ebay aquarium temp controller build

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barrooze said:
FYI, I ordered 3 110v STC-1000s on June 28 from hkaquarium2010. He shipped my controllers the next day and I received them on July 9th. His listing states:

One Set Included

1 x Mini-Temperature Controller
1 x Temperature sensor probe with cable
Wiring diagram for installation
Standard Factory Package

I paid $21/controller. $63 total for 3 controllers. I didn't find any other 110v STC-1000s for cheaper. His current listing is $22/ctrl. I'd recommend this seller to others.
Click to expand...

I think someone else found the correct model (STC-1000, 110V, dual stage, etc) for $16 shipped, but it was a limited quantity from a new seller. I believe there were no issues, although it can be a bit a crap shoot with new sellers that don't state explicitly what is being sent. The eurotrash version (220V) is regularly listed for $16 shipped (even to the US). I can't think of a reason why the US version should be $10 more, so the US model may drop in price in the future.

At least the shipping issues seem to have been resolved. There was a period where many deliveries were taking up to a month. I was lucky enough to have mine take slightly longer than that.
 
Anyone know if you can extend the wire that the factory probe came with without messing up it's accuracy?
and if so do you need a certain kind/guage of wire?
Thanks!
 
redman67 said:
Anyone know if you can extend the wire that the factory probe came with without messing up it's accuracy?
and if so do you need a certain kind/guage of wire?
Thanks!
Click to expand...

You can extend a decent amount. Not sure of a precise limit, but anything reasonable should be fine.

Ditto with the wire gauge. If you go too small, it won't function properly, but most normal gauges of wire will work, and you'd have to go with some pretty damn thin wire for it not to.
 
redman67 said:
Anyone know if you can extend the wire that the factory probe came with without messing up it's accuracy?
and if so do you need a certain kind/guage of wire?
Thanks!
Click to expand...

The wire can be extended to almost any length, and with almost any wire. For short extensions and the stock size wire or larger, it might not affect anything. For longer extensions and/or very small wire, there will be an increase in the observed resistance of the probe, causing an incorrect temperature to be displayed. This can be corrected by using the 'offset' parameter, F4, to calibrate the sensor so the screen reads the correct temp. Whatever the limit of the 'offset' parameter is would limit the length of the cable, if you still want the temp on the screen to be correct.
 
Just wondering how everyone has been routing the probe into their kegerators and keezers. Drill a hole or just open the door and squeeze it against the gasket?
 
I've done both. On my keggerator and walk in I've drilled holes as I built them. On my chest freezer I just stuck it in between the door and the unit. I guess it really depends on what you have and how much time you want to spend on it.
 
DeNomad said:
Just wondering how everyone has been routing the probe into their kegerators and keezers. Drill a hole or just open the door and squeeze it against the gasket?
Click to expand...

Right now it's underneath the door seal, with something heavy on top of the lid. Now that I have my dual-stage controller (been sitting in the packaging for the past month, since I'm moving this weekend), I'll be doing something I haven't seen before - I'll post pics when it's done.
 
Look forward to pics emjay. I am considering running my probe under the backside of the tower on my kegerator and filling the tower with expanding foam insulation. Anyone have thoughts on that?
 
DeNomad said:
Look forward to pics emjay. I am considering running my probe under the backside of the tower on my kegerator and filling the tower with expanding foam insulation. Anyone have thoughts on that?
Click to expand...

What happens years down the line when you decide it's time to replace the beer lines in the tower?
 
camiller said:
What happens years down the line when you decide it's time to replace the beer lines in the tower?
Click to expand...

I was actually planning on putting the lines in a copper or ABS/PVC tube with an additional tube with a CPU fan blowing air up the tower. Should be able to fish lines through the tube which will be surrounded by the expanding foam.
 
So, I bought one of these, and it worked great, so I ordered 3 more, from the same page........ they sent me ones labeled elitech.....and they aren't working.... I wonder if they sent me the 220 ones. The unit powers up, volute won't turn on the fridge....
 
Turns out the seller 'mixedtea' did send me te 220v ones.he has been very responsive, and is supposedly sending me new ones tomorrow. Let y'all know.
 
