Another TSS2 controller box build

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Great DIY Tutorial. I bought my supplies this morning and ordered my TSS2-2100 as well. Now I just need wait for it to come in :(

Now off to rearrange the garage to put in the freezer chest.
 
Still working on my keezer and wanted to pass on a piece of advice to future builders. Be careful when you go to purchase parts to make sure you know exactly what you want and are ready to install them...check the return policy and don't wait too long to return if you don't need them. Lesson learned!
 
I received my controller today and finished my fermentation chamber controller tonight. I was able to test it and it worked perfectly.

image-954096782.jpg
 
Nice work - it looks good. :mug:

Thanks. I got the freezer I plan on using for a fermentation chamber today. It's 17.5 cu ft. I can fit four 6.5 gallon ale pails in it or I can fit six 5 gallon glass carboys. It should be awesome.
 
I just wanted to share my Ebay Stc 1000 temp controller build based on your design.

ebay_temp_controller.jpg


Here's my wiring diagram for the STC 1000 in case anyone does what I did and stumbled into this thread like I did looking for a way to wire their's up. As others may have noticed, the back is a little different than Tom's love.

Wiring_Diagram_copy.jpg


Great thread though, I like having the always on and the dual plugs for heating and cooling.
 
Nice job Revvy... I've actually used the always on a hell of a lot more than I ever thought I would. It is really handy.

I assume you plug the freezer into the"cold" outlet, the heating element (light bulb, blanket,aquarium heater) into the "warm" outlet and the controller does the rest. Do you disconnect the freezer thermostat somehow, or doesn't it matter?
 
Nice. This is going to be way easier than I thought it was. So much easier in fact, that I might bury all the wires and plugs underneath and run the controller up the door next to the handle.
 
So how do I know which one of those controllers is the right one for my freezer?

Either one will work ( TSS2 Love, Or STC 1000) just make sure you are ordering a 120 volt in the USA so you don't end up buying a control transformer for the unit.

He's just showing you an extra outlet that was added that's always on (live) in case you need lights to get your brew. LOL!
 
Why is every wiring diagram showing a black and red and not a black (hot) and white (neutral) wire? Is the red here the neutral? Getting ready. To wire mine this weekend
 
Why is every wiring diagram showing a black and red and not a black (hot) and white (neutral) wire? Is the red here the neutral? Getting ready. To wire mine this weekend

I think that in this thread there is only one diagram that shows wiring with red. It that particular case it is the neutral (I believe) as the power input is 120V.

Please keep in mind that it is near impossible to show a white neutral wire on this forum as the page background color is white. In my diagrams I show neutral as a yellow line. It really is the drawers choice after all. No?

Hope this helps.
 
Why is every wiring diagram showing a black and red and not a black (hot) and white (neutral) wire? Is the red here the neutral? Getting ready. To wire mine this weekend

How can you draw a white wire on a white background? LOL:D
 
Just saw the key on bottom saying red = neutral. Duh! Didn't see that before but now that I had a Citra pale ale, I can see again... It's a miracle lol!!
 
Just finished with this project. Thanks to the OP....well done. Now to do some testing/tweaking and put this bad boy to work.
 
I really like the always on for anything from a circulation fan for the fermentor to just plugging in a tool or something. An extra always on outlet is always nice.

Where do you get the labels, do they come with the wall plate?
 
Nah I have a label printer. I just printed them up and cut them down to fit. You could do it with a sheet of address labels too if you have them. That or just print and use tape or glue to put them on.
 
I went to homedepot today, and have a few questions.

1) I've been under the perhaps false impression that one set of outlets could be divided into a) one switched and b) one always on. However each set on here (as photo below) is used for identical purposes. Can a set not be divided, with one side being switched and the other side always on?

2) Can I get an extra slot and leave one slot open, for example get a 4-gang wall plate, use 3 of the slots and leave one of them open (for ventilation or future use)?

3) I was having trouble finding a gang box for use in the wall, because the nails are on a short end, but they need to be on a long end so I can nail the box to a stud. I didn't find one that can be set vertically instead of horizontally. Also I'd like as much room in the box for the switch as possible. Any ideas?

Finished3.JPG
 
1) I've been under the perhaps false impression that one set of outlets could be divided into a) one switched and b) one always on. However each set on here (as photo below) is used for identical purposes. Can a set not be divided, with one side being switched and the other side always on?

Yes, most outlets can be split. The ones that can be split have a tab that can be removed (usually broken off with a pair of needle nose pliers) to split the outlets.

2) Can I get an extra slot and leave one slot open, for example get a 4-gang wall plate, use 3 of the slots and leave one of them open (for ventilation or future use)?

There is no reason why you couldn't do that.

3) I was having trouble finding a gang box for use in the wall, because the nails are on a short end, but they need to be on a long end so I can nail the box to a stud. I didn't find one that can be set vertically instead of horizontally. Also I'd like as much room in the box for the switch as possible. Any ideas?

The biggest problem you are going to run into is getting a gang box the controller will fit into. That particullar one was the only one I found in my wandering the isles that was big enough (mainly deep enough) for the controller to fit into it.

As for the nail placement. I've only seen them with the nails as they are in mine since they are intended to hang horizontally not vertically.
 
