jeepinjeepin
Well-Known Member
Keeping my old school over/under fridge at 40F the freezer stays around 20F.
ebay aquarium temp controller build
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porcupine73
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40F isn't very far from the normal operating temp for a fridge, so at that temp the freezer is probably operating normally.
tre9er
Well-Known Member
Right, and operating at ale temps, in the 60's, your freezer is gonna be around 40, which aint gonna fly unless you're only trying to refrigerate something, not freeze it.
jeepinjeepin
Well-Known Member
tre9er said:
Sorry, I was on another path. I ferment in mini fridges. My full size is kegerator/hop storage.
tre9er
Well-Known Member
Yeah, My keg fridge has a real touchy thermostat, will freeze if you didn't open it for a week or two, but will thaw if you bump it up any. I should hook it to an STC, but I don't. My ferm fridge is an old Frigidaire, pretty small, maybe 16cu ft, but big enough for two ale pails or my 14g fermenter, either way a fan also fits.
JuanMoore
Getting the banned back together
The freezer temp will depend on the relationship between the ambient temp and the set temp of the fridge compartment. I keep my ferm fridge at 64F pretty much year round, and the freezer gets down to low 30's when ambient temps are higher, and is only a few degrees cooler than the fridge compartment when ambient temps are lower.
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tre9er
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Yours is completely opposite of mine, then. My freezer on ferm chamber is about 20* cooler than the fridge, due to more concentrated cooling in a smaller area. Of course, there is no fan, it's an old metal box-type freezer (has it's own door, like a normal freezer, but it's just metal-lined compartment with no fan)
JuanMoore
Getting the banned back together
Not sure how that's opposite of mine. Every fridge design will behave slightly differently, but they'll all still follow the trend I outlined. Think about it this way, the closer the ambient temp is to the ferm temp, the less the cooling will turn on, and the more time the two temps will have to equalize with each other. When the ambient temps equal the ferm temp, the cooling will never come on, and the temp will eventually be the same in both compartments.
tre9er
Well-Known Member
Nevermind. I see what you mean. Warmer=more cooling running, cooler means doesn't come on. Gotcha.
Your best bet, I believe is to keep you eyes open for a second hand modern full size fridge without freezer. You can make the excuse to your wife that it can be used for food and drinks for dinner parties.
Vellum
Well-Known Member
mattd2 said:
Hey sorry for the slow reply. The eBay ad stated 110v and stc-1000. It looks just like the one I already have (same number of buttons) so I believe it is two stage. I have not received the one I ordered but will report back if anything is off with it. Also ill try to give a good link to the seller (so far I have been replying on my phone which is hard to do hyperlinks). Hope this helps.
Vellum
Well-Known Member
here it is on homebrewfinds.com (great website by the way): link
and here is the ebay page, seller is 360leway: link
Let me know if the links don't work or if you noticed something that I did not regarding this particular temp controller. I look forward to receiving mine soon. $20 shipped is the cheapest I've found it.
and here is the ebay page, seller is 360leway: link
Let me know if the links don't work or if you noticed something that I did not regarding this particular temp controller. I look forward to receiving mine soon. $20 shipped is the cheapest I've found it.
stoneBriar
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Turns out I'm one of those (un)lucky guys that ordered a 110, got a 220, spent 2 weeks back-and-forth with the seller and ended up with the right controller and a spare that's sitting in my junk drawer. A little googling and it turns out the internet has figured out how to fix the 220! That said, I can't seem to find the BV301S09015 transformer I need in either reasonable quantities (1) or reasonable shipping charges (<4x cost).
I see that a few folks in this thread have done group buys before; does anyone still have a spare 110v transformer to sell? Thanks!
I see that a few folks in this thread have done group buys before; does anyone still have a spare 110v transformer to sell? Thanks!
cheesecake
Well-Known Member
Built 2 of these the other day. One is actually for my aquarium.
Wheelspin
Well-Known Member
Just got my STC-1000 today and am a electrical wiring moron 
. Please advise.
I've looked at the diagram on the back of the unit and it suggests that I could simply .......
1) Wire the mains input into 1 and 2.
2) Probe wires obviously go to 3 and 4.
3) Connect my 100 watt heating lamp directly into 5 and 6
4) Connect the power to freezer power directly into 7 and 8.
5) Turn my freezer thermostat onto MAX.
Is this method correct ? Or am I missing something ??
Any advice much appreciated.
. Please advise.I've looked at the diagram on the back of the unit and it suggests that I could simply .......
