Side by Side Conversion Started

[bdogg171]

So I finally got started on the conversion, freezer side = serving / lagering? Fridge side = ferm / lagering?

I ordered 2 STC 1000's, both read fahrenheit! One is an Inkbird and the other is ? Why 2 different ones? No reason just thought I'd see if I liked one better than the other, one will eventually go to a mash temp monitor and will be replaced by my Love ST once I receive my replacement probe, but for testing they are both connected.

Following the lead of forbein and rtevino, I went a slightly different route.
Wired 1 controller into adaptive defrost board replacing freezer thermo, when the freezer side stc calls for cold, signal is sent to adb orange and control board powers compressor/fan, same setup as forbein/trevino. 2nd controller wired in place of fridge thermo same as above, here is the slight change, fans are wired to damper open wire so that when fridge side calls for cold, power is sent acb and acb in turn sends power to damper open lead thus powering fans, when temp is reached stc cuts power which tells acb to cut power to damper open lead thereby stopping fans, I will use damper close lead from acb to power a heat source eventually. So far everything is working great and I can actually start tiding things up.

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[Ddubduder]

Have you figured out which STC-1000 brand you like better? I'm about to start buying the parts for my side-by-side build and if I gain any lessons learned I'd be much appreciative.

 

[ZebulonBrewer]

This is really cool and I'll be interested to hear how it works out for you. I've considered doing something like for an existed mini fridge where the mini-fridge is used as a mini-fridge but there is a fan and damper to cool an adjacent, heavily insulated, fermentation space.

Cheers!

 

[bdogg171]

Ddubduder & ZebulonBrewer,

As far as which controller I like better, I don't see a difference in either one other than the programming setup.

Inkbird:
1. Hold set button to go into programming.
2. use arrows to scroll through options.
3. hit setup to enter option screen.
4. use arrows to adjust.
5. hit setup again to go back to options.
6. repeat 2 - 5.
7. hit power to save.

Other one:
1. Same as above.
2. Same as above.
3. hold setup button while adjusting parameter with arrows.
4. hit power to save parameter.
5. repeat 1-4.

So other than taking a bit longer to program they are basically the same.
I got these:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OXPE8U6/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KHHGKW8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Made a little progress over the last few evenings, cut out spot for freezer side controller and piddled around a little, will hit it hard over the weekend.

Something I didn't really care for during the trial...the d@m adaptive defrost, woke up the next morning after setting freezer side to 33 and fridge to 37 the evening before and the fridge side was at 42 and in cooling mode (no heat connected yet), freezer was at 36, took a while for fridge side to come back down

I may try what cas3439 did and build a duct from the top fan to back of freezer:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f252/side-side-fermenter-keggerator-316056/

right now my top fan is just pulling from the chamber and the original freeze to fridge duct is blocked off with some paper towels I stuffed in, so the condenser fan is just pushing air up the back and it's having to be pulled back into the chamber I guess, also the fans seem to have a lot of backpressure which tells me they aren't running at their best, I will look into my opening and try to address that over the weekend.

For the adaptive defrost, I may try something mentioned by cwi in forbeins thread:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f252/side-side-kegerator-fermentation-chamber-161176/index5.html

bypassing the adaptive defrost and mounting a fan in front of the coils.

I am debating on whether to cut out the ice/water internal hump or just mount the taps higher, right now with the hump there and the shelf on the lowest bracket I can get 2 cornys in and they clear the hump, if I bring the shelf up they wont clear, decisions, decisions.