kegerator temp control settings

I did a search and got all kinds of fermenting temp answers so.... What temperature do you guys set your controller to?....what variable do you use? 1 degree, 2,3 what?.......what compressor delay time do you use? I have my probe against the side of the keg covered in a thick layer of bubble wrap so it isn't affected by the ambient as bad and reads the keg temp.

Controller temp depends on what you are fermenting. Ales typically in the mid 60*'s Lagers down in the 40*'s.
All the yeast's I've used typically have the optimum temp they ferment at written on the pack.
I've got my fermentation chamber temp controller set at the minimum setting and have the variable on my Johnson controller at 1*. Regulates temperature perfectly.
Cheers!

worksnorth said:

Controller temp depends on what you are fermenting. Ales typically in the mid 60*'s Lagers down in the 40*'s.
All the yeast's I've used typically have the optimum temp they ferment at written on the pack.
I've got my fermentation chamber temp controller set at the minimum setting and have the variable on my Johnson controller at 1*. Regulates temperature perfectly.
Cheers!

Click to expand...

kegerator temps lol. ferm room is looking good but thank you... I also have another question. My temp controller kicks on at 4 degrees celcius to start cooling...it kicks back off at 3 degrees celcius. even after it kicks off it keeps getting colder right now it is reading 1.8 degrees..... I have the kegs setting right on the floor of the freezer. should I set them up on something to get em off the floor? or does that matter?

OHIOSTEVE said:

kegerator temps lol. ferm room is looking good but thank you... I also have another question. My temp controller kicks on at 4 degrees celcius to start cooling...it kicks back off at 3 degrees celcius. even after it kicks off it keeps getting colder right now it is reading 1.8 degrees..... I have the kegs setting right on the floor of the freezer. should I set them up on something to get em off the floor? or does that matter?

Click to expand...

Do you have your freezer control turned all the way down to the warmest setting? I found that if I turn mine to the coldest setting, when it runs it runs very hard and it drives the temp well past the set point of the external controller. If I place the freezer controller to the warmest setting it still will achieve the coldest temps I want but it won't drive the temp so far past the set point of the external controller.
The megs should be able to stay on the floor

Kegs, Kegs! Hopefully no megs in your freezer!

You should have it set to the coldest setting. With a temperature controller you are over riding the built in one. So you need to put it to a setting where technically it's always "on". That way when the temp controller actually turns it on it just starts. Otherwise the temp controller will turn it on and give it current, but the internal controller has it turned off.

How much free space is in there? Extra mass helps to regulate the temperature. Consider adding buckets of water or if you have an empty keg (shame on you!!) fill it with water and add it in. Once the compressor turns off the lines are still cool. They will still help to chill it for a small time after. A fan helps out too. makes sure the air is circulating.

how close to the wall is your probe? About where height wise is the probe? Mid keg? near the bottom? If it is close to the walls it will have a lower reading.

mjmac85 said:

You should have it set to the coldest setting. With a temperature controller you are over riding the built in one. So you need to put it to a setting where technically it's always "on". That way when the temp controller actually turns it on it just starts. Otherwise the temp controller will turn it on and give it current, but the internal controller has it turned off.

How much free space is in there? Extra mass helps to regulate the temperature. Consider adding buckets of water or if you have an empty keg (shame on you!!) fill it with water and add it in. Once the compressor turns off the lines are still cool. They will still help to chill it for a small time after. A fan helps out too. makes sure the air is circulating.

Click to expand...

Well... I'm not sure why my system operates different than your's, but if I have my freezer control at the coldest setting and my Johnson temperature controller asks it to run the freezer runs (of course) until it gets down to the Johnson temperature low set point. The freezer shuts off but the temp in the freezer continues to fall down at least 5 degrees lower than the Johnson temperature controller set point.

However.... if I have my freezer temperature at the warmest setting and my Johnson temperature controller asks it to run the freezer once again runs and shuts off when it is supposed to but it does not pull the internal temperature more than 1 degree lower than the Johnson temp control low set point. And it doesn't matter if I have one fermenter going or six. And I'm talking about in the 33 degree temperature range, not up in the 60's.

So I'm assuming based on what you explain and what I witness on my system that obviously systems are different and may need to be operated differently.

The fellow who started this post is suffering from the exact same dilemma as I was, now he's got a couple options to try i suppose.