ebay aquarium temp controller build

cwi said:

Most commercially available PID controllers are inappropriate for use with compressor based cooling, or for slow responding systems (like large thermal masses with relatively small cooling/heating inputs- sound familiar?).

Using a BCS or Arduino controller with some custom code is one of the few ways to get better performance than these simple on/off controllers provide, and for the most part, that only applies for heating inputs.

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Yeah, didn't think about the compressor delay stuff. It would short cycle the life out of it, literally. The Arduino is interesting though. I have zero(0) experience in Arduino or coding though. I guess you would give it rules telling it to cut off early and include a compressor delay but without heating restriction?

cwi said:

Since this thread is about the STC-1000 controller, I would assume that is the one he is talking about. To date, there has yet to be a confirmed failure of one of these units- so long as you don't order the 220V version thinking you got one ~$5 cheaper than everyone else.

RE: the Control Products controller- I don't see any advantage to this controller over the STC-1000, especially when you can buy close to 3 STC-1000 controllers for the price of one of those.

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I guess I'd overlooked the thread was specifically about the ST-1000; thought it was more about temperature control in general.

I hadn't realised it was cheaper than the Control Products model - until now. Oh well.

I don't think I need more than one "chamber" so the one I have should suffice but I will double check the delay settings. Thanks.

I just ordered 2 of these....1 for a fermentation fridge for my small batches and one for my crappy aquarium heater that doesn't maintain a consistent temp. what project box is everyone using last time i bought one from radio shack. just trying to get some options

I used a PVC junction box from Home Depot/Menards/Lowes. 6x6x6. Cost about $12 I think. It's huge, though. Large enough to fit many outlets and at least two STC's

cheesecake said:

I just ordered 2 of these....1 for a fermentation fridge for my small batches and one for my crappy aquarium heater that doesn't maintain a consistent temp. what project box is everyone using last time i bought one from radio shack. just trying to get some options

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A pretty wood box from a thrift store.

cheesecake said:

I just ordered 2 of these....1 for a fermentation fridge for my small batches and one for my crappy aquarium heater that doesn't maintain a consistent temp. what project box is everyone using last time i bought one from radio shack. just trying to get some options

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I used a 4x4x2 PVC exterior j-box from the big box hardware store. Just enough room for the controller and one duplex outlet.

Hello,
I've got a couple of the "WilHi" type controllers above, and have
used them with chest freezers to control fermentation and lagering
for about a year now.

Lately, I've been wondering if the "function control" pins might be
used with, say a computer (Arduino system).
But I've not been able to find any information on the said "function control" pins. Anyone use them? Know what they're for? What voltages they use???

Thanks,
John

All I'm missing is the temp controller.

jswatson said:

Hello,
I've got a couple of the "WilHi" type controllers above, and have
used them with chest freezers to control fermentation and lagering
for about a year now.

Lately, I've been wondering if the "function control" pins might be
used with, say a computer (Arduino system).
But I've not been able to find any information on the said "function control" pins. Anyone use them? Know what they're for? What voltages they use???

Thanks,
John

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All they do is "lock" the menu so that the settings can't be changed. If you want the settings locked in place, just make a jumper between those contacts. If you ever need to change the settings, remove the jumper.

Hey this is selling on eBay for 19.99 and free shipping. I just picked an additional unit up and not affiliated with the seller. I found the link via homebrewfinds.com.

Cheers all

Vellum said:

Hey this is selling on eBay for 19.99 and free shipping. I just picked an additional unit up and not affiliated with the seller. I found the link via homebrewfinds.com.

Cheers all

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Did you check it is a 110V version, looks like some have fallen for a good priced one only to find it was 220V.

mattd2 said:

Did you check it is a 110V version, looks like some have fallen for a good priced one only to find it was 220V.

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or single stage.

jeepinjeepin said:

or single stage.

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The reason for that seems to be different - every one I can recall that wound up with a single stage did so (intentionally or not) because they wanted a model that uses degrees Fahrenheit.

Will the hot side on this power a 1500 watt heating element?

grathan said:

Will the hot side on this power a 1500 watt heating element?

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Depends on precisely which one you got, as it depends on which relay you've got. Is the 1500W element meant for 120V or 240V?

Also, what do you plan on using a heating element for? This unit isn't that great for actual brewday applications as that generally requires fairly rapid cycling, which these type of relays aren't really meant for. If you're looking to control HLT or mash temps, a PID unit with a solid state relay is what you should be looking at.

emjay said:

Depends on precisely which one you got, as it depends on which relay you've got. Is the 1500W element meant for 120V or 240V?

Also, what do you plan on using a heating element for? This unit isn't that great for actual brewday applications as that generally requires fairly rapid cycling, which these type of relays aren't really meant for. If you're looking to control HLT or mash temps, a PID unit with a solid state relay is what you should be looking at.

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thanks, can you please give an example of an inexpensive PID unit with a solid state relay?

I'd suggest checking out the electric brewing section, I'm sure folks there can give you some pretty good recommendations

emjay said:

The reason for that seems to be different - every one I can recall that wound up with a single stage did so (intentionally or not) because they wanted a model that uses degrees Fahrenheit.

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I got my single-stage because I was cheap! Totally didn't know it was a single-stage when I bought it (and didn't want a single-stage), but I saved about $5!! :smack:

I did a short series of my STC-1000 + Fermentation Chamber Build. Pretty fun build! Brewed my first batch last night and this baby is fermenting nicely!

grathan said:

thanks, can you please give an example of an inexpensive PID unit with a solid state relay?

