EBay fish tank controller build using Wal-mart parts

[jeepinjeepin]

Jeepinjeepin,

That looks awesome! I hope to build two just like that. Any tricks you can share for that exact build? I see square shaped switch plate, looks like the one without the beveled edge, outlet box and anything else? Great job!

Thanks! These are made by Cooper. It's a "Decorator Grounding Receptacle" and a "Two Gang Screwless Wallplate, Hidden Mounting Screws, Decorator." The box is just a plain old romex black box. This one is a different type than usual. There are no protrusions inside of it. it goes to a flat back with hard corners. On the reciept it's listed as 38CI ENT 2G 4"SQ ROMEXNWO. All purchased at Lowe's. Here's the receipt. I would assume all Lowe's use the same item numbers.

 

[twofieros]

Thanks jeepin. I should have no problem duplicating that sweet build with the details you gave.

 

[jeepinjeepin]

Thanks jeepin. I should have no problem duplicating that sweet build with the details you gave.

I had to do a little out of the box thinking to get it together. When it's going together you basically have two faceplates that snap together. Make your two wire splices first. Attach the 3 wires to the outlet. Mount the outlet to the box. Install the baseplate after widening the hole to allow the controller to pass through. You have to cut an extra notch on the top and bottom at either end for the orange locking tabs to pass through. Note: Of the 4 screws that hold the baseplate on I was only able to use the bottom 2 where the outlet resides. Mount the controller to the faceplate after widening the hole for it to fit. Go slow. it's easy to go too far. Note: The faceplate and baseplate are indexed to one another. Mock it up before grinding away at the faceplate. Finish your connections at the controller and snap it together.

 

[sirmichael]

I got my STC1000 in the mail today. Went to Home Depot to get everything and got it all wired up. It doesn't look pretty but it works. I will work on making it pretty when I have more time.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

I got my STC1000 in the mail today. Went to Home Depot to get everything and got it all wired up. It doesn't look pretty but it works. I will work on making it pretty when I have more time.

Be careful with this... wires showing, not much safe at all. Get her buttoned up.

MC

 

[sirmichael]

Be careful with this... wires showing, not much safe at all. Get her buttoned up.

MC

Yup. It's all going in a gang box tomorrow.

 

[sirmichael]

Yup. It's all going in a gang box tomorrow.

Well MC got me nervous so I went ahead and put everything in the gang box tonight. And the controller doesn't fit. The box is a little too small to fit the wiring and the controller. I think I'm going to head to Radio Shack tomorrow and pick up a project box.

At least I know how to wire it now.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

Well MC got me nervous so I went ahead and put everything in the gang box tonight. And the controller doesn't fit. The box is a little too small to fit the wiring and the controller. I think I'm going to head to Radio Shack tomorrow and pick up a project box.
.

Did you remember to grind away the protrusions? As seen in this pictures: Picture of ground down gang box.

MC

 

[fwooten]

Anyone know if the STC-1000 will push enough amps to start up a Holiday 7cu chest freezer set up in my garage?

Here are some specs from the back of the freezer:
Voltage: 115v~60Hz
Amps:1.70A
Startup Amps: 12A

Sorry if you've seen this question already.. posted it a couple times now. Don't want to start a fire...

 

[twofieros]

I believe it can handle 13A.

 

[Fordzilla]

Pop the case off the STC-1000 and look at the relays. Mine are rated for 15A @ 125V. Thus, I would feel comfortable putting a startup current of 12A through them, but certainly not a constant current.

 

[jedijon]

Let me see if I've got the functionality of this device straight.

Cooling mode - set a target value, and a difference value (between 0.3 and 10C), it's been AT or ABOVE the target plus the difference value for the compressor delay (up to 10 minutes), it will turn on the cooling circuit and leave it open until the temperature is at the setpoint. Then it will turn off.

Example: set to 25C with a difference of 4 and compressor delay of 4. Once it's been 29C for 4 minutes, the cooling circuit will activate until the temperature reaches 25C.


Heating mode - set target and difference as above--there's NO compressor delay function available. Once the actual value reaches the target minus the difference, the circuit immediately opens and stays on until the target value is reached.

Example: set to 25C with a difference of 4. Once it reaches 21C the heating circuit will activate until the temperature reaches 25C.


If both heating and cooling devices are plugged in to the same controller, then there can still only be one setpoint and one difference value. If you wanted two targets or two difference values, then you'd need two controllers.

Have I got all this correct? Was there ever an answer to the several folks wondering the maximum heat the temperature probe could accept? Can it mash--can it sparge? Heck, can it boil / bake w/your malt...?

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

As per this., it measures 0C-99C (210F).

You're correct that the compressor delay is only on the cold side.

The temperature swing is, I *believe*, "+/-" , in that if you set the temperature target for 20.0C, with a swing of 2C, it will turn on the cold relay at 22C (and will wait for the compressor delay), and will turn it off at 20C.

Likewise, if the temp is set for 20.0C with a swing of 2C, it will turn on the heat when the temp falls down to 18.0C (and no delay on that one) and will stop when the temp reaches 20.0C.

MC

 

[marshallwms]

As per this., it measures 0C-99C (210F).

You're correct that the compressor delay is only on the cold side.

