Temp Control Question

[Gytaryst]

I have an Inkbird Dual temp controller. I had my chest freezer plugged into it using it as a fermentation chamber. I remember reading somewhere a guy went into detail explaining how to get into the wiring of the chest freezer to disable the onboard thermostat and how to hard wire an external temp controller into the factory wiring of the freezer. Basically replacing the factory thermostat with the external temp controller.

My question: Is that necessary? My thinking was that if I plug the freezer into the temp controller I'm doing the same thing? If I have it set for 60 degrees, when it hits 60 degrees the controller cuts the power to the freezer and the compressor stops.

The only reason I'm asking is because my freezer quit working. I bought it used. It worked great for a couple of years and then it just stopped getting cold. I replaced the start relay but that didn't help, so I got rid of it. Now I'm going to buy another one, only this time I'm getting a new one. I want to make sure that the way I'm plugging it into the temp controller isn't what caused the other one to go bad?

 

[day_trippr]

It's definitely not necessary, and unless one really wants an "integrated" appearance (like cutting into the compressor compartment cover to mount the controller) not particularly worth the effort on a chest freezer as the controlled range for beer using the add-on controller will be well above even the warmest freezer control setting...

Cheers!

 

[HotRod9mm]

...... using it as a fermentation chamber.....

I share an old freezer with a friend setup the same way. He uses the InkBird 308 controller along with a small Lasko heater from Wally-World because the freezer is in a non heater garage. Works great.