STC 1000 "Ebay" Temperature Controller Build

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demons210 said:
Ok, so I got my temp controller built and it seems to be working good but I have one question. Can you drill into the side of a fridge? Just the old school fridge on bottom and freezer on top fridge. I want to mount my controller to the side of it but don't know if I will drill into lines and destroy my fridge. Any input would be helpful.
Click to expand...

I saw a guy on youtube drill a hole through the outter skin and then use a paper clip to "feel around" to see if there were any coolant lines...just an idea.
 
Horseflesh said:
I think that the coolant lines in a fridge are generally in the back... but I am not sure and I wouldn't drill. Maybe you can find a service manual for your fridge?
Click to expand...

I thought the same...then I drilled my first fridge and got the hiss of the "hey you just bought a new paperweight" sound. Damn those lines were right under the skin sheet metak. I'll never drill a fridge (or wear a lifejacket) again.
 
Monkfish said:
I thought the same...then I drilled my first fridge and got the hiss of the "hey you just bought a new paperweight" sound. Damn those lines were right under the skin sheet metak. I'll never drill a fridge (or wear a lifejacket) again.
Click to expand...

Dude that sucks. Was it brand new?
 
Running your drill in reverse is a good call here as it will take a while and not "jump" through the sheet metal and into the lines...maybe
 
Hi,

I ordered the STC-1000 from eBay and am waiting to receive it. However, I cannot find a big enough project enclosure. Here in Quebec, there aren't any RadioShacks anymore, and TheSource only carries smaller enclosures.

I found this on eBay : http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Plastic-Proj...n_0&hash=item4cf13d3710&_uhb=1#ht_3095wt_1163

Would it work, and is it worth $16? (I see that you paid your RadioShack enclosure more like $6...)
 
Melchizedek said:
Hi,

I ordered the STC-1000 from eBay and am waiting to receive it. However, I cannot find a big enough project enclosure. Here in Quebec, there aren't any RadioShacks anymore, and TheSource only carries smaller enclosures.

I found this on eBay : http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Plastic-Proj...n_0&hash=item4cf13d3710&_uhb=1#ht_3095wt_1163

Would it work, and is it worth $16? (I see that you paid your RadioShack enclosure more like $6...)
Click to expand...

That seems a little too shallow. 100mm would be nice. You could probably make it all fit but you are going to be cursing yourself the whole time. If you are just going to have 1 receptacle and the STC-1000 that box would probably work. If you try to cram 2 receptacles and some LED's in there you're going to have a bad day. I've seen people use ammo and cigar boxes, see if you can get creative.
 
Using a cutout in the switch cover to mount the STC-1000 is a good idea!

I used an electrical junction box of some sort and cut openings with a Dremel tool. It has the advantage of the controls and cables being on opposite sides of the enclosure, but is also a little more work to build.
 
stratmaster1029 said:
That seems a little too shallow. 100mm would be nice. You could probably make it all fit but you are going to be cursing yourself the whole time. If you are just going to have 1 receptacle and the STC-1000 that box would probably work. If you try to cram 2 receptacles and some LED's in there you're going to have a bad day. I've seen people use ammo and cigar boxes, see if you can get creative.
Click to expand...

I can't find what you guys used on the Rona and HomeDepot sites, and I'm pretty sure it's going to cost more than $16... Since I plan on making a basic setup, I think I'll go for the Chinese box.
 
Melchizedek said:
I can't find what you guys used on the Rona and HomeDepot sites, and I'm pretty sure it's going to cost more than $16... Since I plan on making a basic setup, I think I'll go for the Chinese box.
Click to expand...

I don't know about Rona, but the home depot site is worthless. The box I used doesn't show up on the home depot website, but every home depot I've been in has it. They cost <$10.
 
I agree with JuanMoore, any home repair store like Home Depot is going to have tons of junction boxes that can work for any build like this. In fact many might be prepunched with exactly the kind of holes you need, and they also have plain ones. Around $10 and you get it same day. The websites never list them because they have too many different kinds to list. Just tell an old fart that works there what you're trying to build and they'll show you where to go.
 
Melchizedek said:
You could have just said "CSR"!
Click to expand...

Ha! I mean old fart in a good way! Every time I go into Home Depot, the older guys know their stuff and are usually more interested in helping out with finding what you need for an unconventional DIY project. To me it's a term of endearment, it's what I call my dad.

For projects like these, that aren't the normal everyday stuff, it's nice to find someone older and wiser that knows how to make square pegs fit in round holes.
 
Those older guys tend to still be of the mindset of finding ways to make things work... Seems like now-days there is a dedicated piece of equipment for every little doo-dad that's sold on shelves.
One of the things I enjoyed most while building my brewery was figuring things out. Heck, I am still tinkering with things here and there. Upgrading my fermentation space to ~36 gallons in a chest freezer... figuring out how to mount my water filter to my wooden brew stand but still make it portable if I wanted... Fun stuff... And YES... those older gentlemen at the box stores and hardware stores have been there-done that...
 
Melchizedek said:
How deep is this electrical box? I went to a hardware store, and these seemed pretty shallow... Didn't you have trouble cramping everything in that small box?
Click to expand...

I finally decided to build mine the other day after having the controller for months. Yes the 2 gang box is tight. I had to dremel out some of the internal supports to make it fit snugly. I may redo it using a junction box or project box in the future but this works fine and would look very nice flush mounted in a keezer collar.
 