3) I was having trouble finding a gang box for use in the wall, because the nails are on a short end, but they need to be on a long end so I can nail the box to a stud. I didn't find one that can be set vertically instead of horizontally. Also I'd like as much room in the box for the switch as possible. Any ideas?

An "old work" box mounts by clamping on to the drywall rather than being nailed to a stud, so it can be mounted however/wherever you want. As mentioned, you'll just need to check that it's deep enough for the controller. Even with the standard new work boxes you can just run a couple of screws through the box and into the stud to secure it. IMO the two nails aren't enough support for a 4 gang box anyways, so I usually put a piece of blocking in on the other side and secure it with screws.
 
I like the project but one suggestion I have for future builders is to use a surface mount box for aesthetics and durability UNLESS you're actually mounting it in the wall. Those plastic cover plates are a little delicate to be sticking out like that. I also think there are more outlets than necessary, but I guess that's personal preference.

Here's my take on it:

IMG_3829[1].jpg


IMG_3831[1].jpg
 
Thanks much for the helpful information!

Yes, most outlets can be split. The ones that can be split have a tab that can be removed (usually broken off with a pair of needle nose pliers) to split the outlets.

This one has tabs on both sides. Do I break off both of them?

An "old work" box mounts by clamping on to the drywall rather than being nailed to a stud, so it can be mounted however/wherever you want. As mentioned, you'll just need to check that it's deep enough for the controller. Even with the standard new work boxes you can just run a couple of screws through the box and into the stud to secure it. IMO the two nails aren't enough support for a 4 gang box anyways, so I usually put a piece of blocking in on the other side and secure it with screws.

This is great, will make it easier to find a good box.
 
johnlvs2run said:
This one has tabs on both sides. Do I break off both of them?

In most cases you'd only break the tab on the hot side (gold screws). That way you only need to run one neutral to the outlet to serve both the top and bottom.
 
Well, my controller now works great on "cool" and "always on" but is completely dead on "heat".

Guess which one I need badly? That's right, I bottled today and have no place above 70F to store these beers.

I removed and tested all the connections and the outlet itself. No problems. Looks like the controller couldn't take the heat. Any suggestions for an American made version that I can get my hands on quickly? I am not waiting 2 weeks for another one of these crappy controllers to get here from China.
 
maltoftheearth said:
Well, my controller now works great on "cool" and "always on" but is completely dead on "heat".

Guess which one I need badly? That's right, I bottled today and have no place above 70F to store these beers.

I removed and tested all the connections and the outlet itself. No problems. Looks like the controller couldn't take the heat. Any suggestions for an American made version that I can get my hands on quickly? I am not waiting 2 weeks for another one of these crappy controllers to get here from China.

Are you sure it's wired right? How many recepticles do you have, because heat, cool, and always hot would require more than one duplex outlet. For a higher end controller that doesn't ship from China, the title of this thread would be a good choice. There are several other love models that would also work for you.
 
Check the wattage of your heating element and the controller you are using. I cooked the heat side of one of mine when a switch shorted out. The rest of it works great but the heat is toast. That one is going to be for my keezer whenever I get around to actually wiring it up. :p

Fastest replacement though? Not sure. I've always used the Loves but have never heard of any problems with the other brands. You would probably get a Love controller shipped to you faster than an overseas model though.
 
just an FYI - on the Love TSS2, the box says "made in Spain"...

I had similar problems but re-read Claudius' explanation and I had some of the settings wrong. Works like a champ now.
 
Are you sure it's wired right? How many recepticles do you have, because heat, cool, and always hot would require more than one duplex outlet. For a higher end controller that doesn't ship from China, the title of this thread would be a good choice. There are several other love models that would also work for you.

It is wired correctly, the heat receptacle worked the first time I used it. I'll check the wattage but will be really disappointed if I have to ditch my ceramic iguana heating bulb.
 
It is wired correctly, the heat receptacle worked the first time I used it. I'll check the wattage but will be really disappointed if I have to ditch my ceramic iguana heating bulb.

Post your parameters before you replace the controller.


Cheers,
ClaudiusB
 
Here's a pic of my Love TSS2 with 10' stainless steel tip probe. The outlets on the 2 relays are fused to protect the controller. The switches are a fancy way of unplugging the chest freezer or 40W aquarium heating pad to prevent cycling them if not wanted without changing an internal parameter or to prevent a mistake from a bad parameter setting.

I have a Johnson A419 and have trended data showing that 3F temperature variations is the tightest control possible with the controller probe insulated-over on the outside of the fermenter.

I've trended data with the TSS2 and it can match the A419 control response and also improve control to about 1.2F temperature variations with the controller probe insulated-over on the outside of the carboy. The TSS2 has a lot better program options and seeing the decimal point temperature read-out on the display is really handy.

I've learned that when my freezer turns off after a cycle, the fermenter temperature drops another 1F no matter how big the differential is set. I've found it best to set the cooling differential to 0.5F to keep tight control (freezer cycles about every 1-2 hours) and increase it to 2F-3F when temperature fluctuations don't matter (freezer gets cycled about every 4-10 hours).

Love TSS2 Build_Pic 4.jpg
 
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