I got mine a while back and only installed it today. Bit of trouble reading the schematic provided, ( my fault ) but with a little ( lot of ) help from my brewing bretheren I got she done.
Mine came from mixtea also and with the postal strike a few months back, took a little longer to actually get to me.
In his e-bay listing, he stated that he would provide voltage units for where it was sent in the world. Mine was 110vac.
 
Ok so it looks like I might have ordered the wrong temp controller. :fail: Dont pick on my to much. ;)

Now 1st I only want this for cooling. I would like to be able to run a CPU fan on this as well to be placed in the ferm chamber. Now I have seen several wiring diagrams and I am not sure which one I should use.

This is the controller I bought.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/120726068140?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

Here is what the connections look like this - The temp probe is wired in to ports 7 & 8
IMAG0030.jpg


Now the wiring diagram. Which of these should I use?

Wiring-1.jpg


diagramf.jpg


Last question... With this unit only being 5A there was a post see quote
jerdes said:
And don't forget, you could use an interposing relay with a higher contact rating if this one has the features you want. In fact an interposing relay is always a good idea in a control circuit, it will protect your controller if something goes wrong with your freezer or wiring. Then you just replace the relay, not the controller.
Click to expand...

What would I need to get that is talked about in the above post??

Thanks in advance for all the help and insight to this project.
 
The first diagram looks to be correct for the controller you posted the picture of.

5 amps at 220 V = 10 amps at 110 V. You should not have to use an external relay.

Good luck.
 
Wayne1 said:
The first diagram looks to be correct for the controller you posted the picture of.

5 amps at 220 V = 10 amps at 110 V. You should not have to use an external relay.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

Schweet - thanks for the info!!!

So for the fan just dont break the tab off and both outlets will work correct??
 
Also, if you want a PC\CPU fan, you'd need to find a 110VAC one, since the majority of them work at 12VDC.
Either that or a relay to control the 12VDC fan, but the parts to get the relay working are usually just as much as buying a 110VAC fan.

I just plugged a 110VAC fan in and left it running all the time rather than running it from the controller. It does help a lot in both moving the cool air around and keeping the humidity down. Dessicant is still my good friend however to keep the moisture down. Without it I end up with a pool on the bottom of my freezer.
 
Wayne1 said:
The first diagram looks to be correct for the controller you posted the picture of.

5 amps at 220 V = 10 amps at 110 V. You should not have to use an external relay.

Good luck.
Click to expand...

This is not how electrical ratings work. You have stated an equality of power (Watts), which is correct, but not what is important here.
The load on the solenoid is not to exceed 220 Volts or 5 Amps. This is not the same as a limit of 1100 Watts.
If I remember correctly, the voltage limit is related to contact arcing, and the current is related to wire gauge/conductivity and resultant heating.

The true rating on the solenoid can be found by opening the case and looking at the solenoid itself to see whether it is indeed 5 amps (it may be higher). Whether 5 amps is enough for your device is a call you will have to make. Some fridges will have the max and run current draw on the plate/compressor. The run rating is the only one to be concerned with.

edit:
This debate has been settled previously, many times. Wayne1, you posted previously on this exact matter, and were corrected by responses very similar to mine above.
Wayne1 said:
220 @ 5 amps is the same as 110 @ 10 amps.
Click to expand...
shortyjacobs said:
According to Ohm's law, yes. But when you're talking relays, amps don't scale. If a relay can handle 5 amps at 220 volts, it can also only handle 5 amps at 110 volts. I know the watts are different between those two conditions, but it's the ability for the contacts to make and break connections, (assuming it's not an SSR inside there, but they are usually contact relays...you can hear them "click"). Way back in this very thread this argument raged for the other temp controller, which lists 10A at 220, leading people to think it could handle 20A at 110. It can't...it can handle 10A only....you go much higher and you'll get the contacts fusing.

(To make this point clear...what if you take it to the extreme...do you think this thing could handle 100 amps at only 10 volts?)
Click to expand...
Bjornbrewer said:
^YES! Those are only maximum ratings...you can have any combination of currents voltages, as long as you don't exceed either of the maximums.

