Temperature Controller for Fermentation Chamber

[Ilikecats12]

I am looking to purchase a chest freezer, small heater, and a temperature controller to act as a fermentation chamber so I can begin to lager and have more control over my fermentation temperature.

I was thinking a 7.1 cubic foot chest freezer would fit two glass carboys (12'' diameter) and a small Lasko personal ceramic heater would take care of heating.

My question is what temperature controller do you use and why??

 

[Zepth]

I use an STC-1000 on the serving fridge and an Inkbird ITC-2000 on the fermenting chamber. They are near identical. "All the cool people are doing it." would be the closest reason. They're inexpensive, work flawlessly, and there is a plethora of wiring schematics available.

Some homebrew shops and the inkbird sponsor here also sell hardwired controllers that is about as easy to use as a regular power bar. While not my style, they are ideal for those who are uncomfortable with wiring and want a plug and play option.

As far as a heater goes I've heard (and as such use without question) reptile heat bulbs are better suited to provide heat. No visible light, and a much slower temperature ramp. Apparently dedicated heaters or high wattage bulbs can lead to greatly overshooting your target temperature, then the cooling circuit activating. Best to avoid unnecessary cycling if possible. That said I usually don't even have the heat circuit connected. If it is too cool the ambient temperature will raise the internal eventually.

 

[doug293cz]

The Inkbird ITC-308 is a ready to go, "plug 'n play" controller that has become quite popular. Works very much like an STC-1000, which requires some DIY assembly. Total cost works out about the same.

Brew on

 

[Drumminguy81]

I started with a johnson analog controller and switched to 2 inkbird 308 controllers for both chambers and would never go back. I love the inkbirds large digital readout all plug and play. Work great! And way cheaper than anything else I have seen

 

[Ilikecats12]

As far as a heater goes I've heard (and as such use without question) reptile heat bulbs are better suited to provide heat. No visible light, and a much slower temperature ramp. Apparently dedicated heaters or high wattage bulbs can lead to greatly overshooting your target temperature, then the cooling circuit activating. Best to avoid unnecessary cycling if possible. That said I usually don't even have the heat circuit connected. If it is too cool the ambient temperature will raise the internal eventually.

Can you tell me which kind of reptile heat bulbs you are referring to?

My girlfriend actually has a bearded dragon so she might have an extra laying around.

I have also seen some mention they use infrared heat panels. Seems like that would be an option if I could find a cheap one.

 

[Zepth]

This is the exact one I have.

 

[beernutz]

I started with a Johnson Controls analog controller about 15 years ago that still works fine. Then starting 3 years ago I bought a Johnson Controls digital controller, I built an STC-1000 controller, and I bought an Inkbird 308 controller. I decided to retire the analog JC model since it is for cooling only and it was controlling an outdoor wine aging fridge which required both heating and cooling to keep it at 56 degrees.

Between the STC-1000 and the Inkbird, they both function as expected but the Inkbird wins for aesthetics and it didn't cost much more than what I spent to build the STC-1000 based controller.

 

[day_trippr]

Zero customer reviews? How does that even happen?

Anyway, I've seen that same lamp on other Amazon seller sites with positive reviews - though going by one of them the actual wattage may be closer to 100 than 75...

Cheers!

 

[Ilikecats12]

So, I ended up going with the Inkbird ITC-308 for the temperature controller.

My question now is how many sensors do you guys have/use?

It only comes with one and I am wondering if I should just use it as an 'inside the freezer' ambient temperature sensor or if I should buy a couple more to put inside my actual fermenters. Are the inside-the-fermenter-sensors necessary or not?

Also, for my heater I ended up going with the 'Cozy Legs' radiant heater panel from target. No particular reason other than it was cheapish, relatively flat, and seems less likely to somehow start a fire. Still not sure how I am going to lay it all out but I've at least got what I need!

 

[day_trippr]

Like many similar devices, the ITC-308 can only use a single probe.
When running multiple fermentations using different yeast strains you'll likely be faced with finding a compromise setting - or simply metering the hottest running fermentor.

