Questions about a single stage "STC-1000" controller

[Pie_Man]

I'd like to replace the analog Johnson controller on my keezer with a single stage temp controller similar to the STC-1000 which I have on my ferm fridge.

Since I only need a single stage, I was thinking of purchasing this controller: http://www.ebay.com/itm/110V-Digita...237?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43af507bed

My questions are:
1. Will this controller do the job?
2. How would I wire the controller to an electrical outlet so that one plug is switched to run the freezer and the other is always on? I saw some debate about a wiring configuration here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/ebay-aquarium-temp-controller-build-163849/index339.html, but I'm not sure of the best way to accomplish this.

Thanks in advance for your help. I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to this stuff.

 

[Bensiff]

There should be terminals to connect wires from your fridge. If it were me I would get an extension cord to cut apart to wire to the device giving it a tail of sorts to plug the fridge into so I don't have to cut apart the fridge's cord to wire. Then there should be another set of posts to attach the plug in part that powers the device and passes through to power the fridge (or whatever you are switching) if not a hard wired power cord.

 

[Pie_Man]

Sorry, to be clear, I'm not planning on touching the freezer's electrical system. I was going to use an extension cord, radio shack project box, electrical outlet, etc. I'm unsure of how to wire everything so that one of the electrical outlet plugs is switched to run the freezer and the other is always on.

 

[Bensiff]

So, you would wire it like I said I would wire it. The controller will have a set of terminals on it, one set is for the 110v power in the other set will control the power out. It looks like you will need to wire a power cord to go from the wall to the box and then another cord that will go from the box to the freezer's plug (this one will be the one that gets switched on/off)

 

[Pie_Man]

Thank you, that much I understand. I'm looking more for a wiring diagram that explains how the one outlet stays on all the time and the other is switched.

I just found this wiring diagram: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/help-needed-337318/#post4196885, but that doesn't seem to explain how to set one side of the recepticle to always on and the other side switched.

 

[Monster Mash]

Your outlet has tabs that jumper the two of them together, you will break one side off. The on the switched side your black wire goes through the relay, the non switched side you will run a black wire directly to the socket you want power on all the time. Take this diagram and add another socket with wires going directly to it from your power source.

Make sure you break off one tab on your socket!!

 

[Bensiff]

Ok, so your male plug is your hot coming from the wall, you split the black so you run a lead into both the 1 and 3 slot. One of those slots are to power the controller itself and the other is the pass through that the controller will use an internal contactor to switch the power on and off. It is showing the neutral only going into the 4 position. Neutral is not a hot wire so it doesn't have to go into the controller and come out the other side, it just needs a jumper to go into the controller to power it but it doesn't have to be tied into the controllers switching mechanism directly. Then the ground wire can pass straight through to the plug in.

So, 1,2,3 are all your hot lines, 1,3 are hot going into the box and are always hot. 2 is the exit hot and is the one that switches on/off.

 

[Pie_Man]

Awesome, thank you both very much. Do I have to buy the duplex outlet, or will any outlet work?

 

[day_trippr]

Awesome, thank you both very much. Do I have to buy the duplex outlet, or will any outlet work?

You sure as heck need a duplex that in some way allows each outlet to be wired to separate hot (black) wires. The duplex units you find in a big box store have the break-away tabs on the sides, bust out the one with the brass colored screws (leave the one on the side with the bright screws and you'll only need one neutral connection to that side)...

Cheers!

 

[Pie_Man]

Thanks day_trippr, seems like whenever the two outlets need to work independently (separate hot wires) that a duplex should be used and the brass tab broken.

That's what I used for my STC-1000 build for my ferm fridge, but I wasn't sure that was required here. When purchasing the duplex for my STC build, I noticed that the non-duplex outlets at the big box store also had the same looking brass tabs, so I was a little confused. Thanks for clarifying.

 

[day_trippr]

fwiw, "duplex" simply means two sockets in one assembly.

Eons ago the original duplex outlets had independent wiring screw terminals. Then someone got the bright idea to bus them together for convenience (fewer wiring connections to make for most applications) and then someone got the even brighter idea to make those buses separable (for application flexibility).

Which is where we are today. I don't think I've seen a standard duplex outlet that didn't have the break-away tabs on the bus bars in years...

Cheers!

 

[Pie_Man]

I see and that makes perfect sense. I'm such an electrical noob.

I was confused because when I was at Lowe's, some of the outlets said "Duplex" on the packaging and others did not. Turns out they were all basically the same.