Nice sticker from "Beer" , a great little beer bar. Their stained glass of the same is really cool . https://www.facebook.com/BeerPortland/
Inkbird itc-308? $35 gets you wired, 2 stage temp controller.
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Nice sticker from "Beer" , a great little beer bar. Their stained glass of the same is really cool . https://www.facebook.com/BeerPortland/
TandemTails
Well-Known Member
Awesome! Yeah, some friends and I were there a few years ago over Memorial Day weekend and had a blast. Beer had some amazing selections to choose from.
I think I'm having some issues with either my unit, or the way it is setup.
First time using it for fermentation with heat connected.
see photos
Temp set at 67
Actual temp is 66.1
Heating light is on
HD 3
Cd 3
Pt 10
But the heater (lasko my heat) continues to run above 64.
View attachment 1447396114470.jpg
1)Am I wrong to think that it should turn off then?
2) Does the PT setting affect how long the heat/cool stays on even after it is within the threshold?
I'm also having issues with the lasko overheating which isn't helping with the diagnosis...
First time using it for fermentation with heat connected.
see photos
Temp set at 67
Actual temp is 66.1
Heating light is on
HD 3
Cd 3
Pt 10
But the heater (lasko my heat) continues to run above 64.
View attachment 1447396114470.jpg
1)Am I wrong to think that it should turn off then?
2) Does the PT setting affect how long the heat/cool stays on even after it is within the threshold?
I'm also having issues with the lasko overheating which isn't helping with the diagnosis...
With setpoint at 67°F, the heat comes on at 64°F, and turns off at 67°F. Cooling comes on at 70°F, and turns off at 67°F. Your unit appears to be operating as designed.
Brew on
Finlandbrews
Well-Known Member
What is the od of the probe on the itc 308?
With setpoint at 67°F, the heat comes on at 64°F, and turns off at 67°F. Cooling comes on at 70°F, and turns off at 67°F. Your unit appears to be operating as designed.
Brew on
Ok.
I was under the impression the variants bother operated as +/-
Thanks for the help
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GeorgeH2013
Well-Known Member
Hey guys, I just read this thread start to finish, as I was thinking of buying one of these controllers. Then the last comment from Jwin, and response from Doug, has me a little confused. Why does it wait until until 64 is reached, before it kicks on the heat, if the desired temp is 67? Same in reverse for cooling. Why does it wait until 70, before it starts to cool to 67? That seems like a wide (6 degree) range.
Forgive me if I'm misunderstanding. I don't want to carry this thread on longer than it needs to.
Forgive me if I'm misunderstanding. I don't want to carry this thread on longer than it needs to.
That's the way hysteresis works. If you don't have a dead band for on/off controllers, they end up fast cycling which causes early equipment failures. If you want to maintain a setpoint at a specific value, you need to use some kind of variable output controller (like a PID.) However, variable output controllers are not compatible with compressors. So, for a refrigeration unit, on/off control is the only way to go (unless you use a throtlable recirculating coolant with a thermal mass.)
The hysteresis of the ITC-308 can be set as low as +/- 1°F (or +/- 0.3°C IIRC.) If you are going to use a small hysteresis band, then you want to make sure to use a long compressor delay time to protect the compressor from early failure.
By placing the temp probe on the outside of a fermenter, and insulating it lightly, you get the heating/cooling system to react faster than the thermal mass in the fermenter, and thus keep the fermenting beer at a more even temperature. A thermowell in the fermenter is not the best placement for maintaining uniform beer temperature when using a simple on/off controller.
Brew on
That's the way hysteresis works. If you don't have a dead band for on/off controllers, they end up fast cycling which causes early equipment failures. If you want to maintain a setpoint at a specific value, you need to use some kind of variable output controller (like a PID.) However, variable output controllers are not compatible with compressors. So, for a refrigeration unit, on/off control is the only way to go (unless you use a throtlable recirculating coolant with a thermal mass.)
The hysteresis of the ITC-308 can be set as low as +/- 1°F (or +/- 0.3°C IIRC.) If you are going to use a small hysteresis band, then you want to make sure to use a long compressor delay time to protect the compressor from early failure.
By placing the temp probe on the outside of a fermenter, and insulating it lightly, you get the heating/cooling system to react faster than the thermal mass in the fermenter, and thus keep the fermenting beer at a more even temperature. A thermowell in the fermenter is not the best placement for maintaining uniform beer temperature when using a simple on/off controller.
Brew on
As I am finding out.
I'm getting huge swings which has confused my poor yeast.
The environment temp is swinging 30* or so. Tried changing the hysteresis from 1* variance to 3* and swings either way unless I open the for to regulate the internal temp.
Going to just dangle the probe as the spiedel is so dense I doubt the accuracy of taping it. Will just use the thermowell for a cheap probe thermometer to monitor beer temperature and adjust the ink bird accordingly. Regulate the environment to regulate the beer temp instead of just trying to regulate the beer temp.
