Inkbird itc-308? $35 gets you wired, 2 stage temp controller.

[Mordhaus]

I took my unit apart last night to verify the wiring, took a picture and sent it to Inkird. I had a response in less than hour from Ken, saying that they would ship me a new unit within 2 days. It's nice to see there is still customer service these days and these guys are doing it from overseas with a language barrier.

 

[Jwin]

great job IB. A company that is based in china, makes great products specifically for home brewers, and takes care of/listens to its customers?!?
Awesome.
I'll be buying one for my kegerater to go with my diy itc 1000/2000 fermentation controller. (Utilized a single cool, dual heat control)
Maybe you guys can teach behringer something.
Looking for a off the shelf electric brewery panel from you guys next.

 

[superkrai]

Where can I purchase this product? Inkbird site has no buy option. I want to make sure I get one of the new compliant units.

 

[mcgimpkins]

On Amazon: Inkbird 100 ~240VAC ITC-308 Digital Temperature Controller Outlet Thermostat, 2-stage, 1000W, w/ Sensor

 

[Mordhaus]

I just received my replacement unit only 4 days after a tracking number was issued. Took it apart and verified the wiring had been changed. Great job, Inkbird.

 

[Jwin]

Ordered one yesterday. I'll report in next week after I get back from vacation @ nyc

 

[Helloworld]

I want to share the very excellent customer service experience I had with Inkbird. I contacted them after discovering this thread. They have responded to every email very quickly, and have been incredibly polite and apologetic to me. Inkbird shipped me a new itc-308 today after I emailed a photo of the wiring and provided my order number.

Great job, Inkbird! I will definitely buy more of your products in the future. Brewnanny/Gary Lyons could learn a thing or two from you guys.

 

[Hoppity]

+1 for customer response. Answered their follow-up email with my concerns and a new re-wired unit is on the way. No cross-ship, no return.
Still using the first one (trying not to leave it in a puddle w/bare feet).

 

[JBlick]

I just received my Inkbird ITC-308 in the mail. I had ordered it right about when doug293cz started posting about the wiring issues, so I wasn't sure what I would get. The shipment took a little while (probably held up for the quality checks), but the unit works great and is wired correctly. A big "Thank You!" to doug293cz for spreading the word and helping all of us out and also thanks to Inkbird for taking care of their customers.

 

[inkbird]

Thank you for all your support ,here are another new test.

1. Tied 8 different probes together as picture 1 show , and power up,wait for 1 minute,they shows as picture 2.

2. Here is their reading display：

STC-1000：27.3℃，27.6℃，27.3℃；
ITC-1000：27.6℃，27.5℃；
ITC-308： 27.6℃，27.6℃，27.5℃。

The readings of the temperature controllers are similar. Besides ,the temperature accuracy of them is ±1 Degree C ,so we think the ITC-308 fully comply with the product description.

 

[OlDirtyJohn]

Wow, good stuff happening here in this thread. I know what I'm getting when I need another temp controller.

 

[Mordhaus]

I didn't see it mentioned here, but have we determined if the probe is liquid submersible?

 

[1977Brewer]

I didn't see it mentioned here, but have we determined if the probe is liquid submersible?

The Amazon Q&A says yes, I believe. Good question.

I'm ordering mine tomorrow.

 

[Jwin]

I didn't see it mentioned here, but have we determined if the probe is liquid submersible?

Was stated that it was, since it was designed specifically for brewers

 

[thekraken]

Now that the miss-wiring issue is out of the way, any reports on performance?

 

[TandemTails]

I just ordered mine today. I'm planning on hooking it up to a GE mini fridge to use as a basic fermentation chamber (I'm tired of swamp cooling in my spare bath tub).

I'll post details once I receive it and hook it up to the fridge.

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, there are no words regarding whether the temperature probe is "waterproof" or not on the Inkbird web site page for this controller, nor anywhere else on their site.

Might want to ask that specific question of Mister Inkbird...

Cheers!

