KIAKillerXJ
Well-Known Member
jar1087 said:
Sweet. Let us know if what comes in is the right one, would be great to not have to wait for Chinese shipments. Just got mine in a cpl days ago and love it!
ebay aquarium temp controller build
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Sweet. Let us know if what comes in is the right one, would be great to not have to wait for Chinese shipments. Just got mine in a cpl days ago and love it!
Still in Celsius. I wonder if the directions will be any better.
jar1087
Well-Known Member
I'll definitely report back. I'm planning on just swapping it into the controller that I already built so that I can test it out immediately. As far as I can tell it's the exact same controller though, so I'm guessing that it will work just fine and have poor instructions.
MDRex
Well-Known Member
The one listed above says its rated for 10amps. Does that mean it can be used without a relay to directly control a chest freezer?
Has anyone found one of these that reads in F for the same price?
Has anyone found one of these that reads in F for the same price?
FYI, that controller is NOT the STC-1000. It's what I accidentally bought and is single-stage ONLY.
EDIT: Looking further down the eBay listing, it does appear to have heating and cooling abilities. I am concerned, though, that it isn't marked with "STC-1000" on the front as the actual STC-1000 units are marked. This also looks exactly like the unit I received which is single-stage as stated above. Good luck and I hope it turns out to be what you're looking for!
FYI, if anyone is trying to just control a kegerator's temp, these single stage units are perfect. Anyone want to buy one off me?
jar1087
Well-Known Member
I'll let you know how it turns out, but even if it is single stage, that should be fine since I generally only have the fridge plugged into it anyway.
JuanMoore
Getting the banned back together
Yes, it has a relay built in, and most chest freezers draw much less than 10A.
There are fahrenheit models out there for about the same price, but they're single stage only. AFAIK the only dual stage ones at this price point are in celcius.
Esmitee
Well-Known Member
Train Safe Very nice build and BOX !
I love my STC1000, It's a NO BRAINER
I love my STC1000, It's a NO BRAINER
notcreative
Member
Any opinions on wire gauge for this type of project? I want to make sure I'm on the safe side - thanks.
jar1087
Well-Known Member
I'd say 18 or lower. I used 14.
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I'll agree with this. I tried 16 AWG from a computer monitor, and test ran it with a small space heater (under 1000W). The 16 gauge wire got quite warm within 10 minutes. I rewired to 14 gauge.
M_C
Got a quick heating element question, hopefully to get some clarification. I bult this controller over the summer and am just getting around to using it. I have it connected to a small chest freezer so the contact between the freezer and the carboy will cool the carboy directly, as well as some colling through the ambient air temp. However, I have a small fan heater that will rapidly heat the air and therefore trigger much faster than it would heat the carboy and wort.
So obviously, taping the sensor to the carboy is the issue here. Submerging it in the wort is out of the question IMO. So, is there a way to shield/insulate the sensor from the ambient air? I searched through this massive thread and couldn't find the ansswer.
So obviously, taping the sensor to the carboy is the issue here. Submerging it in the wort is out of the question IMO. So, is there a way to shield/insulate the sensor from the ambient air? I searched through this massive thread and couldn't find the ansswer.
use some styrofoam or bubble wrap and just tape it over the top of the probe.
Tape the temp sensors to the side of the fermentation vessel. Then cover it with some bubble wrap and duct tape. This will give you a measurement very close to the liquid temp. It provides a more stable reading than ambient air which fluctuates each time the temp controller kicks on/off.
Obviously.
My intent was to see how everyone was doing it, not to ask if such a material existed. Testing a method to see if it works is more time consuming than finding a method known to work!!!! As someone finishing a doctorate (the reason I built this thing this summer and am just now getting to it), I've learned that being original isn't all its cracked up to be because someone somewhere already has the answer!!!!!!jar1087
Well-Known Member
So I just checked eBay to see the status of my order and it's on its way, should be delivered on 12/13 - 6 days after I ordered it. Unfortunately, the seller has since updated the item and it now shows as $119.88 (+$100 since I ordered) and shipping from Hong Kong now instead of Cali...
I went back and looked at the item that I ordered to make 100% sure that I didn't somehow spend $120, but it went through at $19.88. So sorry guys, looks like this deal isn't going any longer.
JuanMoore
Getting the banned back together
Obviously.
Method proven to work well by many on this site: tape the probe to the fermenter, and then tape an insulating material on top of the probe. Insulating materials I've seen used for this include; folded up paper towl, rag, bubble wrap, reflectix, neoprene, foam padding, etc.
