Stc-1000+

[alphaomega]

You can build your additional fan-powering circuit with 1 or 2 transistors and a few resistors, and drive it from the 12V relay tap. You can even build a timer/delay in it so it stays on longer, after the relay clicks off.

That is a cool idea. For the timer part, I wonder if a suitably large capacitor on the input to the transistor would suffice. You might want to sub the transistor for a darlington transistor though or even a FET, if you try that route though. You don't want to drive the transistor in the linear region.

 

[Minbari]

That is a cool idea. For the timer part, I wonder if a suitably large capacitor on the input to the transistor would suffice. You might want to sub the transistor for a darlington transistor though or even a FET, if you try that route though. You don't want to drive the transistor in the linear region.

you might be able to use a FET or BJT with an RC circuit to control it, but you will be in the linear region for some amount of time. Effects on the fan would just mean it will slow down before it stops.

Personally I would use a 555. cheap and easy and provides a nice digital output for the transistor.

 

[alphaomega]

you might be able to use a FET or BJT with an RC circuit to control it, but you will be in the linear region for some amount of time. Effects on the fan would just mean it will slow down before it stops.

Personally I would use a 555. cheap and easy and provides a nice digital output for the transistor.

Yeah, that would probably be a better idea.

 

[adam01]

This is cheap and probably the easiest. But its not as small as it could be.


1CH DC 12V delay relay delay Turn on / Turn off switch module timer up to 1 hour

 

[ineedit]

I'm wondering if anyone could help me with ramping. I have an ale that has completed fermentation and I am attempting to cold crash. I setup a simple program, ramping from 60 to 37.5 over three days and hold.

Pr0 (SP0 = 60 dh0 = 72, SP1 = 37.5 dh1 = 0)
rP = 1
rn = Pr0

The program is running as it moved the temp from 65 to 60 but has held at 60 for 24 hours. I have checked that ramping (rn) is set to 1. Has anyone else experienced this type of issue? I running version 1.05.

Thanks..

 

[Bigdaddyale]

I was successful purchasing 2 STC-1000 that were v1.0 from this Amazon seller on August 23rd (Seller is "City Digital" in case it doesn't carry through on the URL):
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008KVCPH2/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I don't know if it'll continue to work, but it was worth the risk for my needs, and it paid off.

I just received 2 v1.0 controllers from the above vendor today.
4/4 ver. 1.0 I just received 2 more units today

 

[ineedit]

I'm wondering if anyone could help me with ramping. I have an ale that has completed fermentation and I am attempting to cold crash. I setup a simple program, ramping from 60 to 37.5 over three days and hold.

Pr0 (SP0 = 60 dh0 = 72, SP1 = 37.5 dh1 = 0)
rP = 1
rn = Pr0

The program is running as it moved the temp from 65 to 60 but has held at 60 for 24 hours. I have checked that ramping (rn) is set to 1. Has anyone else experienced this type of issue? I running version 1.05.

Thanks..

Hate to answer my own post but I recycled the power. Then set rP=0 and then back to rP=1. Seems to be working.

 

[smithabusa]

Got my flashed stc-1000 from will earlier this week, been having fun, such an awesome controller.

I got bored tonight and put a connector on the temp sensor, and added a 5mm tri-color LED. Taking pictures of LED's can be a bit hard to get right, these didn't turn out that great.

Cooling mode:


Heating mode:

 

[alphaomega]

I'm wondering if anyone could help me with ramping. I have an ale that has completed fermentation and I am attempting to cold crash. I setup a simple program, ramping from 60 to 37.5 over three days and hold.

Pr0 (SP0 = 60 dh0 = 72, SP1 = 37.5 dh1 = 0)
rP = 1
rn = Pr0

The program is running as it moved the temp from 65 to 60 but has held at 60 for 24 hours. I have checked that ramping (rn) is set to 1. Has anyone else experienced this type of issue? I running version 1.05.

Thanks..