 

[zman_]

I just got this and set it up with my keezer. It works really well and is easy to setup. My probe is fully submerged in water and has been for the past ~1 week with no problems.

The only issue that I had was attempting to set up using F instead of C. I was easily able to switch units, however my temperature controller refused to initiate cooling while using F as the unit. I was thinking that this was due to the compressor cooldown, however the cooling light blinks when that is in effect and was not blinking. Not sure if this is an isolated issue or something that is more common.

 

[aprichman]

Thank you for all your support ,here are another new test.

1. Tied 8 different probes together as picture 1 show , and power up,wait for 1 minute,they shows as picture 2.

2. Here is their reading display：

STC-1000：27.3℃，27.6℃，27.3℃；
ITC-1000：27.6℃，27.5℃；
ITC-308： 27.6℃，27.6℃，27.5℃。

The readings of the temperature controllers are similar. Besides ,the temperature accuracy of them is ±1 Degree C ,so we think the ITC-308 fully comply with the product description.

I recently built an ITC-1000 controller for my fermentation chamber and have found the temperature probe to be very accurate. Here's a reading of the ITC-1000 and my Thermopop thermometer in the same erlenmeyer flask.

 

[inkbird]

fwiw, there are no words regarding whether the temperature probe is "waterproof" or not on the Inkbird web site page for this controller, nor anywhere else on their site.

Might want to ask that specific question of Mister Inkbird...

Cheers!

Thank you for your question ,this probe is waterproof.

 

[inkbird]

I just got this and set it up with my keezer. It works really well and is easy to setup. My probe is fully submerged in water and has been for the past ~1 week with no problems.

The only issue that I had was attempting to set up using F instead of C. I was easily able to switch units, however my temperature controller refused to initiate cooling while using F as the unit. I was thinking that this was due to the compressor cooldown, however the cooling light blinks when that is in effect and was not blinking. Not sure if this is an isolated issue or something that is more common.

Thank you for your share.
When CF value changed, all the setting value will be recovered to factory setting.

We mentioned it in our manual as the following shows.
5.5 Display in Fahrenheit or Centigrade unit (CF)
Users can select display with Fahrenheit or Centigrade temperature value according to their own habit. Default setting is display with Centigrade temperature value. For displaying with Fahrenheit temperature value, set CF value as F.
Attentions: when CF value changed, all the setting value will be recovered to factory settings.

 

[zman_]

Thank you for your share.
When CF value changed, all the setting value will be recovered to factory setting.

We mentioned it in our manual as the following shows.
5.5 Display in Fahrenheit or Centigrade unit (CF)
Users can select display with Fahrenheit or Centigrade temperature value according to their own habit. Default setting is display with Centigrade temperature value. For displaying with Fahrenheit temperature value, set CF value as F.
Attentions: when CF value changed, all the setting value will be recovered to factory settings.

I noticed that and made sure to change all of the temperature parameters (for example the SV was 41F), and despite the PV value being well above the SV+HD/CD, it would not initiate the cooling cycle. Additionally, the cooling light was not flashing to indicate that it was within the compressor delay. I have everything working now in C, and I am going to try to switch over to F again this weekend and see if maybe time fixed the issue.

 

[Darth_Duane]

Anybody gotten to try this device out for a while yet? I'm debating between picking up one of these or building my own from an STC-1000.

Thanks,

 

[jmpreiks]

Anybody gotten to try this device out for a while yet? I'm debating between picking up one of these or building my own from an STC-1000.

Thanks,

I've been using it to control a minifridge at various temperatures for a while now and I couldn't be happier. It is so easy to use, and keeps the temp within +/- 1°F once you adjust the settings.

I do have one of the very early models so I need to check for the unsafe wiring still, but it works great regardless.

 

[eagle83]

I've been using it to control a minifridge at various temperatures for a while now and I couldn't be happier. It is so easy to use, and keeps the temp within +/- 1°F once you adjust the settings.

