Temp controller problems.....

[DLR1987]

Hey guys. So I bought a cheapo temp controller on eBay awhile back. The range says that it goes down to -50f or some insane number. The problem is that I can only get it down to 56f. I'd like to do some lagers but it's got me stumped. Any ideas? Oh and here's a link to the one I bought. Cheers

http://m.ebay.com/itm/10A-110V-Digi...tat-Control-Relay-US-/121314210967?nav=SEARCH

 

[kh54s10]

IDK, though that unit will only turn on and off the power to the refrigerator/freezer that you plug it into. What is the unit you are trying to control?

 

[DLR1987]

It's hooked up to a fridge that is overriding the original controller.

 

[laredo7mm]

The controller range is -56° to 194° that doesn't mean it can drive your cooling source to that temperature. It just means that is the range of values that the controller can operate at.

If your cooling unit can only bring the temperature down to 56° when running 24/7, then the controller can't make it go lower than that. My kegerator's compressor I know the lowest temp of the evaporator is 18°F. If I set my controller temp to 10°, it will never get there.

Is your refrigerator (or whatever) running constantly and can't get the temp below 56°?

 

[kh54s10]

Where is the fridge. In a 100 F + garage? If so move it somewhere colder..... I suspect the fridge cannot get the temps you are looking for.

Though 56 F seems pretty high.

 

[ScrewyBrewer]

Plug the refrigerator into the wall outlet without the controller and see if it gets down to 34F, which any working modern refrigerator should easily do.

For best results fill a 5 gallon fermentor with water and use a thermowell to hold the temperature probe, it is more accurate to measure the temperature of a stable volume of water than it is the ambient air inside the refrigerator.

 

[DLR1987]

The fridge is in my garage but it never gets that hot. It doesn't always stay on constantly to keep temps. The controller is the thing that is keeping me from going colder. It will not let me program anything lower than 56f.....

 

[day_trippr]

[...]The controller is the thing that is keeping me from going colder. It will not let me program anything lower than 56f.....

Well that ain't right, obviously.
I have the same MH1210(-F) mounted in my keezer as a backup to a BrewPi controller and it definitely will allow programming well below 56F.

Either the controller is defective or there's something fundamentally wrong with the setup...

Cheers!