EBay fish tank controller build using Wal-mart parts

[cmj141]

There are sellers on e-bay that have an almost identical unit that reads in fahrenheit, but it's only single stage. I have one controlling my keezer and two in the control panel of my HERMS. If you want dual stage for a ferm chamber, they're all celcius.

Correct. It is highly reccomended to max out the compressor delay feature (10 min?), set the temp differential to at least a couple degrees F, and if possible secure the temp probe to something with some thermal mass so that it doesn't change drastically every time the door is opened. At least one of these things is a must to prevent short cycling the compressor and killing it. And FWIW you can actually set the STC-1000 to have a smaller temp differential than you can on the ranco controllers (0.3C < 1F), not that you'd want to.

What is the name of the one that reads in Fahrenheit ? I can't find it anywhere on eBay. The one shown goes for $15-20 on eBay. For 25-30 u can get a PID.

 

[JuanMoore]

What is the name of the one that reads in Fahrenheit ? I can't find it anywhere on eBay. The one shown goes for $15-20 on eBay. For 25-30 u can get a PID.

Not sure if it has a name or model number. Just go to e-bay and search "aquarium temperature controller f". There are a whole bunch of different sellers, but they're pretty much all ~$17 shipped.

Here's one-

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-Temperature-Controller-Thermostat-Aquarium-F-/220957637173?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item337219fa35#ht_4801wt_1396

 

[cmj141]

Not sure if it has a name or model number. Just go to e-bay and search "aquarium temperature controller f". There are a whole bunch of different sellers, but they're pretty much all ~$17 shipped.

Here's one-

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-Temperature-Controller-Thermostat-Aquarium-F-/220957637173?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item337219fa35#ht_4801wt_1396

Thanks! And cheers to you for the clever DIY.

 

[DeafBrew]

I removed my fridge thermostat and ran those 2 wires through the cooling circuit of my two stage controller. A thermostat is just a temperature switch. It doesn't matter what the voltage is on your thermostat as long as it is 120 or less. It is almost definitely 120ac with the outside chance of it being 12-30vdc via a converter/transformer.

Effen brilliant! can't believe this never occurred to anyone before.

So if I wanted to do this with the single stage, I would just wire a dedicated line to power the temperature controller and then plug the thermostat wires into the "loading" terminals and that would be it, correct? I can probably trace the switch wires to the back of the unit where they could be wired into the controller without the need to drill into the chamber.

 

[JuanMoore]

Effen brilliant! can't believe this never occurred to anyone before.

So if I wanted to do this with the single stage, I would just wire a dedicated line to power the temperature controller and then plug the thermostat wires into the "loading" terminals and that would be it, correct? I can probably trace the switch wires to the back of the unit where they could be wired into the controller without the need to drill into the chamber.

Yep, that would work.

 

[bcrderrick]

Need a little help programming mine. I figured out how to adjust the degrees. For f1-f4. Controller works properly I think. I don't know what f1 - f4 are though. I'm assuming from another post that f 1 is to be set at the temp you want the fridge at? F 2 is the swing??? And f 3 is the compressor delay? F4 no idea? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys

 

[JuanMoore]

Need a little help programming mine. I figured out how to adjust the degrees. For f1-f4. Controller works properly I think. I don't know what f1 - f4 are though. I'm assuming from another post that f 1 is to be set at the temp you want the fridge at? F 2 is the swing??? And f 3 is the compressor delay? F4 no idea? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys

Yours didn't come with directions? Assuming you're using the STC-1000 and not the single stage unit, you've guessed F1-F3 correctly, and F4 is for calibrating the sensor.

 

[bcrderrick]

Yours didn't come with directions? Assuming you're using the STC-1000 and not the single stage unit, you've guessed F1-F3 correctly, and F4 is for calibrating the sensor.

No directions. It is a stc-1000 though. Thanks for your help. How do I calibrate the sensor?

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

No directions. It is a stc-1000 though. Thanks for your help. How do I calibrate the sensor?

The sensor is calibrated by using a bowl/glass of water in which you put the sensor, and a regular glass/lab/electronic thermometer. If they read the same, you're golden. If one is higher than the other, adjust by the number of degrees in the proper direction.

MC

 

[JuanMoore]

Yep, or a glass of crushed ice with a little water, and a small pot of boiling water. The ice water should settle out at 0C. You'll need to figure out what temp water boils at for your altitude.

Although probably not necessary, here's a set of instructions for that unit-

http://mashmaster.com.au/UserFiles/2321-Files/file/brewmate.pdf

 

[bcrderrick]

Thanks guys!