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I just bought this one. http://bit.ly/TQbQrV

Have ordered one. Should I run seperate contactors for the heating and cooling? For simplicity my mind says no, but my electrical engineering background says yes.

I have currently borrowed the bosses cellar controller and have a st1000 ordered.

I just ordered an STC1000 also. I am planning so far on a small industrial 200watt heater off of the internal heat contact. I havent read every page in this thread but have read a few that are running a small freezer right off the STC1000. A separate contactor would protect the temp controller though from the starting current of a compressor motor. I would feel better about a separate relay on the cooling side anyway.

I think the internal relays are rated at 10A? Chances are you'll be fine without an external contactor relay. Since this unit is so cheap, to be honest it'll be cheaper to replace the STC-1000 than buy separate contactors or SSRs.

Indeed, I run a 7 cu foot chest freezer off mine.

I think they are rated at 10A, but if you open it up you will likely find the relays are marked 15A.

STC-1000 relays

Also depends how much current the solder traces on the board can handle, and what the rating is on those screw terminals. For a typical refrigerator or chest freezer load I wouldn't worry about it, but if you were going to run a 1500 watt heater off it for some reason I'd probably go with a separate contactor or SSR.

This might be a dumb question lol. But i havent seen it in the pages ive looked through yet. If you rig one of these up to a stand-up fridge, will the top freezer portion still be able to function?

Roadliner said:

This might be a dumb question lol. But i havent seen it in the pages ive looked through yet. If you rig one of these up to a stand-up fridge, will the top freezer portion still be able to function?

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Yeah, because you're plugging the whole fridge into the outlet installed in the box, just like you would with plugging it into the wall. But, the caveat is that while the freezer will be powered when the fridge is powered, at proper Ale fermentation temps that will mean the freezer will stay ABOVE freezing. It will be slightly cooler than the fridge, perhaps, but unless you're doing a lager, it won't be freezing in the freezer...

so maybe that means, No, it won't "work", at least not as it normally would.

Ie. setting the temp probe to 64 and placing it in the fridge portion would mean the freezer is probably in the 40's. Setting the fridge to 40 means the freezer is below 32.

When I cold crash around 40, my freezer frosts over. When I ferment, though, it's not frosty.

Right, the freezer section will work, but it's probably not like you want to trust it for keeping meat in there or anything. The temp would not be very predictable if you are controlling the fridge temp to 60F or whatever your setpoint is.

The STC-1000 imho is best used on 'old school' refrigerators that don't have fancy electronic controls or auto defrost.

Yeah i was looking at getting an old fridge from craigslist and using the freezer section to store my ingredients when they are awaiting use.

Keeping my old school over/under fridge at 40F the freezer stays around 20F.

40F isn't very far from the normal operating temp for a fridge, so at that temp the freezer is probably operating normally.

Right, and operating at ale temps, in the 60's, your freezer is gonna be around 40, which aint gonna fly unless you're only trying to refrigerate something, not freeze it.

tre9er said:

Right, and operating at ale temps, in the 60's, your freezer is gonna be around 40, which aint gonna fly unless you're only trying to refrigerate something, not freeze it.

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Sorry, I was on another path. I ferment in mini fridges. My full size is kegerator/hop storage.

jeepinjeepin said:

Sorry, I was on another path. I ferment in mini fridges. My full size is kegerator/hop storage.

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Yeah, My keg fridge has a real touchy thermostat, will freeze if you didn't open it for a week or two, but will thaw if you bump it up any. I should hook it to an STC, but I don't. My ferm fridge is an old Frigidaire, pretty small, maybe 16cu ft, but big enough for two ale pails or my 14g fermenter, either way a fan also fits.

The freezer temp will depend on the relationship between the ambient temp and the set temp of the fridge compartment. I keep my ferm fridge at 64F pretty much year round, and the freezer gets down to low 30's when ambient temps are higher, and is only a few degrees cooler than the fridge compartment when ambient temps are lower.

JuanMoore said:

The freezer temp will depend on the relationship between the ambient temp and the set temp of the fridge compartment. I keep my ferm fridge at 64F pretty much year round, and the freezer gets down to low 30's when ambient temps are higher, and is only a few degrees cooler than the fridge compartment when ambient temps are lower.

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Yours is completely opposite of mine, then. My freezer on ferm chamber is about 20* cooler than the fridge, due to more concentrated cooling in a smaller area. Of course, there is no fan, it's an old metal box-type freezer (has it's own door, like a normal freezer, but it's just metal-lined compartment with no fan)

tre9er said:

Yours is completely opposite of mine, then. My freezer on ferm chamber is about 20* cooler than the fridge, due to more concentrated cooling in a smaller area. Of course, there is no fan, it's an old metal box-type freezer (has it's own door, like a normal freezer, but it's just metal-lined compartment with no fan)

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Not sure how that's opposite of mine. Every fridge design will behave slightly differently, but they'll all still follow the trend I outlined. Think about it this way, the closer the ambient temp is to the ferm temp, the less the cooling will turn on, and the more time the two temps will have to equalize with each other. When the ambient temps equal the ferm temp, the cooling will never come on, and the temp will eventually be the same in both compartments.

Nevermind. I see what you mean. Warmer=more cooling running, cooler means doesn't come on. Gotcha.

Your best bet, I believe is to keep you eyes open for a second hand modern full size fridge without freezer. You can make the excuse to your wife that it can be used for food and drinks for dinner parties.