1) Wire the mains input into 1 and 2.
2) Probe wires obviously go to 3 and 4.
3) Connect my 100 watt heating lamp directly into 5 and 6
4) Connect the power to freezer power directly into 7 and 8.
5) Turn my freezer thermostat onto MAX.
Is this method correct ? Or am I missing something ??
Any advice much appreciated.
jeepinjeepin
Well-Known Member
Wheelspin said:Just got my STC-1000 today and am a electrical wiring moron
I've looked at the diagram on the back of the unit and it suggests that I could simply .......
1) Wire the mains input into 1 and 2.
2) Probe wires obviously go to 3 and 4.
3) Connect my 100 watt heating lamp directly into 5 and 6
4) Connect the power to freezer power directly into 7 and 8.
5) Turn my freezer thermostat onto MAX.
Is this method correct ? Or am I missing something ??
Any advice much appreciated.
It would work like that IF 5 6 7 8 were power sources and grounds. They are just two sides of a switch. Because of this you need to carry power to 5&7 to make 6&8 become switched hots.
Wheelspin
Well-Known Member
OH NO !!!!!
I thought it looked too simple.
So what you're saying is that in addition to putting a LIVE into terminal 1, I would also have to bridge that same LIVE to 5 and 7 ?
What about the NEUTRAL ? Is it OK if I just have the NEUTRAL from the mains in terminal 2 ?
HELP !!!!!
I thought it looked too simple.
So what you're saying is that in addition to putting a LIVE into terminal 1, I would also have to bridge that same LIVE to 5 and 7 ?
What about the NEUTRAL ? Is it OK if I just have the NEUTRAL from the mains in terminal 2 ?
HELP !!!!!
Wheelspin
Well-Known Member
Oh, and what on earth are switched hots !!!!
jeepinjeepin
Well-Known Member
Wheelspin said:OH NO !!!!!
I thought it looked too simple.
So what you're saying is that in addition to putting a LIVE into terminal 1, I would also have to bridge that same LIVE to 5 and 7 ?
What about the NEUTRAL ? Is it OK if I just have the NEUTRAL from the mains in terminal 2 ?
HELP !!!!!
Black is Hot. White is Neutral. Black to 1, 5, & 7. White to 2. Now imagine coming from 6 & 8 with the black wire from your heater and fridge and then bringing their white wires back to the neutral. Draw it out. That way you are switching the hot before the appliance and providing a path back to neutral.
warpfactorviii
Member
Hey Guys, Looking for some help. I built a chamber with an AC Unit. Wired my 220V Temp controller per the diagram in the first post and Just hooked it up. Have it set to 18.3C, the heat source is on but the AC is running. On the controller only the heat LED is on..Whats the deal? I searched and think my the relay is stuck but could it happen so quick...I just started it..thanks for the help in advance
JuanMoore
Getting the banned back together
Just got my STC-1000 today and am a electrical wiring moron
I've looked at the diagram on the back of the unit and it suggests that I could simply .......
1) Wire the mains input into 1 and 2.
2) Probe wires obviously go to 3 and 4.
3) Connect my 100 watt heating lamp directly into 5 and 6
4) Connect the power to freezer power directly into 7 and 8.
5) Turn my freezer thermostat onto MAX.
Is this method correct ? Or am I missing something ??
Any advice much appreciated.
As others have said, the 5/6 and 7/8 terminal sets don't provide power to the heating/cooling devices, they're just switches. You need to provide power to each switch, and neutral to the other side of the heating and cooling outlets. You can try using one of the many wiring diagrams for it. There's one in the first post of this thread. Here's another, with separate receptacles for heating and cooling.
Did you break the tab on the hot side of the receptacle? If you don't break the tab, both outlets will be hot anytime one of them has power. What are the start-up draws for your AC unit and heater?
Wheelspin
Well-Known Member
So i put hot/live to 1, 5, and 7 and run them back to the hot/live wires of the freezer and heating elements.
Then I take the neutral wire from both the freezer and heating element, and run them into the terminal number 2 ???
If this is correct, thanks a million
!!!!!!!! Please confirm.
JuanMoore
Getting the banned back together
So i put hot/live to 1, 5, and 7 and run them back to the hot/live wires of the freezer and heating elements.
Then I take the neutral wire from both the freezer and heating element, and run them into the terminal number 2 ???