Hi!
It sounds like you got the right settings. You say temp is not dropping like it should, but what is the actual SP value?
Check SP value by pressing up button and the profile (down button). If the values seem correct, then it is likely something with your setup (does it go below 60?).
It could be a bug as well, but no one else has reported this issue and 1.05 has been out a while.

 

[alphaomega]

Hate to answer my own post but I recycled the power. Then set rP=0 and then back to rP=1. Seems to be working.

Cool

 

[orangehero]

Hi guys!
Ok, so I have pushed an additional change to the work branch.
I changed the SA (or setpoint alarm setting). I decided it was a too complicated, and not versatile or intuitive enough.

So, I changed this setting to be settable from -80.0 to 80.0 degF (or -40.0 to 40.0 degC, as if you guys care...). What this does, is that if this setting is positive, then it is the allowable setting, by how much the temperature is allowed to differ from the setpoint before the alarm goes off. For ex. say you set it at 5.0, then the alarm will sound if temperature is 5.0 degrees (or more) above OR below setpoint.
If the setting is negative, say -5.0 degrees, then the alarm will sound if the temperature IS NOT 5.0 degrees (or more) above OR below the setpoint.
The first case can be useful during fermentation, to warn if temperature is out of range. The second case can be useful to get a reminder once wort has reached pitching temp.

If it is set at 0.0, the alarm is completely disabled.

If the alarm is tripped, the buzzer will sound and the display will flash between current temperature and "SA" as an indication. It will not disengage the relays as the sensor failure alarm ("AL"), and the unit will still function as normal (only a bit more annoyingly).

Care will be needed in selecting the correct value to avoid tripping the alarm unnecessarily. Especially when running profiles, as the setpoint will change (and even more so without ramping or with steep ramps, as SP will change much).

Just want to make sure I undestand the alarm setting for knowing when you're at pitching temperature. If SA is set to -0.1, then the alarm will sound when the temperature reaches SP+0.1 when cooling down to SP. Is this correct?

 

[ClunkClunk]

Just want to make sure I undestand the alarm setting for knowing when you're at pitching temperature. If SA is set to -0.1, then the alarm will sound when the temperature reaches SP+0.1 when cooling down to SP. Is this correct?

Yes, though it's technically SP ±0.1, so you only would have a 0.2 degree window for it to alarm in. You might want to set it a bit broader if your cooling system is faster than the STC's polling or resolution.

Oh and the alarm is surprisingly loud - I found out this past Sunday morning.

 

[alphaomega]

That is 100% correct ClunkClunk. It might be a good idea to set the absolute value of SA larger than the hy setting.
Hope it didn't ruin your Sunday

 

[ineedit]

Hi!

It sounds like you got the right settings. You say temp is not dropping like it should, but what is the actual SP value?

Check SP value by pressing up button and the profile (down button). If the values seem correct, then it is likely something with your setup (does it go below 60?).

It could be a bug as well, but no one else has reported this issue and 1.05 has been out a while.

I think it just got hung up for some reason. Not really sure but recycling everything seems to have it working again.

Your software is fantastic. Thanks for all the hard work.

 

[ClunkClunk]

Hope it didn't ruin your Sunday

Not in the slightest! I was actually a bit concerned I wouldn't hear the alarm as I hadn't tested it before actually relying on it, and my fermentation fridge is in the garage.

I had a late night brew and chilled as much as our 80F groundwater would allow in a reasonable amount of time, then stuck the fermenter in the fridge and set the alarm for 60F ± 3 degrees.

Went to bed, and the following morning after I had some coffee, I heard the alarm go off even though my fermentation fridge was in the garage and I was inside. Nice and loud.

 

[smithabusa]

Today I got in two more units from will, thank you sir. In preparation for the flashing hardware coming soon I unsoldered the programming holes, man what a pain. I had the best luck tipping the board on its side, holding the iron on the top while hitting the back with the solder sucker.