Not sure what your reasoning is for ruling out a thermowell, but it is a correct assumption that it is not the best method. The effect of ambient air influencing the probe slightly through the insulation provides some overshoot compensation and reduction in radial stratification. The results from some tests regarding this were posted in this thread, or maybe it was a different one, but definitely on HBT. To use a thermowell in the fermenter, placing it close to the wall provided the best temp control. The effect is most pronounced post-active ferm when there are no thermal currents from the active yeast.
Don't fear over-insulating it. I have found it takes much more insulation than I thought, even after taping the crap out of it to make it airtight, to prevent the ambient from influencing the probe. Also, as was born out by the testing, that is a good thing.
FYI, thermowells are perfectly safe, as long as they are constructed and mounted properly. They can be used as a secondary measurement point for verification/logging/sanity check.
The link takes you to a controller that is listed at $199.88. Don't buy that one! lol
jar1087
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I don't know what that seller is doing. It was definitely only $19.88 when I first ordered it, as confirmed by eBay, Paypal, and my credit card. Maybe it's just a typo and will be corrected?
jar1087 said:
That's what I think.
Either that, or he/she saw the link on the link on this site (or elsewhere, or maybe "just because") and is hoping to take advantage of people placing orders without paying too much attention. Don't know what the wholesale cost on those units are, but making an additional hundred bucks could very well be like selling 20+ extra units at regular price.
And if the seller has a similar listing with a more reasonable price, there's virtually no downside to attempting something like that, since they won't lose many (if any) sales to people who would pass on that price.
I've been using a brew belt on mine with no problems... Bucket and Carboy. Since this is a new build I've been monitoring what the controller says and what the actual wort temp is and it's been spot on. I just taped the probe to the side with bubble wrap on top then a cut in half koozie taped on top of the bubble wrap....
Got mine wired up today, but I'm having a problem. Maybe this has been discussed before, I tried to get through the whole thread but couldn't find it. My problem is that the hot and cold outlets don't seem to be working independently- regardless of weather it is trying to heat or cool power seems to be going to both. On the OP I saw the note "very important to break off the jumper tab on the hot side so you can control each outlet independently," but I'm not too experience with electric work and am unsure what exactly this means. Any help would be appreciated!
did you break the jumper tab on the left side of the outlet?
JuanMoore
Getting the banned back together
It is a metal tab connecting the top outlet post (where the screws are that hold the wires) to the bottom outlet post. It should be fairly obvious. See the pics in posts 1322 and 1323 of this thread for reference-
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/ebay-aquarium-temp-controller-build-163849/index17.html#post2875981
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Also 3rd picture in this: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/eb...uild-using-wal-mart-parts-261506/#post3152417
M_C
M_C
sorry if this is a repeat question, but I noticed the stc1000 is a 10A unit. I want to run a small freezer for fermenting using a wired outlet. Will this be a problem? My Love controller on my keezer is rated for 16A.
I just installed a Computer fan to recirculate air inside my Ferm. chest freezer...At first I thought it would look cool, but then realized that the fan has blue LED lights on it....
So will LED lights affect/skunk beer or wine in a carboy...
Thx
So will LED lights affect/skunk beer or wine in a carboy...
Thx
That was funny. had to comment.
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Here's a shot on my tc that I finally finished. Thanks for the great thread! I decided to do away with the outlets and wire directly using left over extension cord ends I had hanging around. The box was purchased at Michaels Craft Store for $3 and I stained it with some cherry stain after performing the cutouts.
I'm currently fermenting 10 gallons of dark lager @ 48 degF and the tc is working out great. I have it connected to a small chest freezer and am using a small ceramic heater inside of it to hold fermenting temp.
I'm currently fermenting 10 gallons of dark lager @ 48 degF and the tc is working out great. I have it connected to a small chest freezer and am using a small ceramic heater inside of it to hold fermenting temp.
cmw6300
Well-Known Member
[/quote]
What kind of lights are those that indicate whether it is heating or cooling? Also, what should I search for if I do a google search for them?
Thanks,
Chad
timdsmith72
Well-Known Member
HI! I just picked them up out of the "Lamps" bin at radio shack when I got the project box. The red one is called a "Red Neon Lamp Assembly." Catalog Number: 272-712.
I wanted red for heating and blue for cooling, but they didn't have a blue one in this type or any other blue ones that I liked, so I got a green one and just pretend it's blue when it comes on.
Here's the Radio Shack link to the red one if you're interested. 120VAC Neon Lamp Assembly (2-Pack) - RadioShack.com
