Johnson temperature controller probe, kegerator

[Beerbeard]

Helloo,

So I am a proud new owner of a GE 7.0 cu ft chest freezer! Just rigged up that bad boy to a Johnson temperature controller, and it's working well so far!

I just had one question - the cord that the temperature probe is attached to (and feeds into the chest from the outside) sticks under the chest freezer's door plastic seal thing, thus effectively interrupting the seal.

This is normal, right? It seems kind of unfortunate that the seal is broken - this means the cold air from the inside will escape quicker, and increase the on/off cycling rate of my device, right?

Is there any (preferably low-tech) way around this?

Thanks for your input!

 

[BigFloyd]

Helloo,

So I am a proud new owner of a GE 7.0 cu ft chest freezer! Just rigged up that bad boy to a Johnson temperature controller, and it's working well so far!

I just had one question - the cord that the temperature probe is attached to (and feeds into the chest from the outside) sticks under the chest freezer's door plastic seal thing, thus effectively interrupting the seal.

This is normal, right? It seems kind of unfortunate that the seal is broken - this means the cold air from the inside will escape quicker, and increase the on/off cycling rate of my device, right?

Is there any (preferably low-tech) way around this?

Thanks for your input!

I don't know how thick the cable is for the temp probe on the Johnson, but the ones for my STC-1000s are thin enough that I just let the door seal close over them. Not that much air is getting out of that tiny opening.

 

[ratfarmer]

I'm not familiar with that chest freezer but the one I have has a drain on the bottom that I put my probe wire thru before I added a collar to it.

Now that I have a collar on it I just drilled a hole in it and put it thru there and plugged it with plumbers putty.

 

[unionrdr]

People also put a piece of bubble wrap over the probe to insulate it from the surrounding cool air for more accurate readings.

 

[brokebucket]

Figure out where you can drill a hole without hitting your cooling coil, then stick the probe thru and caulk up the hole. No worries. (just read that this is exactly what ratfarmer said...listen to him)

PS, the bubble wrap is only if you are going to tape the probe to the side of your fermenter...it doesnt apply to getting it inside the chamber.

 

[unionrdr]

I'm aware of that...I was just adding to what was already said without being redundant.

 

[Beerbeard]

I don't think I wanna dare drill a hole through the actual appliance. Maybe when I eventually put a collar on it. In the meantime, I guess the probe cable will just have to slightly displace the door seal.

 

[freisste]

Short term solution: 1. Fold a piece of tape in half the long way (so the 3" long x 1" wide piece is 3" long by 1/2" wide) so that the non-sticky side touches itself. 2. Half unfold, so it looks like an L from the end. 3. Push the probe wire through the middle of the tape from the non-sticky side through the sticky side. 4. Stick the bottom half of the tape to your freezer lip at the point where the seal is, preferably on the back where the hinges are so it isn't in the way. 5. The other half of the sticky surface should seal against the seal on the freezer lid. This should keep it from leaking any air from the inside to the outside. It would probably work better if you used a plastic bag and two pieces of tape, because it wouldn't tear apart when you open the door.

[Edit] just realized you would probably be better off just closing the lid into the wire wrapped in bubble wrap. Should seal relatively well.