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I finally took the two seconds to look that up online and you are correct. No go. That leaves me with a light bulb or a small heater.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XDTWN2/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I just bought this. I have prime so shipping was free, but its VERY small, i'd say about 2/3 the side of the paint can. I've also spoken with a bunch of people on here who use this exact model for 7 cu chest freezers. I have a 4.4 mini fridge so it'll work fine for me but it can work on almost double my space. This is perfect for me cuz it sits right on the back shelf.

Either way, goodluck!
 
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Well light bulbs also put out UV light, so the "light bulb in a paint bucket" trick would work. Or just use a ceramic heat lamp.

MC

Incandescent bulbs are cased in a UV absorbing glass. What miniscule amount of UV the incandescent filament does emit is then trapped by the glass. The remainder of the UV, if any, that escapes the actual bulb is nearly unmeasurable by testing equipment.

It is HARMLESS to the yeast.
 
Incandescent bulbs are cased in a UV absorbing glass. What miniscule amount of UV the incandescent filament does emit is then trapped by the glass. The remainder of the UV, if any, that escapes the actual bulb is nearly unmeasurable by testing equipment.

It is HARMLESS to the yeast.
From my research, hops are susceptible to skunking by the 350-500 nanometer wavelengths, which include upper UV and lower visible light. Therefore hops can be skunked by the blue portion of the incandescent bulb's spectrum. IMO, wort/beer should be shielded from an incandescent bulb by plastic fermenter walls/lid, carboy cover, paint can, brown glass, etc.
 
And the schematics...

dgh47o.jpg


The blue wires are the sensor wires.

M_C

Alright this is a great diagram but I wanna ask real quick so I don't screw this up. For breaking the connection on the outlet, I just wanna confirm its the piece connecting the top and bottom ON THE RIGHT. Where the two green wires are coming from in this picture, not the ones on the left (as your facing it).
 
From my research, hops are susceptible to skunking by the 350-500 nanometer wavelengths, which include upper UV and lower visible light. Therefore hops can be skunked by the blue portion of the incandescent bulb's spectrum. IMO, wort/beer should be shielded from an incandescent bulb by plastic fermenter walls/lid, carboy cover, paint can, brown glass, etc.

Better safe than sorry... I use a bulb-in-a-can sometimes. Most often, I use DIY brew Heat tape.

Cheers man...
 
Alright this is a great diagram but I wanna ask real quick so I don't screw this up. For breaking the connection on the outlet, I just wanna confirm its the piece connecting the top and bottom ON THE RIGHT. Where the two green wires are coming from in this picture, not the ones on the left (as your facing it).
Correct. The small jumper tab connecting the two brass screw plates on the short blade side of the receptacle should be removed to separate the heat and cool receptacles. There are two green wires attached to that area in that diagram. You can grab it with pliers and break it off with a few back and forth bends.
 
Just put my first Lager up to ferment in my fermentation fridge yesterday. Taped the sensor to the side of the carboy with a piece of duct tape. Covered the sensor with a 1/2 inch thick piece of foam rubber first. Working great. Chilled it to 9C, pitched my yeast, boosted it to 10.5C and it is bubbling along gently and starting to get a nice Krausen. Up until brewing that, used it to cold crash some of my bottle conditioned ales that had never really cleared up. That was another great use. I'm going to really like this thing! Thanks for all the instruction and advice.
 
Subscribing

Just FYI you can also subscribe to threads by using the "Thread Tools" menu (upper right corner of the page). Not trying to be a PITA and it's no big thing, I'm just a fan of subscribing through the menu since it avoids unnecessarily bumping the thread and pulling in thread subscribers like me who want to see what the update was. :mug:
 
No real input here. Just a thanks to OP and everybody else. Have my stc up and running and it feels gooooooood. Thanks again
 
Been running one of these for about a year now in my chest freezer fermentation chamber. Working like a charm, thanks for the inspiration OP.
 
I rigged one of these up this weekend. This thread and this: [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7I-iwFLykxs"]video[/ame] really helped.

It was interesting that in order to program the heat setting, the STC-1000 had to be in heat mode. I had to stick the temp sensor in my fridge.

I've been brewing for 9+ years and I finally have a fermentation chamber (courtesy of the STC-1000 and a $25 Craigslist chest freezer).
 
mccabedoug said:
I rigged one of these up this weekend. This thread and this: Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7I-iwFLykxs really helped.