 

[alphaomega]

I've finally got the hang of clearing the holes. I found the key to be to use a slightly hotter iron. I suck from the same side (bottom) Tilt the iron and use just the very tip, when the solder melts quickly use the solder sucker without removing the iron.
This works so well, I usually clear the holes in a minute. I actually think it is harder now to add the pinrow header, as it wants to fall out of the 'too well' cleared holes.

 

[orangehero]

Stick a toothpick in one of the header's holes and prop the board up with it.

 

[alphaomega]

That will work as well, and I used to do it like that. But if you get the technique down with the sucker, you clear the holes so fast and easy... My problem was not using hot enough iron.

 

[orangehero]

I meant to hold the header in place for soldering.

 

[alphaomega]

Ahhh... Sorry Yeah, I usually try to jam a toothpick between the header and the MCU to keep it in place. As a bonus, that makes the header tilt outwards and makes it easier to insert the programmer connector.

 

[smithabusa]

Out of curiosity, are many adding features like 12v for constant on fan etc to their setups? I am going to work on building up some pre-assembled boxes, and just curious if something like the tri color LED as an option, or a constant 12v source plug etc would be things many are interested in?

Got my flashed stc-1000 from will earlier this week, been having fun, such an awesome controller.

I got bored tonight and put a connector on the temp sensor, and added a 5mm tri-color LED. Taking pictures of LED's can be a bit hard to get right, these didn't turn out that great.

Cooling mode:


Heating mode:

 

[alphaomega]

The first thing that comes to my mind looking at those pics, is that the box seems very suitable to house a DIY stir plate
I realise it won't fit with the STC, but if you source the boxes anyway., maybe you could whip up some stir plates while your at it.
A computer fan, some neodymium magnets, a power jack and one of these and you got yourself a damn nice stirplate. These dimmers are awesome, I use them to regulate speed on solar pumps as well. You can take it apart and mount the pot in your enclosure by just drilling a hole.

Edit: Oh, and also... No pics of the backside of your build, but make sure to include a fuse.

 

[smithabusa]

There is a fuse built into the power inlet, the slow blow 10amp fuse that will recommends

 

[smithabusa]

Couple of other pics, this over I used a razor blade to figure out where to put things, pretty rough, but am having the cases machined on a cnc to make it much cleaner and faster

 

[alphaomega]

Ok. I'm no electrician, but my idea would be to use a much smaller fuse for the inlet to the STC.
The fridge (and heater) should be protected by the main fuse. If the user wants properly rated fuses for their load, then they'd need to fix that themselves, as you cannot possibly know that. I suppose you could have 3 fuses in the box (STC, heat and cool) if there is space and then ship heat and cool with 10amp fuses.

 

[smithabusa]

Oh I see what you are saying, hadn't thought about a stc specific fuse

 

[smithabusa]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/inline-fuse-wiring-stc-1000-questions-445683/

Interesting read here on the current draw of stc being extremely low

 

[wbarber69]

The first thing that comes to my mind looking at those pics, is that the box seems very suitable to house a DIY stir plate
I realise it won't fit with the STC, but if you source the boxes anyway., maybe you could whip up some stir plates while your at it.
A computer fan, some neodymium magnets, a power jack and one of these and you got yourself a damn nice stirplate. These dimmers are awesome, I use them to regulate speed on solar pumps as well. You can take it apart and mount the pot in your enclosure by just drilling a hole.

Edit: Oh, and also... No pics of the backside of your build, but make sure to include a fuse.

Alphaomega I got one of those a while back to try to control my 12v solar pumps. It didn't work at all. I could dim an led but the ussolarpumps use some kind of internal chip that try's to run the pump at full speed no matter how much voltage they are getting. I tried different configurations but could never get that dimmer to work as a speed control.

 

[alphaomega]

Strange. I doubt there is any 'logic' to those pumps, but maybe they dont work well with pwm drive due to the specs, at least at the frequency the LED dimmer put out.
I use them with the beige pumps and it works absolutely great.