Melchizedek said:
How deep is this electrical box? I went to a hardware store, and these seemed pretty shallow... Didn't you have trouble cramping everything in that small box?
Click to expand...

It's snug, but with careful routing of wires, it'll work fine. Follow my directions and it'll work. I've built 5 like those.

MC
 
stratmaster1029 said:
That seems a little too shallow. 100mm would be nice. You could probably make it all fit but you are going to be cursing yourself the whole time. If you are just going to have 1 receptacle and the STC-1000 that box would probably work. If you try to cram 2 receptacles and some LED's in there you're going to have a bad day. I've seen people use ammo and cigar boxes, see if you can get creative.
Click to expand...

All I found at my hardware store was either
a) this: http://www.rona.ca/en/junction-box-3767054--1 @ $25
b) or this: http://www.rona.ca/en/junction-box-0320578--1 @ $10

So I decided to buy this instead: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/PLASTIC-BOX-..._ET&hash=item1e704dd04b&_uhb=1#ht_2212wt_1139

This box is bigger than the RadioShack project box that seems to be commonly used with this controller, so I'll have plenty of space for a basic setup.
 
Does anyone know where you can buy a STC-1000 (or similar) in store? Or are they only available online?
 
Try a LHBS (Local Home Brew Store). I see you are in Dallas. If you ever make your way West toward Ft. Worth, there is an AWESOME shop just N.E. of downtown on 121 a few miles. Stubby's Texas Brewing Inc. is the name of it. He has several models of controller.
 
My closest LHBS just has an actual fabricated temperature controller. I want to build it myself. I'll have to go check Stubbs.
 
Just was looking for something to do tonight or this weekend if I could find one local.
 
I sucked it up and ordered one off of Amazon. I can get the other stuff for my build this weekend and hopefully make it some time next week. Here is what I'm trying to make:

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Here is a picture of mine. I have one receptacle split for Cool/Heat. The other is powered all the time. Those little red and green pilot lights, believe it or not, are awesome to have on there!
428522_10151002459894224_276483572_n.jpg
 
Huaco said:
Here is a picture of mine. I have one receptacle split for Cool/Heat. The other is powered all the time. Those little red and green pilot lights, believe it or not, are awesome to have on there!
428522_10151002459894224_276483572_n.jpg
Click to expand...

I put little AC lights on mine too. Love the addition. Can see if it is powered from across the garage for like $3.
 
Second freezer was delivered. I built a temperature controller for it today using STC-1000. Now both are in use, one at 37F for chilling kegs, the other at 50F (later at 36F) for fermenting lagers. In the keg chiller I have a keg of a Blue Moon clone ready to go in the kegerator on tap when needed. In the fermenting chiller I have a Bock that has been fermenting at 50F for a about three weeks. In the next few days it will be siphoned to a clean fermenter and dropped to 36F for about a month, then kegged and moved to the other freezer.

freezers.jpg
 
I ordered mine off Amazon as well. Will wire it up with the diagram in this thread. Just waiting for those Craigslist posters to reply to my emails on some used freezers.

ETA: Works fine. Now to heat up my fermenting milk stout...
 
So I finally built mine this weekend. Painted it orange with a cool stainless steel cover plate.

 
Here is my build. I ran the outlet outside if the fridge and connected it next to the compressor. The stc can be viewed through the front of the fridge.

image-1963790906.jpg


image-1447374850.jpg


image-2810964966.jpg


image-231865051.jpg
 
Huaco said:
Here is a picture of mine. I have one receptacle split for Cool/Heat. The other is powered all the time. Those little red and green pilot lights, believe it or not, are awesome to have on there!
Click to expand...

How did you wire the pilot lights in?
 
TannerBrews said:
How did you wire the pilot lights in?
Click to expand...

They share the switched side of the hot and (i think) it goes to the neutral. It's been a while since I did it, but that rings a bell. I will be taking that controller apart soon anyway to build my triple controller box for the ferm chamber build in my sig line... I will verify then.
 
carlisle_bob said:
Hi

It's worth noting that the rating on the STC 1000 contacts is 10A at 220V AC. The rating at 110V is likely higher.

.....

I'd say that's a pretty good clue that you can run them at 15A on a 110V circuit.

Bob
Click to expand...

Can anyone confirm this? I have blown two 10amp fuses so far. I'm powering a "somewhat" commercial fridge (it's a small soda type fridge from a restaurant).
It only seems to happen when I'm adjusting the temperature inside the fridge and the compressor kicks on while the interior fan is already running. The ferm chamber works like a champ otherwise...

I'd like to use a 15 amp fuse but I want to know that it can be done safely. Any thoughts?
 
ilikeguns said:
Can anyone confirm this? I have blown two 10amp fuses so far. I'm powering a "somewhat" commercial fridge (it's a small soda type fridge from a restaurant).
It only seems to happen when I'm adjusting the temperature inside the fridge and the compressor kicks on while the interior fan is already running. The ferm chamber works like a champ otherwise...

I'd like to use a 15 amp fuse but I want to know that it can be done safely. Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

If you are blowing out 10A fuses on a commercial unit, maybe your best bet would be to add a Solid State Relay to handle the power for you. The only thing the STC-1000 would be doing then is any heating needs (light bulb) and then sending signal to the SSR to turn on the compressor.
 
awesome.. I have very limited knowledge of electronics but I can learn. Can you (or anyone else reading) point me in the right direction for a proper SSR for this project?

Thanks for the heads up
 

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