Temp control failed

[Shoultzy]

Emerson 16E09-101 is the temp control I have.

I hooked it up 2 days ago, and left it at 66 degrees to make sure it worked before I trusted it with my wort.

It worked fantastic for those 2 days, was never colder than 63and never warmer than 67.

I got up to go to the bathroom and thought I would check and see if I could watch my first batch bubble after 24 hours and it was bubbling, but I noticed my freezer feeling cold.

Turns out it was down to 38 degrees. Now, about 2 hours earlier before bed I checked the temp and it wasn't running and was at 65 degrees. I have it wired correctly (buying a light for an alarm tomorrow)

But does anybody know why, non power stealing wired correctly. That this brand new control didn't stop it from cooling to 38?

And can I just pitch new yeast and save my wort? Or should i let it RIP

 

[Shoultzy]

After thinking about it, I realized that the yeast wasn't affected because it was still bubbling. And then I took a temp reading and realized that my wort was still 64. But does anybody have any idea why it would ignore the set temp properly installed and 3 degree differential after working for 2 days straight.

 

[RM-MN]

After thinking about it, I realized that the yeast wasn't affected because it was still bubbling. And then I took a temp reading and realized that my wort was still 64. But does anybody have any idea why it would ignore the set temp properly installed and 3 degree differential after working for 2 days straight.

If your temperature probe for the controller is attached to the fermenter, the temperature of the inside of the freezer will change drastically while trying to cool the wort. As the yeast start getting active they will raise the temperature of the beer and your freezer will go into overdrive trying to keep that from happening, just as you reported. As the yeast activity dies down, the temp inside your freezer will become closer to the beer temp as cooling isn't needed then.

 

[SlitheryDee]

Your controller sounds like it's actually working properly. If the fermenter is actually generating heat, the freezer may run for long periods of time bringing it back down to the set temp. That may make the ambient temperature inside the freezer much colder than the set temp. All the freezer can do is run or not run to control temperature. When it's running, it'll bring the air temperature inside down to freezing in very short order, but then it'll cut off and the temperature will rise before your wort freezes. It's just how the system works.

 

[Shoultzy]

So I should have the thermocouple insulated to the fermenter? Because I just have it hanging in the freezer.

 

[JordanKnudson]

I just keep my temp probe submerged in a gallon jug of water inside the freezer. That way it is monitoring the liquid temp instead of the ambient temp, which is really what I care about anyway. It also has the added benefit of running the motor less frequently, since the liquid temperature changes more gradually than ambient.

 

[kh54s10]

So I should have the thermocouple insulated to the fermenter? Because I just have it hanging in the freezer.

If you have it just hanging in the freezer and it is set in the sixties, but are getting 38. It is not working properly.

Before deciding it is a problem with the unit, reprogram it and insulate the probe against the side of the fermenter.

 

[Shoultzy]

Well it held all night, and when I woke up i heard it kick on before my shower. After my shower it dropped from 66 to 63 and wasn't running. I also changed the settings so that if the control, or the unit fail to communicate once it goes below the differential it will open all contacts until its reset, where as factory default keeps the contacts closed until power is reset. So at least if it does it again the temp won't go to freezing, but instead go to a max of around 72 atleast for a good couple hours.

 

[Dcpcooks]

So I should have the thermocouple insulated to the fermenter? Because I just have it hanging in the freezer.

Best option is a thermowell in your wort

#2 is the thermocouple attached to the outside of the fermentor with insulation of some sort covering the coupler.

#3 thermocoupler in a jug of water

Last option Hanging free in the space.

Good luck!

 

[GPP33]

I had an inkbird do this to me a couple times only in my keezer so I wasn't fermenting. Mine has an alarm so it woke me up to tell me that it was stuck on. My theory is that when the relay kicked on there was a momentary arc between the contacts that "welded" them together. When the relay tried to kick off the spring which separates the contacts wasn't strong enough to overcome the bond that formed between the contacts.

When a freezer compressor motor starts up it draws a lot more current that when it's running.

 

[Shoultzy]

On lunch now, heading home to insulate thermocouple to fermenter. Thanks everyone for the advice and knowledge.

 

[Shoultzy]

I opened my freezer to insulate the thermocouple and my nose was overwhelmed with this smell. Kind of made me think I was inhaling sprite. I'm assuming it's just the CO2 being released and sitting in the freezer

 

[Dcpcooks]

Yes it's co2. Kinda burn the nostrils a bit