And 10A is more than enough for most keggorators, fermentation chambers, ect. That's a steady state current...starting current may be higher, but it's momentary and most contact are designed to handle that large out of phase current.
Click to expand...
 
ACESFULL said:
So with the above comments - will this work for my chest freezer conversion for ferm chamber?
Click to expand...

I may have missed something, but if it's 220V, and you're in a 110V location... I think you need the proper controller, or swap out the relay in the controller for a 110V one.
 
ACESFULL said:
So with the above comments - will this work for my chest freezer conversion for ferm chamber?
Click to expand...

As I stated previously, you will need to find the current draw of the freezer. It is usually on the compressor itself, but sometimes the info is on the serial/product number plate as well.

If the rated run/continuous draw is very close to 5 amps, you have to decide how much margin of safety you need to be able to sleep at night. If it is over 5 amps, you should use an external solenoid.

If you are going to keep your ferm chamber where ambient temps will drop below ferm temps, like a garage in winter, you might as well buy the 2 stage controller that is the subject of this thread. You can always use the single stage one you currently have as a thermometer, or for a serving chest since they typically don't need heating.
 
So, I didn't read through all 178 pages, so sorry if it's been beaten to death...

I was looking at using one of these instead of a Johnson temp controller. Is there any downsides to doing so? I was reading about damaging the compressor hump and some other things. I'm no electrician, but if it's as easy as I think it is (splicing this thing into an extension cord, essentially) I'd rather go this route as it A. looks nice and B. is cheaper.
 
cwi said:
As I stated previously, you will need to find the current draw of the freezer. It is usually on the compressor itself, but sometimes the info is on the serial/product number plate as well.

If the rated run/continuous draw is very close to 5 amps, you have to decide how much margin of safety you need to be able to sleep at night. If it is over 5 amps, you should use an external solenoid.

If you are going to keep your ferm chamber where ambient temps will drop below ferm temps, like a garage in winter, you might as well buy the 2 stage controller that is the subject of this thread. You can always use the single stage one you currently have as a thermometer, or for a serving chest since they typically don't need heating.
Click to expand...

Freezer was 2 amps. Installed and its working like a charm. I wired it to cool only. If I decide I need to have heat to then I will just use this for a kegerator. Thanks to all for the assistance with Q&A.
 
Just thought I'd share. I bought the 110v 2-stage from uni_mart, and it's happily chugging away (so far). Total cost, including outlet, power cord, Radio Shack project box, etc. was just under $50.

I'll let you guys know if my house burns down.

image-3162512608.jpg
 
jtsims21 said:
I did... havent gotten it yet, hopefully it works out my thermostat on the old fridge took a dump and im getting tired of frozen beer in my kegerator!
Click to expand...

How long ago did you order it. He has the cheapest price on there, but mixtea seems to have good reviews on here. Just keep me posted.
 
For people who have built everything into a box, what did you do for strain relief on the main power cord and temperature probe cable?
 
I'd really be interested in building this if I could figure out how. Is there a parts list somewhere? I don't have the time or patience to go through 180 pages of comments to find them. Thanks for any help!
 
belmontbrew said:
For people who have built everything into a box, what did you do for strain relief on the main power cord and temperature probe cable?
Click to expand...

i just wrapped a bunch of electrical tape around the cord on the inside of the box so it couldn't escape, works just fine.
 
corwin6654 said:
I'd really be interested in building this if I could figure out how. Is there a parts list somewhere? I don't have the time or patience to go through 180 pages of comments to find them. Thanks for any help!
Click to expand...

i'm not sure if anyone has listed an official parts list, but all you need is:

an enclosure (radio shack box or similar)
an outlet
some 14 gauge wire (usually can use what you cut off the power cord)
a power cord (14 gauge), however long you think you need it to be
the temp controller
miscellaneous hand tools

the first page should give you all the photos and diagrams that you need.
 
android said:
i just wrapped a bunch of electrical tape around the cord on the inside of the box so it couldn't escape, works just fine.
Click to expand...

I just used a drill bit 1/32" smaller than the diameter of the extension cord wire. Interference fit holds it snug and it looks sharp.

The hole for the probe is loose but it looks fine.
 

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