I've had to juggle the "Beer" probe between fermentors on my BrewPi systems when running different strains at the same time, so having a multi-probe setup is no panacea. If I used individual BrewBelts I could work around the conflicts but it's not that important to me. As long as I can keep the yeast from running hot I'm ok with it...

Cheers!

 

[Casedeville]

My question now is how many sensors do you guys have/use?

It only comes with one and I am wondering if I should just use it as an 'inside the freezer' ambient temperature sensor or if I should buy a couple more to put inside my actual fermenters. Are the inside-the-fermenter-sensors necessary or not?

You can tape the sensor to the side of your carboy, then insulate it with bubble wrap so that it doesn't get affected by the ambient temps inside the freezer. The only temperature that matters is the temperature of your beer, and taping the sensor to the outside will read within 1° of the beer inside.

A friend of mine uses a thermowell submersed in his wort for the sensor, but that's really unnecessary.

Here's an example from the internet:

 

[atoughram]

I'd use a Brewpi - and I do! The Brewpi has some PID/fuzzy logic effect to it and is far more accurate than the STC1000 and I assume the Inkbird at keeping temperatures constant. My beers very no more than a tenth of a degree. Programming a Brewpi is much easier, they ramp temps vs time, can automatically cold crash, and have a cool web interface.

The only problem with them is you better be decent at electronics, you'll have to put the hardware together yourself. Search DIY Brewpi on this forum.

 

[DurtyChemist]

Inkbird 308. Plug and play. Costs the same as building an STC/ITC 1000. Better display and labels. Idiot proof.

 

[doug293cz]

I'd use a Brewpi - and I do! The Brewpi has some PID/fuzzy logic effect to it and is far more accurate than the STC1000 and I assume the Inkbird at keeping temperatures constant. My beers very no more than a tenth of a degree. Programming a Brewpi is much easier, they ramp temps vs time, can automatically cold crash, and have a cool web interface.

The only problem with them is you better be decent at electronics, you'll have to put the hardware together yourself. Search DIY Brewpi on this forum.

The BrewPi is definitely the ultimate in fermentation temperature control, but is more than many brewers need, or can justify. I WANT ONE!

Brew on

 

[Rockn_M]

I really like my BrewPi. There's a thread on here that provides directions for building your own for pretty cheaply.

 

[atoughram]

I really like my BrewPi. There's a thread on here that provides directions for building your own for pretty cheaply.

I bet I don't have a hundred bucks into mine...

 

[greyghost]

I bet I don't have a hundred bucks into mine...

Me to if I can get you off duff.

 

[atoughram]

Me to if I can get you off duff.

 

[Ilikecats12]

So I got it all setup and am on to testing.

One thing I notice is that it does seem to cycle back and forth from heating and cooling quite frequently. It seems like it cools well below target temperature (around 5-10 degrees F) which causes the heater to activate and then the heat gets a little bit over target temperature (around 3 degrees F) which causes the freezer to activate.

Anybody have any advice on how to remedy this or is that normal? I thought about (as someone mentioned earlier in the thread) just unplugging the heater from the temperature controller and letting the temperature rise naturally.

 

[Zepth]

I have an override switch installed. I often disable the heating side of it and let it free rise. Usually ambient temperature is above where I have the set point, plus having the active fermentation going will generate heat as well.

To avoid short cycling make sure you set the compressor delay high. I'm a little disappointed mine is 10 minutes at most. Look into the "hysteresis" setting. It acts as the +/- from your setpoint before intervening. Lower number means it will react to overchill rapidly, though too high and actually controlling the ferment is going to be less accurate.

Also attach your probe to the fermenter and insulate it from the ambient air. My awesome high tech photo below is a probe jar for a keezer / kegerator but very similar idea.

 

[brandonbrummett]

Literally just hooked up an Inkbird ITC 310T on my chest freezer. Got it for $22 on amazon by using a discount code I got in exchange for promising to review it.

Haven't got the settings down yet, or figured out if I need to set a compressor delay, or any of that stuff yet...but for the 15 minutes I have had it hooked up, it seems to be doing its job. I have the temperature probe in a pitcher of water right now.

As I figure it out I can let you folks know how it works...