard to switch the neutral!

Also, in the second drawing, you don't need the wire if you leave the tab on the white side of the receptacle. If you've broken the tab you can just put a wire between the screws and be fine.

1) Yes, good idea. I'll edit my previous posts.
2) That's what I was thinking. I'll do that.
 
scaled.php


scaled.php


And that should do it. Tested it out with the outlet tester and the wiring checks out. Good job, me. And thanks to everybody else that told me how I did it wrong.

This is a nice controller. I'm glad I got it.
 
scaled.php


scaled.php


And that should do it. Tested it out with the outlet tester and the wiring checks out. Good job, me. And thanks to everybody else that told me how I did it wrong.

This is a nice controller. I'm glad I got it.

So you switched the power leg around? Did this new setup take care of your "open neutral" issue?
 
^ nice job. What's nice is you learn something new on projects like this and feel comfortable repairing and tweaking now too.

1 tip going forward is that when you are working electrical it really helps to use the correct colored wires just to keep things straight. If you buy a small roll of 14 guage electrical wire you can strip out sections of white/black/ground to use. Using solid wire instead of the stranded mess really cleans up connections and makes them safer. Pigtails and wirenuts make things a lot easier.

2449910.jpg


2008-02-13_212731_wirenutR.jpg
 
Back
Top