MTC-6020 New Ebay Aquarium Temp Controller

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Huaco

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2011
Messages
1,361
Reaction score
155
Location
Just south of Cow Town
Looks like the makers of the STC-1000 have expanded the temp controller and included many more features. I have not explored the possibilities here but the added features would be great to brain-storm on.

eBay Link Unfortunately, it will break in a few days, as it IS an ebay link.

I will post up some screen shots from the listing.

edit: in red
 
Here are some screen shots

MTC-6020 TEMP CONTROLLER 01.jpg


MTC-6020 TEMP CONTROLLER 02.jpg


MTC-6020 TEMP CONTROLLER 03.jpg


MTC-6020 TEMP CONTROLLER 04.jpg


MTC-6020 TEMP CONTROLLER 05.jpg
 
Am I missing it or is this not a two stage controller? It doesn't mention heating at all, just cooling.
 
It looks great, if i get it right its one controller able to control to chambers with 4 devices total (2 cooling and 2 for heating) for less than $40
 
I missed the low Amp rating on the relays...
3 Amps? Really?

I wonder if the 'Defrost' is a renamed heating circuit for two-stage operation?

MTC-6020 TEMP CONTROLLER 06.jpg
 
It is low... The STC-1000 is rated at, I believe 10 Amps at 240V. This would probably not be functional to operate a refrigerator or freezer.
 
Hmmm, interesting. The low amperage rating is a downer, but it'd probably work for my small keezer. I also wonder what the rating is at 110V. Would be nice to have a separate sensor and programming for cooling my tower. I'm curious what the settings programming options are.
 
I like the fan control. I am guessing you could tell it to operate a fan whenever it is operating the cooling / defrosting function?

Also, I wonder about the 'pump' function? I bet the guys using 'glycol' type setups would be interested in this thing.
 
It is low... The STC-1000 is rated at, I believe 10 Amps at 240V. This would probably not be functional to operate a refrigerator or freezer.

Can you use the output to control an SSR? That would get over the 3amps limitation quite nicely...


Adam
 
Can you use the output to control an SSR? That would get over the 3amps limitation quite nicely...


Adam

Ding, Ding, Ding!!! We have a winner!

It would need some type of enclosure, with mounted heat sinks for the SSR's though. No big deal really, most guys put controllers in enclosures of some type anyway.

Ok, that solves THAT problem...

What else can anyone think of to use these functions for?
 
What else can anyone think of to use these functions for?

Have you see the Styrofoam "fermenting chambers" where you cut up a couple of pieces of Styrofoam insulate and make it into two chambers -in one you place frozen jugs of water and in the other you put your fermenter and then control the temperature in the fermenter chamber by turning on a small fan that pulls in cold air from the cold side?

-The new fan feature would certainly work in one of these but if you're going to go to all the effort of getting a temp controller you should probably just save your pennies for an old mini fridge...

It's another use, anyway.

The Barbequeue guys often have smokers where the meat is in a separate chamber from the smoke and a fan pulls in the hot smokey air to keep the temp in the "meat chamber" at a specific programmed temp. -These guys normally use full PID controllers that support the "ramp and soak" feature so that can put the meat through multiple rests sort of like a step mash, but a WAY cheaper way to go would be to just use one of these and set a specific temperature.


Glass kilns need to control temperature in a similar manner and if what you're doing just needs a simple single temperature or you want manual control you could use one of these with an appropriately sized SSR and go nuts.

Some of the coffee aficionados also want close control of temps and have used PIDs in the past; again this is a cheaper alternative is a single temp is ok or you don't mind manual control.

Adam
 
Does anyone have an electrical diagram example with the ssr? I want to make a fermentation/keezer and this would amazing!

My goal is to have a controller for the keezer side to hold at 35f and a fan to draw cold air up into the fermentation chamber when the set temp needs it. The 2 sensors would be nice but only if the control separate replies. 1 for the keezer and 1 for the fermentaion chamber. Any advice? Should I look for something else?

Thanks!
 
The STC-1000's are only rated at 5 amp. Through investigation done here on this site it was determined that the relays inside are rated at 10 amp. I would be willing to bet this unit will handle 10 amps at 110VAC. The defrost would be used as your heat circuit.

To wire a SSR you take the outputs from the controller and wire them to the coil side of the SSR. In this case make sure you get a SSR that has AC coil. Then you just wire your line/load to the switch side of the SSR. For the record a heat sink is not needed for SSR's rated at 25 amps running approx 10 amp loads. Most refrigerators do not draw more that 7 amps. I have large 30 CuFt commercial units that only draw 7 amps with lights, fans and compressors running at the same time.

If you run circulation fan or small 250watt heater 3 amps is fine you would only need the SSR to control the refrigeration or if you desired a larger heater.

Good find!:)
 
This looks great! Should I assume that the defrost circuit would be the same as the heating circuit on the STC? Unless I'm missing something it looks you get twice as much temp controller for the money!
 
I would bet that the defrost circuit won't work for heating the way something like the STC-1000 does.

A defrost cycle would normally have some sort of timer that activates it periodically and a temp sensor to turn the heat back off as soon as the ice build up has melted. The defrost temp may be a fixed temp setting and the time between cycles is likely measured in hours. Not the way we want to control heat.

Now, if you are looking to do a homemade cycle defrost refrigerator/freezer, then this would work just fine.


If someone can get a copy of the instructions for the unit, it may confirm what the unit can and can't do.
 
Here is a manufacturer page with functional menu information.

If you select up one menu, "Others", you find a number of related temperature controllers including the STC-1000. Unfortunately, there doesn't appear to be any units advertised as cooling & heating other than the STC-1000.
 
Yup, that confirms it. There isn't a heating mode, only a defrost mode that is a combination of timer triggered and overridden when the temp gets high enough.


I suppose you could set the defrost temp limit to the desired cut off temp and give it a short defrost cycle time. But it may not do any cooling during the defrost time window - not good in a season where you need cooling all the time.
 
Back
Top