Note, none of this is at fault of the unit.
I would love it if it had different set points, instead of one temperature.
I.e. heat set to 65, cool to 68. It would be much more useful that way imo.
GeorgeH2013
Well-Known Member
Thanks, Doug. So, if I am understanding correctly, placing the temp probe on the outside of the fermenter will get the heating/cooling system to react quicker, therefore, the temp inside the fermenter stays (more) consistent. But, this puts added strain on the heating/cooling elements, as they are turning on/off more frequently. Correct? If it is, then what is the preferred method of heating/cooling the ferm chamber? Or is a matter of "picking your poison?"
Jwin: I see what you are saying. I'm glad I caught this thread. Great stuff here from everyone. Very informative.
Jwin: I see what you are saying. I'm glad I caught this thread. Great stuff here from everyone. Very informative.
Yeah, it's kind of pick your poison. You have to balance it the best you can. I run mine at 1°F hysteresis, and 10 minute compressor delay. I have a 200W Lesko mini space heater in the chamber, but most of the time that is too high powered, and gives me more oscillation than I would like. You want just enough wattage to keep the temp at about 70°F with the coldest ambient the chamber will experience.
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Inkbird promotes the lowest price for controllers of the year. From Black Friday to Cyber Monday. Pre-wired ITC-308 dual stage temperature controller drops 20%. Please don't miss the biggest feast.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=558247
More detail is above the link.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=558247
More detail is above the link.
Finlandbrews
Well-Known Member
Any offers for the European market a well?
I just received my inkbird-308 and bought a Black Friday special 6.8cu chest freezer to set up as a fermentation chamber. Now after the first go-round at programming this thing, I'm gonna need some help. These codes and such are like Greek to me. I downloaded the manual but I could not get anything going. Right from the "set temp" parameter. So here is what I tried. I held the set button for 3 sec, then hit again for short stabs trying to bring up the set temp parameter. According to the manual it should be displayed as TS. There is no TS. So there I am stuck. I think I know what I should do but I can't get there.
I appreciate any help you can provide!
I appreciate any help you can provide!
Ok, after watching a video I think I was able to figure it out somewhat. Some of the parameter names seem to differ on the unit from what the documentation says, for instance the "Set TEMP".
I've got the probe in a bottle of water trying to get the temp stabilized. I'm brewing tomorrow so hopefully by then it will.
I've got the probe in a bottle of water trying to get the temp stabilized. I'm brewing tomorrow so hopefully by then it will.
I have my set temp at 68 and differential at 2 but it seems to be overshooting like mad. Right now I have the probe in a bottle of water because I don't have any beer in there. Just trying to get a stable temp. Any ideas?
Try taping it to a can of soda/coke/cola/pop.
Or just let it dangle.
What I learned, especially with my stand up freezer is to regulate the temperature of the environment, not the beer.
I put mine in a thermowell at first. That was a bad idea.
Going to get one of those cheap Chinese probe thermometers off eBay and use it in the thermowell. I will regulate the environment and change it accordingly
Or just let it dangle.
What I learned, especially with my stand up freezer is to regulate the temperature of the environment, not the beer.
I put mine in a thermowell at first. That was a bad idea.
Going to get one of those cheap Chinese probe thermometers off eBay and use it in the thermowell. I will regulate the environment and change it accordingly
Thanks Jwin, yes I just went back a page or two in this thread and read about that. I thought I had covered this info fairly well but..... I just took the probe out of the bottle and things have calmed down a bit. I guess the thing to do is monitor the wort temp while controlling the environment. If the wort temp is up due to fermentation then the set temp cam be lowered to compensate. This system is not quite automatic yet......
I had a small heater my wife uses in the bathroom but I think it is too much. I replaced this with a heat gun (the kind used for heat skink tubing in electronics) on the low setting. Tomorrow I'll go to a pet store and look for a terrarium heater or some such as the heat overshoot seems to be the problem. I think if I can heat more slowly, it'll work.
Finlandbrews
Well-Known Member
Guys what is the od of the probe on the itc 308? Is it 0.236"?
Mine measures right at .2"
Finlandbrews
Well-Known Member
I have now gotten my itc 308 but haven't found what to use to heat my fridge... Anyone has an efficient system?
I've been struggling with the heat side of things. I have a carboy full of water in the freezer and it seems that everything I have tried using for heat would cause a big overshoot by heating too fast of with too much energy. Last night I decided to try it set at 67 deg without heat since it is in the house. I had hoped it would keep close But at night we generally turn the house thermostat down to 61-62 deg and that is where I found the chamber this morning. I'd like to maintain the temp closer than that so I am back to a heat source. I thought of building the paint can heater and went to HD in search of the stuff but found this instead for considerably less than the paint can would have been. I'm testing it right now and I think the trick will be in getting the right wattage for the light bulb.
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