If this is correct, thanks a million
From the way you phrased that I'm not sure that you quite have it right. Just to clarify, the incoming hot will be split 3 ways and go to terminals 1,5, and 7, and then a wire will go from terminal 6 to the hot side of the heating element, and from terminal 8 to the hot side of the freezer outlet. The incoming neutral will split 3 ways and go to terminal 2, the neutral side of the heating element, and the neutral side of the freezer. If you're still unsure, just look at the wiring diagram I posted above.
warpfactorviii
Member
Did you break the tab on the hot side of the receptacle? If you don't break the tab, both outlets will be hot anytime one of them has power. What are the start-up draws for your AC unit and heater?
I did not break the tabs so that must be it... Actually started thinking about that last night while over at a friends house having some drinks. I'm not 100% sure of the draws but I know that the AC unit is a 6500btu and my heat source is a 60w light bulb for now. Thanks for the help
ButcherBrew
Well-Known Member
Hi All,
I completed this build recently and have to thank everyone for the advice! This thread is awesome. Granted, I have not reviewed every 318 pages so I am sorry if this has already been illustrated.
I am looking for advice on where to place the temp probe. Right now I have it sitting in a cup of water in the back of my stand up freezer. I don't think this is helping to keep ferm temps as low as they need to be.
Can anyone share pics oh how they have attached their probe to the fermenter. And what do you do when you have multiple fermentations going on? Assuming you attach to the most recent addition to the chamber?
Thanks everyone!
I completed this build recently and have to thank everyone for the advice! This thread is awesome. Granted, I have not reviewed every 318 pages so I am sorry if this has already been illustrated.
I am looking for advice on where to place the temp probe. Right now I have it sitting in a cup of water in the back of my stand up freezer. I don't think this is helping to keep ferm temps as low as they need to be.
Can anyone share pics oh how they have attached their probe to the fermenter. And what do you do when you have multiple fermentations going on? Assuming you attach to the most recent addition to the chamber?
Thanks everyone!
Huaco
Well-Known Member
I mount my probe to the side of the carboy or fermenter. I also am playing around with thermowell.
I have taped the probe to the side of a carboy if it is the only fermenter in the chamber. So it would be as follows
Glass wall of carboy || Probe || Folded up old kitchen towel || packing tape
The kitchen towel ads insulation to help the sensor detect the glass-wort temp more than the air temp.
If I have two carboys in the chamber, I just put the sensor between the carboys with the same kitchen towel and sandwich the probe and towel with the carboys... works well...
I have taped the probe to the side of a carboy if it is the only fermenter in the chamber. So it would be as follows
Glass wall of carboy || Probe || Folded up old kitchen towel || packing tape
The kitchen towel ads insulation to help the sensor detect the glass-wort temp more than the air temp.
If I have two carboys in the chamber, I just put the sensor between the carboys with the same kitchen towel and sandwich the probe and towel with the carboys... works well...
ButcherBrew
Well-Known Member
Perfect....thanks for the advice.
stoneBriar
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I use painters tape, which holds strong even under damp conditions but leaves no residue, to hold the probe right at the middle of the liquid volume on the outside of the better bottle. I put a piece of foam insulation over that with more blue tape. If I'm doing a double batch I'll sandwich the thermistor between the two fermenters and cover that area with a piece of foam on each side. I've dropped a sanitized probe thermometer into the beer and even at high krausen the difference between the surface reading and the internal reading was at most 2 °F (hotter on the inside). The insulation helps avoid thermal shocks from opening and the fridge and staring at the bubbling (that never gets old does it?).
jeepinjeepin
Well-Known Member
Wheelspin said:So i put hot/live to 1, 5, and 7 and run them back to the hot/live wires of the freezer and heating elements.
Then I take the neutral wire from both the freezer and heating element, and run them into the terminal number 2 ???
If this is correct, thanks a million
Kinda, maybe. Read what JuanMoore wrote and then go back to page 1 for the diagram.
Vellum
Well-Known Member
Well, I just built my second one of these to control a rice cooker in order to make homemade yogurt. Very please with the result and can't wait to see how it performs. Thanks so much for this idea. My other one is controlling my fermentation chamber which is currently lagering a maibock. Couldn't do it without ya! Cheers all.
PS this is the controller I mentions a few posts back for $20 shipped. Turned out to be 110v as advertised as well as dual stage. Standard shipping time from hong kong. Thanks again don't know where I'd be without homebrewtalk community.
PS this is the controller I mentions a few posts back for $20 shipped. Turned out to be 110v as advertised as well as dual stage. Standard shipping time from hong kong. Thanks again don't know where I'd be without homebrewtalk community.
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