I do have one of the very early models so I need to check for the unsafe wiring still, but it works great regardless.

Same here. I took the probe from a Fisher Scientific digital thermometer that shows the current temp plus the high and low temp and taped to the probe of the ITC. It's staying within a degree of the Fisher thermometer (which measures to the tenth) and it is holding it within about 5 degrees of the setting. I think I have it set to + or - 5. So far it is working flawlessly.

 

[thekraken]

Maybe @inkbird can answer this: does the control algorithm have minimum on and off times? Is it tuned in such a way that it won't shorten the life of my refrigerator's compressor?

 

[doug293cz]

Maybe @inkbird can answer this: does the control algorithm have minimum on and off times? Is it tuned in such a way that it won't shorten the life of my refrigerator's compressor?

It does have a programmable compressor turn on delay time (0 to 10 minutes), but no minimum running time. You can find the manual here: http://www.ink-bird.com/product/detail/p/ITC-308_Outlet_Thermostat_Temperature_Controller/id/12 (need to click on the "Download" tab a ways down the page.)

Brew on

 

[day_trippr]

I don't think there's much value in minimum run times wrt compressor health.
Maybe there's value to such a feature in some other respect.

Short-cycling, otoh, can definitely wreak havoc...

Cheers!

 

[muddy1015]

Got mine today - ordered off Amazon prime for $39 - super easy to setup and get started right away and works great so far!

Definitely my go to from here on out, pretty slick looking as well

 

[thekraken]

It does have a programmable compressor turn on delay time (0 to 10 minutes), but no minimum running time.

Programmable minimum off time then, right?

I don't think there's much value in minimum run times wrt compressor health.
Maybe there's value to such a feature in some other respect.

Short-cycling, otoh, can definitely wreak havoc...

Cheers!

What do you mean by short cycling exactly? Short off periods?

 

[doug293cz]

Programmable minimum off time then, right?

Yes.

Brew on

 

[day_trippr]

[...]What do you mean by short cycling exactly? Short off periods?

Exactly. Hard on the compressor...

Cheers!

 

[thekraken]

Exactly. Hard on the compressor...

Cheers!

Starting to veer a little off topic now but what then is an appropriate or safe minimum off time for a fridge compressor cycle? If I remember correctly I think the brewpi control algorithm is a min of 5 to 8 min off and 3 min on.

 

[doug293cz]

I think most people set the compressor delay to the max of 10 minutes, as that is the least wear and tear on the compressor. The stuff we are cooling isn't going to warm up a whole lot in 10 minutes anyway.

Brew on

 

[stamandster]

That's a good point Doug. Gog mine setup last night. About 0.3f off So far so good! The response time isnt super duper fast but is sufficient for this application.

 

[jmpreiks]

Starting to veer a little off topic now but what then is an appropriate or safe minimum off time for a fridge compressor cycle? If I remember correctly I think the brewpi control algorithm is a min of 5 to 8 min off and 3 min on.

I can't tell you what is appropriate or safe, but the default on this unit is 3 minutes of off time. I would imagine this is more of an issue for older and/or larger compressors, but my speculation is that it can't take more than a couple minutes for everything to "settle down" after being switched off. I think the real problem would be cycling it off and on after just a few seconds. This could easily happen if you don't have your temperature probe attached to some sort of thermal mass and you didn't have any compressor delay set on your controller.

 

[Jwin]

Happy with mine 2 days in

 

[texwake]

I still have not gotten around to testing mine or making sure it has the correct wiring. I am currently rewiring and putting dry wall up in my garage.

 

[Hoppity]

I got my properly phased replacement unit in the mail yesterday. Great service, good product.

 

[Phillipotamus]

Do I need to defrost my mini fridge before turning it on thru the inkbird itc-308?

I'm very new (first post ever), and having trouble with getting the inkbird to stabilize on or near the setting temperature. I'm assuming that my mini fridge goes into the cooling plug, correct? Not the heating side? I'm trying to get 67F.