 

[lonepalm]

ordered 3 today for keezer & ferm chamber

 

[flushdrew42]

not to hijack, but i built a temp controller w/ an STC off of ebay, and wonder if i can put a magnet (from a computer hard drive) inside the plastic project box to hold it on the side of the fridge?

will there be any adverse effects to the controller with a magnet that close?

 

[chuckstout]

Thanks misplaced, got the parts for 2 and the controllers in the mail, one for the keezer and one for the ferm box

 

[BoxBrewer]

Subscribed!

 

[jeffsciv23]

lol well eff. i got a little too excited reading this thread and pulled the trigger a bit to quickly. then as i read i noticed i should have looked at the voltage. so i am the proud owner of two temp controllers, a 12V and a 110 hahaha

 

[jeepinjeepin]

lol well eff. i got a little too excited reading this thread and pulled the trigger a bit to quickly. then as i read i noticed i should have looked at the voltage. so i am the proud owner of two temp controllers, a 12V and a 110 hahaha

I'm guessing you meant to get 2 110v units? What do you have in the 12v unit? I might be interested in it.

 

[jeffsciv23]

No I just meant to buy one 110 but bought the 12v without reading closley. It was $15.88 shipped. Figured ide throw it in a yardsale for same price. But let me know if you have a use for it.

 

[jeepinjeepin]

No I just meant to buy one 110 but bought the 12v without reading closley. It was $15.88 shipped. Figured ide throw it in a yardsale for same price. But let me know if you have a use for it.

Yeah. Planning a recirculating water bath for fermentation temp control. I have a 12vdc power supply and access to a 12vdc pump.

 

[jeffsciv23]

Ill let you know when it gets here from china or wherever its coming from lol

 

[Polarbeer]

I'm sure this is redundant but are there any 2 stage controllers in F or just C?
Saw this that someone posted http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-Tem...s=63&clkid=7333329851931799350#ht_4408wt_1139
but looks its single stage.

 

[JuanMoore]

I'm sure this is redundant but are there any 2 stage controllers in F or just C?
Saw this that someone posted http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-Tem...s=63&clkid=7333329851931799350#ht_4408wt_1139
but looks its single stage.

I haven't seen any, and the one you linked is definitely single stage.

 

[chuckstout]

Built one today works great tested with a small heater and a fan, thanks again love this site! My wife always like are you on your BeerBook again lol

 

[Polarbeer]

Ok thanks. Looks like I'm gonna go with Celsius then.

 

[jeffsciv23]

has anybody mounted one of these in the collar yet? just wondering because i have only been seeing them mounted in project boxes and junction boxes.

 

[JuanMoore]

has anybody mounted one of these in the collar yet? just wondering because i have only been seeing them mounted in project boxes and junction boxes.

Yep, mine is installed in the collar of my keezer, and I've seen a few other on here that have done the same.

 

[johnlvs2run]

has anybody mounted one of these in the collar yet? just wondering because i have only been seeing them mounted in project boxes and junction boxes.

My love controller gets 100 degrees, which depending on use, may or may not make a difference.

 

[jeffsciv23]

Yep, mine is installed in the collar of my keezer, and I've seen a few other on here that have done the same.

thanks. think thats what im gonna do also. do i just use longer wires and mount the junction box with the outlet on the back of the collar?

 

[JuanMoore]

thanks. think thats what im gonna do also. do i just use longer wires and mount the junction box with the outlet on the back of the collar?

I flush mounted the controller in the collar on the back of the keezer, and then ran extension cord wires down to an exterior single gang junction box with the outlet in it that I placed in the compressor area. I thought about mounting a standard single gang box in the collar and running the wires through the hollow part of my collar, but I wanted to be able to push it as close to the wall as possible, and didn't want the plugs keeping it away from the wall.

 

[dmbaty]

There was actually little need to log any data. In my fridge at least, (unlike the fridge thermostat) the controller can track / maintain the target temperature within a fairly narrow range. (+/- 0.5C or F2=1C was good enough for me.)

The only big difference I've noticed is the frequency and duration that the compressor is turned on/off. If the sensor is left in air, the fridge is turned on/off in short bursts (as an unmodified fridge). Having the sensor in water (near the back of the fridge) yielded longer shutoffs and longer power-on. I'm thinking that the water is a better representation of the beer temp but perhaps someone can comment on which method is better for the compressor.

Not sure if anyone has commented on this yet (didn't see a reply) but you definitely want to prevent short cycles on the compressor. Using a container of water would be one way, but you may want to consider changing the hysteresis (or "differential") to something more than a single degree to help with this even more.