HELP replace refrigerator thermostat with inkbird stc-1000

[narddawg314]

SOLVED, solution provided by raouliii

red(HOT) to post 6. white (Neutral) wire to post 5. yellow wire to the compressor, to post 3. Nothing needs to be attached to post 4.


I've used inkbird controllers before to control an outlet that I had something plugged into, but for this project, I wanted to wire the controller directly into my refrigerator and thus removing the old thermostat. I'm running into trouble getting the compressor to kick on however. I'm able to get the lights to come on, so I know the power is there, and when I connected the thermostat back in, the refrigerator worked fine. I checked that the inkbird was working correctly, and it is activating the switch in the correct way. Anyone able to help with this? Attached is two photos. One is the wiring schematic for the refrigerator, and the other is the available wires in the refrigerator cabinet. The t-stat has one pole with two red wires, and one pole with one yellow wire and it is grounded. One of the two red wires jumps to a "power save switch" that is also connected to a gray wire.

 

[mongoose33]

Forgive me for what may be a very naive question, but why aren't you just setting the thermostat to "Cold" and letting the Inkbird decide when to turn the refrigerator on and off?

 

[narddawg314]

Forgive me for what may be a very naive question, but why aren't you just setting the thermostat to "Cold" and letting the Inkbird decide when to turn the refrigerator on and off?

this is a side by side refrigerator and I'm planning to control the freezer side with the inkbird, and another temp controller in the refrigerator side to turn computer fans on to bring in cold air when needed and I would prefer to keep the power internal to the refrigerator. Basically, I need power all the time and don't want to control the temp by turning off the whole unit like I've done with straight keezer builds.

 

[Rotule]

The "cold control" (called temp control on the bottom schematic...) with red and yellow wire on it looks like what you would like to replace wit h the STC-1000 relay.

if you do that the only thing that could force the compressor off other than the STC-1000) would be the Defrost Timer.

I think you are doing it the best way, you will keep the Defrost Timer functionnality, and lights also (even when the STC-1000 output is off)

 

[narddawg314]

The "cold control" (called temp control on the bottom schematic...) with red and yellow wire on it looks like what you would like to replace wit h the STC-1000 relay.

if you do that the only thing that could force the compressor off other than the STC-1000) would be the Defrost Timer.

I think you are doing it the best way, you will keep the Defrost Timer functionnality, and lights also (even when the STC-1000 output is off)

beautiful. I was trying to trace that back and couldn't figure it out. I'll give it a shot when I get home.

 

[Rotule]

beautiful. I was trying to trace that back and couldn't figure it out. I'll give it a shot when I get home.

After watching Again, This switch might be only for the defrost.. since the Defrost relay is connected with the NC contact.

Is this a freezer only unit? or there is a way to set the "cold" level and a sensor? It looks like it runs until its frozen then stops.

You could put the St-1000 contact in series with the BL wire on the Defrost timer contact if its the case.

 

[narddawg314]

After watching Again, This switch might be only for the defrost.. since the Defrost relay is connected with the NC contact.

Is this a freezer only unit? or there is a way to set the "cold" level and a sensor? It looks like it runs until its frozen then stops.

You could put the St-1000 contact in series with the BL wire on the Defrost timer contact if its the case.

It's a side by side refrigerator/freezer and the thermostat I'm working with is for the freezer side.

Not having any luck with getting it to turn on the compressor.

I tried using the white common wire and then I tried the gray common that had been connected to the "power saver" switch but still no love. Lights come on and the inkbird is on, but no cooling.

 

[narddawg314]

You could put the St-1000 contact in series with the BL wire on the Defrost timer contact if its the case.

not sure what you mean by that

 

[raouliii]

That inkbird doesn't wire up the same as a standard STC1000. It looks like you tried a few different configurations. Try this.

The wiring in the second photo, from two posts preceding this one, is close but wires need to be moved around. From the white plastic connector: Attach one of the red(HOT) wires to post 6. Attach the yellow wire that has already been wirenutted to the cut white (Neutral) wire to post 5. Attach the yellow wire, that runs from the original thermostat to the compressor, to post 3. Nothing needs to be attached to post 4. The other red wire and gray wire can remain wirenutted separate if you want the flange and mullion heaters to be off or wirenut them together if you want them on. These heaters keep the sweat dried from the outer surfaces of the fridge, at the price of energy efficiency. Bypassing the defrost timer would need to happen elsewhere in the fridge. It will likely operate just fine as is. Good luck

 

[Rotule]

Like raouliii said, , must be p^retty close

 

[narddawg314]

That inkbird doesn't wire up the same as a standard STC1000. It looks like you tried a few different configurations. Try this.

The wiring in the second photo, from two posts preceding this one, is close but wires need to be moved around. From the white plastic connector: Attach one of the red(HOT) wires to post 6. Attach the yellow wire that has already been wirenutted to the cut white (Neutral) wire to post 5. Attach the yellow wire, that runs from the original thermostat to the compressor, to post 3. Nothing needs to be attached to post 4. The other red wire and gray wire can remain wirenutted separate if you want the flange and mullion heaters to be off or wirenut them together if you want them on. These heaters keep the sweat dried from the outer surfaces of the fridge, at the price of energy efficiency. Bypassing the defrost timer would need to happen elsewhere in the fridge. It will likely operate just fine as is. Good luck

Very nice! I ended up splicing one of the remaining red wires to 6 also so the lights still work. It's cooling now! Thank you