Stc-1000+

[alphaomega]

First off, thanks for all the great work, and I really like being able to set my fermentation profile and forget about it. I was actually about to buy another STC-1000 and modify it, but the Aliexpress store that the readme links to says "Sorry, this item is no longer available!" Does anybody know if that's a permanent thing? And if it is, where can I buy a good one?

Checked the link from github. Works fine for me.

 

[springing]

Checked the link from github. Works fine for me.

I followed the link and the store says the item is no longer available!

 

[beernbourbon]

Link Worked for me

 

[alphaomega]

I followed the link and the store says the item is no longer available!

Hmm. Yes, I could swear it was available when I posted, but I could be wrong. I couldn't find another STC-1000 listing in their store either.
Maybe you should contact aliexpress and hear if it is temporarily sold out (has happened before) or what.
And bonus points for using Linux!

 

[schmartz]

I got 6 from here and will be ordering a few more. http://www.boostbysmith.com/stc1000.html

I've ordered 4 from him all flashed with my settings. Nice guy and good to do business with, especially if you can't do the reprogramming yourself.

This is an amazing project. A huge thanks to alpha and the rest who have helped. I love these controls and the price is right

If these controls disappear it'll suck.

 

[springing]

Maybe you should contact aliexpress and hear if it is temporarily sold out (has happened before) or what.

I sent them a message and it seems like they do not ship during new year.

 

[Bigdaddyale]

I need to order one and use it for its intended purpose, to control my aquarium. I want to flash it to get it to read Fahrenheit. They haven't updated their website yet- still showing out of stock.

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

I sent them a message and it seems like they do not ship during new year.

During the Chinese New Year week a lot of companies in China are on vacation so it doesn't surprise me.

 

[mappler]

Thank you for a good project and all the fantastic work on this. The Github instructions are great. I just finished flashing my STC with new firmware!

Could someone point me in the right direction as to how to use the communications version of the firmware? I see the paragraph in the users manual on "Single Wire Communication". I'm sure it's obvious, but I'm just missing how to get started reading data here.

Thanks in advance,
-Matt

 

[smithabusa]

I sent them a message and it seems like they do not ship during new year.

if anyone is in need of stc-1000's, flashable, flashed, prebuilt, diy kits etc I am a sponsor here and I have them in stock :rockin:

 

[alphaomega]

Thank you for a good project and all the fantastic work on this. The Github instructions are great. I just finished flashing my STC with new firmware!

Could someone point me in the right direction as to how to use the communications version of the firmware? I see the paragraph in the users manual on "Single Wire Communication". I'm sure it's obvious, but I'm just missing how to get started reading data here.

Thanks in advance,
-Matt

You can use the same arduino setup used to flash the STC, just add a pulldown resistor of ~10k to ICSPDAT (that is hook it up between ICSPDAT and GND) and a ~1k resistor in series with ICSPDAT. Easiest would be to modify the cable used between the Arduino and STC. It can still be used to flash the STC.
Then upload the com.ino sketch to the arduino and open the serial monitor in the Arduino IDE.

 

[mappler]

You can use the same arduino setup used to flash the STC, just add a pulldown resistor of ~10k to ICSPDAT (that is hook it up between ICSPDAT and GND) and a ~1k resistor in series with ICSPDAT. Easiest would be to modify the cable used between the Arduino and STC. It can still be used to flash the STC.
Then upload the com.ino sketch to the arduino and open the serial monitor in the Arduino IDE.

Awesome, thank you!

 

[mappler]

Just to be clear, should that be on the ICSPDAT line or ICSPCLK line? User manual says ICSPCLK.

Thanks,
-Matt

 

[alphaomega]

Ah, yeah.. Sorry. ICSPCLK. Tired...

 

[mappler]

No worries....

That does the trick. Thank you for the help. Now to kit the whole thing together and I am in business.

Has anyone found a data logger they like for a Raspberry Pi to hook this to? I'm going to hook this up to my RaspberryPints computer and log how things go.

Again, this is an awesome project! Nice work!

-Matt

 

[mappler]

Ok, all packaged up in a nice enclosure and everything seems to be working great. Now to figure out a data logging solution....

-Matt

 

[mappler]

I'd like to know if I am understanding something correctly. Let's say I wanted to operate this device remotely, say from somewhere out in Internet land. I keep the arduino hooked up to a computer (probably a Raspberry Pi in my case) and can interact with it via the com.ino sketch. So, if I want to set a particular temperature, I can write to address 126 and switch it to run mode "th". Then, I can write to address 119 and set the setpoint. At that point, it should work to hold that particular temperature, yes?

Thank you,
-Matt

 

[alphaomega]

@mappler: That would probably work (I don't know the addresses by heart, but I assume you are correct).
It just seems a bit 'much', you probably could interface the RPi GPIO directly to the STC (using 3.3v zeners or similar for level shifting), porting the protocol from the com.ino sketch to a native RPi application. But that would mean a lot more work. If you already have the arduino and the RPi, then what you suggested would probably be the easiest/fastest route.

 

[mappler]

In this case, I have a friend of mine running like 8 fermenters he is looking to temperature control individually. We are discussing out some design work for how he wants to do this. The Pi directly would work for one device, but the Arduino should be ultimately cheaper for 8 at a time.