It was interesting that in order to program the heat setting, the STC-1000 had to be in heat mode. I had to stick the temp sensor in my fridge.

I've been brewing for 9+ years and I finally have a fermentation chamber (courtesy of the STC-1000 and a $25 Craigslist chest freezer).

I'm not sure I understand. "in order to program the heat setting"
You should be setting desired temp and then setting the temp differential and compressor delay.
It sends power to heat or cool based on temp differential from your set temperature.

If you haven't, I would set the probe in a jar of water to keep the temp more consistent. Be sure to set the jar in for a couple of days before placing probe in so the water has time to adjust to ambient temperature.
I also have one of the wireless outdoor temp probes as a secondary way of double checking the temp. You can keep the digital reader on top of fridge or wherever.

I am happy to hear you finally have your one chamber. They are awesome.
 
I'm not sure I understand. "in order to program the heat setting"
You should be setting desired temp and then setting the temp differential and compressor delay.
It sends power to heat or cool based on temp differential from your set temperature.

If you haven't, I would set the probe in a jar of water to keep the temp more consistent. Be sure to set the jar in for a couple of days before placing probe in so the water has time to adjust to ambient temperature.
I also have one of the wireless outdoor temp probes as a secondary way of double checking the temp. You can keep the digital reader on top of fridge or wherever.

I am happy to hear you finally have your one chamber. They are awesome.
Sorry for the confusion. My comment was around programming the STC-1000, not using it.

Programming the cool function temp setting, compressor delay and differential was easy by following the written instructions and suggested settings from this thread. The problem I faced was how to access the heat programming option. I wasn't given the heat function/setting as a programming option. How did/do you access the heat programming setting? My workaround was fooling the STC-1000 into thinking it was heating something and then I could access the heat option. Perhaps I overlooked something during the programming steps, but that worked for me.

I'm not using the chest freezer yet. It's kinda beat up so I am going to sand off the rust; prime those spots; and then paint the front, tops and sides with chalkboard paint (wife's idea).
 
I just set the desired temp. If it got too warm the power to the compressor kicks on. If it gets too cold the power to the heat source kicks on. There is no separate heat program that I know of
 
My workaround was fooling the STC-1000 into thinking it was heating something and then I could access the heat option. Perhaps I overlooked something during the programming steps, but that worked for me.

There isn't really a "heat" or "cool" set of functions. You simply set the wanted temperature, say 15C, the differential allowed (+/- 1C e.g.), and the compressor delay. If it needs cooling, the cool side will turn on, and likewise, if it needs heating, the hot side will turn on.

Assuming a 15C set point, and a differential of 1C, the cool side would turn on at 16C, after having waited at least X minutes based on the compressor delay.

Assuming the same set point + differential, the heat would turn on at 14C, with no compressor delay.

MC
 
There isn't really a "heat" or "cool" set of functions. You simply set the wanted temperature, say 15C, the differential allowed (+/- 1C e.g.), and the compressor delay. If it needs cooling, the cool side will turn on, and likewise, if it needs heating, the hot side will turn on.

Assuming a 15C set point, and a differential of 1C, the cool side would turn on at 16C, after having waited at least X minutes based on the compressor delay.

Assuming the same set point + differential, the heat would turn on at 14C, with no compressor delay.

MC
Well, that makes sense now that I think about it. Thanks for the clarification!!
 
Thank you Misplaced for elaborating.
I guess we could say that the temperature differential is the heat and cool side setting. You only set it once and the temperature range is based on set temp and amount of differential.
Maybe that was the root of question.
 
Thank you Misplaced for elaborating.
I guess we could say that the temperature differential is the heat and cool side setting. You only set it once and the temperature range is based on set temp and amount of differential.
Maybe that was the root of question.
I think that the root of the question was me having a brain cramp.....:drunk:

Thanks again, guys.
 
I know a lot of people use the chest freezers as fermentation chambers, but I think they work better for serving beer.
I understand I added height to my keezer with a wood collar, but you would not have to lift carboys in and out of a converted upright freezer of fridge like you you would with the chest type.
 
I know a lot of people use the chest freezers as fermentation chambers, but I think they work better for serving beer.
I understand I added height to my keezer with a wood collar, but you would not have to lift carboys in and out of a converted upright freezer of fridge like you you would with the chest type.


I agree. I have enough trouble getting a corny in in and out of my keezer. My old refrigerator fermentation chamber is much easier to move buckets and carboys in and out of.
 
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