The temperature swing is, I *believe*, "+/-" , in that if you set the temperature target for 20.0C, with a swing of 2C, it will turn on the cold relay at 22C (and will wait for the compressor delay), and will turn it off at 20C.

Likewise, if the temp is set for 20.0C with a swing of 2C, it will turn on the heat when the temp falls down to 18.0C (and no delay on that one) and will stop when the temp reaches 20.0C.

MC

Does the controller wait for the delay every time? Or is it smart enough to know the delay time has passed, if it indeed has? I would hope for second case to be the true one. I have one of these builds (not the Walmart parts version though) and it works very well. I use a 0.3C swing with my probe taped to the fermenter and pretty well insulated with pipe insulation tape and reflectix. This is heating season here, but sometimes it gets warm enough that it needs to cool. It is so nice not having to worry about this at all.

 

[JuanMoore]

Does the controller wait for the delay every time? Or is it smart enough to know the delay time has passed, if it indeed has? I would hope for second case to be the true one. I have one of these builds (not the Walmart parts version though) and it works very well. I use a 0.3C swing with my probe taped to the fermenter and pretty well insulated with pipe insulation tape and reflectix. This is heating season here, but sometimes it gets warm enough that it needs to cool. It is so nice not having to worry about this at all.

The compressor delay will only activate when the cooling relay has been closed recently, and when the unit powers on.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

The compressor delay will only activate when the cooling relay has been closed recently, and when the unit powers on.

I wasn't aware of that. Thanks for pointing it out.

MC

 

[JuanMoore]

I wasn't aware of that. Thanks for pointing it out.

MC

What I'm not sure of is whether the delay starts from the time the compressor was last activated, or from the time the temp reaches the set-point. Not that it really matters.

 

[TyTanium]

What I'm not sure of is whether the delay starts from the time the compressor was last activated, or from the time the temp reaches the set-point. Not that it really matters.

Pretty sure it's from the time it reaches the setpoint....I've tried turning it down after reaching the setpoint (after running for more than 10 mins) and it still delays.

I.e., it won't power the compressor until waiting x amount of time since it last provided power to it, giving it a chance to equilibrate.

 

[Brewing_Between_Games]

After setting everything up and getting the bugs worked out, I've realized that I don't like the stc-1000 probe going thought the door seal. Maybe doesn't have much effect but bothers me. Does anyone have an opinion regarding the +/- 10 degrees calibration ability after setting up some kind of "through the door jack" system? Is the adjustment wide enough to bring back into calibration? Maybe earphone jack and plug both inside and out for neatness.

 

[JuanMoore]

After setting everything up and getting the bugs worked out, I've realized that I don't like the stc-1000 probe going thought the door seal. Maybe doesn't have much effect but bothers me. Does anyone have an opinion regarding the +/- 10 degrees calibration ability after setting up some kind of "through the door jack" system? Is the adjustment wide enough to bring back into calibration? Maybe earphone jack and plug both inside and out for neatness.

Adding a couple jacks shouldn't change the reading much if at all. I doubled the probe wire length and added jacks to two controllers, and one of them didn't even need to be re-calibrated. The other one only needed to be adjusted 1°F.

 

[Brewing_Between_Games]

Perfect! Thanks

 

[Brewitt]

Thanks for the design and all the great info. I just found a refrigerator to use. I got my STC-1000 yesterday. I have most of the other stuff laying around. I'm wondering if anyone has tried to use an aquarium heater as the heating side of this arrangement. It is just a regular plug in heater that I thought I would turn on high and just plug it in. Will it generate enough heat to provide the warm side in a 18 cf fridge?

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

Thanks for the design and all the great info. I just found a refrigerator to use. I got my STC-1000 yesterday. I have most of the other stuff laying around. I'm wondering if anyone has tried to use an aquarium heater as the heating side of this arrangement. It is just a regular plug in heater that I thought I would turn on high and just plug it in. Will it generate enough heat to provide the warm side in a 18 cf fridge?

Thanks in advance for any help.

I could be wrong, but I always though that fish tank heaters are only to be used when submerged?

MC

 

[Brewitt]

I could be wrong, but I always though that fish tank heaters are only to be used when submerged?

MC

I finally took the two seconds to look that up online and you are correct. No go. That leaves me with a light bulb or a small heater.

 

[CGVT]

I use a light bulb. It works well.

 

[Brewitt]

Just finished my build and did the initial testing. Works wonderfully. The whole thing cost me less than $30 since I had a few of the parts laying around. I used a deep double gang box from home depot that required no cutting at all. Plugged in the refrigerator and light and all seems well. Trying a couple of temperature changes and watching it over time. Still need to finish the heat lamp setup as I am just using a clip on light for now. Just a test, not fermenting.

Thanks to the OP and others for their guidance.

 

[Stoneciphes]

any issues using a light bulb given that it promotes algae growth? Keeping beer out of the light like a vampire seems to be a common suggestion.

 

[Misplaced_Canuck]

any issues using a light bulb given that it promotes algae growth? Keeping beer out of the light like a vampire seems to be a common suggestion.

Well light bulbs also put out UV light, so the "light bulb in a paint bucket" trick would work. Or just use a ceramic heat lamp.

MC

 

[fluidmechanics]

Mark

 

[jerryk]

Or get a ceramic heater from Walmart.