Need help wiring Love controller

[billtzk]

Thanks dwygrsshpr. My chest freezer will be arriving at the end of this month. I sincerely hope that I'll be able to understand all this by then.

It looks like the guy at the link you posted is wiring the Love switch into an extension cord that the freezer is plugged into. From what I see of everyone's Keezer projects, that is pretty atypical. Most people seem to mount the Love on the Keezer and wire it into the appliance's wiring. In such case, I gather that the freezer would simply be plugged into a wall outlet.

In other words, the blog owner you referenced seems to be creating a Love-switched extension cord, not a Love-switched freezer. It could just as well be used to run a temperature-controlled freezer or a temperature-controlled paper shredder. But I'm guessing, because I really don't get it. Like I say, maybe I'll figure it all out when I can see the physical wiring.

 

[dwygrsshpr]

Yup, you got it. I too am just about ready to start my keezer project. I picked up an old compact freezer for $30 on craigslist. What the link shows is basically someone using the Love control like a Ranco; kind of defeats the purpose of a panel mount temperature controller! I used this thread and John Beere's fermentation cabinet thread to plan my wiring. I am ordering my Love control today - I will post a diagram along with my freezer schematic to update this thread with my solution.

 

[billtzk]

Sounds great. I ordered my Love TS switch yesterday.

 

[dwygrsshpr]

Here is the wiring diagram I used to connect my Love TS-13010 to an ancient compact freezer. If you look closely, the original wiring diagram (black) is virtually identical to the diagram above - I am guessing that nearly all fridge/freezers operate on the same diagram (other accessory circuits like lights etc operating inside the main loop).

I did not cut or damage the freezer in any way. I merely removed the original thermostat from the unit and spliced into the existing harness as indicated. I even theaded the Love thermocouple through the original hole in the unit. if I ever had the desire to return this unit to stock, it would simply be a matter of removing the Love and reinstalling the original thermostat.

In 40 minutes the unit chilled from 70* ambient to 48* (compressor shut-off) and continued to cool down to 41* due to lag. I placed the thermocouple into a cup of water to get true liquid temp.

Overall, this could not be simplier and I still have power to the unit - I highly recommend going this route instead of killing power to the whole thing. Full disclosure, I had no previous knowledge using Love controls.

 

[stewbacca]

would someone be able to help me out with wiring my love controller into my freezer???

I thought i had the hang of it but when i plugged in the compressor started turning on/off/on/off/on/off then i got a nice large blue spark and a wonderful odor from the love controller... did i kill it??

here is a pic of my wiring diagram.... if anyone could help me out i would appreciate it..

EDIT: Nevermind... tried it again.. Got it working. I spliced into the wires just before the original temp control device. I must have crossed wires at some point..