Temp controller ?

[FB12]

I'm building my 4 keg keezer with 2 dual tap Perlick towers. I'm looking for a quality temp controller that is accurate & user friendly for this project. I have a Johnson A419 on my ferm chamber that works well, but doesn't appear to be waterproof. I'd like to have the probe in water inside my keezer so it doesn't kick on/off so much. I want this to be deluxe, so i'm not necessarily looking for cheap, but good quality & easy to set up. Any suggestions? Thanks all!

 

[BigFloyd]

I hard wired an STC-1000 to my 3-tap keezer. The waterproof probe lives in a jar of water next to the CO2 tank. Works great.

 

[day_trippr]

Afaik, no external controllers have truly waterproof probes. Immersed in water beyond the probe tip, water will find its way in eventually. Imo, the best practice is to strap the probe to the fermenter or keg side covered with a good insulator. This provides not only a nearly direct reading of the beer temperature (within a half degree F in my experience) it provides plenty of hysteresis to keep a compressor from needless cycling.

I run a fermentation fridge, a cold-conditioning/carbonation fridge, and a keezer using this method...

Cheers!

 

[BigFloyd]

Since the STC-1000 is actually an aquarium temp controller, I'm thinking at its probe really is waterproof. Mine's been immersed in that jar of water for several months with no issues.

 

[Ramitt]

I made a sleeve with my foodsaver for my johnson controllers probe.

 

[day_trippr]

Not sure where the whole "meant to be used as an aquarium controller" got started, as the device is sold as a general purpose dual-stage temperature controller. And the probe that comes with the STC-1000 is an ultra cheap resin-potted NTC thermistor on the end of generic wire, with no claims by the manufacturer as being water-proof. From posts on HBT and elsewhere regarding probes eventually failing when submerged, I'd say you'd have to be an optimist to expect a probe not sold as being waterproof to never die when submerged in water.

But, whatever, what's life without unnecessary risk?

Cheers!

 

[Ramitt]

Not sure where the whole "meant to be used as an aquarium controller" got started, as the device is sold as a general purpose dual-stage temperature controller. And the probe that comes with the STC-1000 is an ultra cheap resin-potted NTC thermistor on the end of generic wire, with no claims by the manufacturer as being water-proof. From posts on HBT and elsewhere regarding probes eventually failing when submerged, I'd say you'd have to be an optimist to expect a probe not sold as being waterproof to never die when submerged in water.

But, whatever, what's life without unnecessary risk?

Cheers!

I tend to agree, and use a sleeve I made with my foodsaver when I submerge. Y stc 1000 probe also.

 

[E_Marquez]

Since the STC-1000 is actually an aquarium temp controller, I'm thinking at its probe really is waterproof. Mine's been immersed in that jar of water for several months with no issues.

This ^

I built my first ferm chamber in Jun 13... the STC1000 probe has been in a jar of Starsan since then

 

[E_Marquez]

Not sure where the whole "meant to be used as an aquarium controller" got started,

Well it could be because that is what they are marketed as I guess.....

STC-1000 Mini Digital Temperature Controller Thermostat Aquarium
Overview:

This mini Temperature Controller is an excellent and convenient multifunction device for controlling temperature in Aquariums. The stability of aquarium temperature is one of the crucial factors that contributes to the health and safety of your fish. By utilizing the temperature controller, you can provide an environment with optimal temperature for your fish. This advanced temperature controller can measure and control temperature from -50 to 99 °C.
This device is also suitable for Laboratories use and other temperature-controlled sys



Applications:
Aquarium
Terrarium
Vivarium
Paludarium
Chicken Incubator

Other than the marketing,, there is the observation that they work great in an Aquarium (feel free to google the Aquarium forums to read the same posts I did)

And then there is the anecdotal observations in many home-brew forums of folks using the STC to monitor liquid temps with no issues.


Other then that,, your absolutely correct.. no idea where that Aquarium concept came from.

 

[Wynne-R]

What sort of aquarium goes from -50C to 99C ?

Fun fact: that’s -58F to 210F

 

[day_trippr]

Obviously I was completely uninformed about the raison d'etre of this controller. I mean, no less an authority as some Random eBay and Amazon storefronts clearly include "aquariums" in the list of applications, and they would surely never tout applications that are outside the original manufacturer's approval! What was I thinking?

Why, all I actually had to do was pull out the vestigial User's Manual that ships with every STC-1000 to read that it was intended to be used as an aquarium controller and came complete with a guaranteed waterproof probe. I mean, all of that is right there in the manual in black and white!

Umm....wait while I find those words....they gotta be in there...somewhere....ummmmm.....

Well, something's terribly wrong, because I'm not seeing the word "aquarium" or "waterproof" anywhere in that manual. Not once.

Maybe it was Lost In Translation?

No worries, though. I'm sure retailers will accept anecdotal testimonials from users that haven't had their STC-1000 probes fail from drowning yet, when one tries to obtain a replacement under warranty....

What sort of aquarium goes from -50C to 99C ?

Fun fact: that’s -58F to 210F

Clearly, it's another mystery!

Cheers!

 

[E_Marquez]

posted many words forgetting it was HIS bit of confusion on how the STC-1000 came to be REFEREED to as an "aquarium controller

Originally Posted by day_trippr View Post
Not sure where the whole "meant to be used as an aquarium controller" got started,

So at least you are now seem to understand why the STC-1000 is often referred to as an "aquarium controller" you seemed very confused on that point earlier.

And of course noted many find it works as marketed..... a Temp controller with the probe in liquid, sensing temperature and controlling one or more circuits. (MARKETED.. no one has stated the manufacture in China said a darn thing... which is good, as I don't read or understand Chinese.. for all I know the manufacture designed it to be a door stop)

If it fails in 2,6, 10 years I'll happily throw it away having felt fully content in getting my $14 worth from it.

 

[day_trippr]

Aw...my attempt at humor apparently left you unmoved. Sorry

Honest, I don't care where you stick your probe just wanted it on the record that total immersion of the OEM probe included with the STC-1000 is not warrantied by...anyone...

Cheers!

 

[BigFloyd]

Aw...my attempt at humor apparently left you unmoved. Sorry

Honest, I don't care where you stick your probe just wanted it on the record that total immersion of the OEM probe included with the STC-1000 is not warrantied by...anyone...

Cheers!

I don't rely on an inexpensive little electronic gizmo like the STC-1000 to be warrantied by anyone anyway unless you bought one from a vendor like Amazon and it was defective out of the box. Fortunately, all three of mine are rocking along just fine. Two of them are over a year old.