In my individual case, I just packaged the Arduino up into my enclosure. I was having too much fun to try and design it out... I've got 3 fermenters going right now, but nothing in my temp control system. I think it is time to brew some beer that needs some temperature ramping!!

-Matt

 

[ldzielak]

I have 5 SCTs on 4 fermenters and 1 for my Keezer, will get another few next order. Each has an Arduino. The code I'm using is modified com.ino setup to output a coma separated string every 5 seconds. it will accept all the regular commands between those 5 second outputs. I have everything connected to a RPi and I VPN in to my home network when i'm on the road and have adjusted programs, profiles and changed setpoints.

I have not got a reliable datalog setup on the RPi to monitor the ports, but I should have something to save the data going in a week or 2. I already have my RPi setup to send to my dropbox, so the datalog python scripts is my last hurdle. Then I can start doing some analysis on heat duty cycle or later cooling and should be able to plot fermentation activity. I plan to add a 1 wire temp sensor for ambient temp tracking too direct to RPi.

Lee

 

[black_petal]

i installed a stc1000+ in my fridge recently. however, the temperature is stuck at 15-16C no matter what. even if i set the fridge to "5" or "1" it still hovers around there. it doesn't matter what i set the stc at either, it refuse to go above or below that temperature. i also plugged the fridge separately (but in the same wall outlet.. shouldn't matter right?) and it is still stuck. did my fridge decide to crap out at the same time i installed the stc, or perhaps i wired it wrong? it's funny, because 15C is what i set it at when i first tested it and it seemed to go to 15.0 without issues but after that it refuse to go even into the lower parts of 15C.

i have included some pictures of the wiring. let me know if something looks wrong. i'm only using the cooling. the two brown ones go into port 1 and 8. blue into port 2. green ones are twisted together.

 

[day_trippr]

Just out of interest, in what country were those pictures taken?

Anyway, looking at the second picture, and assuming Brown is hot and Blue is return, the two brown leads from the plug side indeed should go to 1 and 8 (or 7), the brown lead to the socket side should go to 7 (or 8), and the Blue lead should go to 2.

The fridge thermostat should be set to MAX COOL to take it out of the operational equation...

Cheers!

 

[ChucknBeer]

I need help with an unflashed STC-1000... if there is no solution, I will be forced to buy an arduino board and join the stc-1000+ family...

Basically every time the unit is unplugged and replugged, the compressor delay goes "blank" (if you go to the parameter F3, it shows no number, the screen is black). Of course, when this happens the STC NEVER turns on the cooling element.

If you power off the unit with the on/off button, the F3 parameter is not affected or "erased". So in the last months, every time there has been a power outage, I have lost control over the ferm temp. Do you think there would be a solution besides flashing the unit (I have 2, with the same problem...).

Cheers!

 

[Bigdaddyale]

I need help with an unflashed STC-1000... if there is no solution, I will be forced to buy an arduino board and join the stc-1000+ family...

Basically every time the unit is unplugged and replugged, the compressor delay goes "blank" (if you go to the parameter F3, it shows no number, the screen is black). Of course, when this happens the STC NEVER turns on the cooling element.

If you power off the unit with the on/off button, the F3 parameter is not affected or "erased". So in the last months, every time there has been a power outage, I have lost control over the ferm temp. Do you think there would be a solution besides flashing the unit (I have 2, with the same problem...).

Cheers!

Are you sure it's a genuine STC 1000? Can you post any identifying markings on the unit?

 

[ChucknBeer]

As soon as I get home I will post some pics.

 

[ChucknBeer]

Welp... I have a POS knock-off... WK-02-K

I guess this explains the issue... anyone shipping A400_P abroad? (Chile)

 

[alphaomega]

http://m.aliexpress.com/item/2004466302.html

 

[jfenton78]

I'm planning to use by STC-1000+ in a biab setup. Other than the github website are there any additional how-to's or recommend post for the STC-1000+ OVBS? Some things that are not clear to me are how to wire in a 12V pump, how can i easily enable/disable to 12V pump via the STC, and what's the best way to wire in a low voltage SSR. Thanks.

 

[alphaomega]

Not that I know of, but feel free to expand on the documentation
The 'pumpsignal' from the STC is high impedance when pump should be active (high impedance is tech talk that means that it acts like being electrically disconnected) and grounded when pump should be off. The reason for this is because you need a driver for the pump and this allows easy usage of the cheap 8A LED dimmer to drive the pump. Just use one of those as described on github.
If you put a switch on the signal between the STC to the LED dimmer, you can use it to choose between manual (off) and STC controlled (on). The LED dimmer acts as a speed controller for the pump and using the dial you can choose speed from off to fully running.
I have no idea where you are going with the 'low voltage SSR'. You want to use that instead for controlling the pump? There is a schematic on github on how to connect an SSR instead.

 

[jfenton78]

Sorry the comment about the ssr was not clear. I need to use a ssr to switch a 2000w 120v heating element. Obviously more than the stc can handle. Where can I wire a 3-32 vdc ssr into the stc to switch a heating element?