Digital Temp Controlers For Fridge

[Justin]

No good for HLT Linz, they only go to 50C.

 

[MHD]

I just bought one then

So who has installed one of these... I am a little confused by the wiring diagram on the site..
Can anyone give an overview of how they wired it?

I have electronic skills just no formal training (science degree not electrician)

 

[Jye]

MHD, when I receive mine I will post some construction and wiring pics.

 

[Kramer]

Woot Woot! :beerbang: Just bought one for $35, have asked him if he has anymore might grab as many as I can and rewire them to a plug and play unit and sell them back to AHB members at cost if I have enough interest from members.

But will have to keep it quiet from the other electrical mobs in town as I might be encroaching on thier business!

 

[Phrak]

Kramer, DEFINITELY interested. I would love to get one this weekend, where did you buy yours from?

Tim.

 

[BrissyBrew]

I am in the process of trying to have a temperature controller manufactured for brewers.

 

[Tony]

Here is what i did.

I have posted this ages ago but probably before the site was upgraded so will post em again.

Its an omron temp controller, the probe is a pt100.

i use the controller to switch the relay (rated to 10 amps) in the plastic box on and off as the internal contacts in the controller are only rated to 3 Amps and the fridge would cook it.

The relay switches power to the power point on the side of the box.

the fridge gets pludgged into the power point and is there for switched on and off acording to the temperature of the wort, which the probe is imersed into.

I drill a 16 mm hole in the firmenter lid and fit a 16mm cable gland to hold the probe and seal it air tight.

the thermostat in the fridge is a 0 to 40 deg job and is great. I set it to about 5 deg so if i stick a 25 deg wort in after brewing and ask the temp controller to drive it to 10 deg, the thermostst will cut the compressor in ans out before the fridge freezes or burns out. I can also use it to brew ales in the summer at 18 deg.

i used to use the thermostat alone but found i got un even temps depending on the brews activity.

with the probe in the wory and the temp controller i can hold the brew to with in 0.1 deg c of the desired firnentation temp. all year round.

hope this helps a bit.

I am an industrial electrician so asking me how its wired is like asking tiger woods how he hits a golf ball :blink:

he doesnt know, he just does it.

it is a vert basic circuit though. I have no ideah how to get it on here. I dont have a scanner.

cheers

 

[Tony]

forgot some pics

cheers

 

[delboy]

HEY TONY WE GOT THE SAME FRIDGE !!!

i havent ever seen another one before dude fridge brothers cool.
Delboy

 

[Phrak]

Tony, your setup looks insanely complicated - I love it!! :super:

I've just bought 2x of those MTC-2120 digital Themostats off ebay member "yukuko1" (aka Ed) for $35 each. Ed seems to be really friendly and is more than happy to supply the units for sale outside of his regular ebay auctions.

I also bought 2x mini digital "fishtank\fridge" thermometers with probes (don't know if they're submergable or not) to monitor the tempterature of... erm... "stuff" The thermometers were $10 each.

His ebay store is: http://stores.ebay.com.au/MATES-HELPING-MATES
The $35 digital thermostat is: http://tinyurl.com/r42gn or item id 7595005493
The $10 digital thermometer is: http://tinyurl.com/s7z3g or item id 4444907728

The temp range for the digital thermostat is -40 TO +50, 240V, 10A.
I can't remember exactly, but the thermomter has a similar range and is battery operated.

I also asked him about larger volume purchases. He said it was fine, as long as it was for no more than 30 units. I don't know if this is because he only has 30 left, or if his supplier charges him differently for larger volumes.

Anyway, I'll be building mine over the next couple of weeks. If all goes well, this should convert my large chest freezer into a nice refridgerator, and also a second fridge into a "climate-controller" fermenting room!
Not a bad way to start off my brewing hobby I'd imagine!

I'll do my best to make a guide for the construction process.

Cheers and Beers,
Tim.
:beer:

 

[Tony]

Well i have had lots of things over the years but never a "fridge brother"


Hi brother

cheers

 

[Jye]

I got mine into a box yesterday and is running smoothly



Here are a few of my notes about its limitations;

- The temp is displayed to 0.1 C.

- Upper and lower limits can only be set to a whole number e.g. 17 and 18 C.

- Temp alarm can be only set to a whole temp e.g. if it is set to +- 2 C then the alarm will sound at 15 and 20 C.

- If the displayed temp is incorrect it can be corrected by up to +- 5 C in 1 C increments.

- There is a 3min delay between compressor turn ons.

- It has a defrost cycle (0-99min, time between 2 defrost times) and a defrost time (0-99min, time interval defrost is on)

It appears that this would not be suitable for use on a HLT unless the compressor relay was replaced with a 20A normally closed relay instead of a normally open.

 

[Phrak]

Jye, thanks for the update. Is this the one of Ebay for $35 from the "Mates Helping Mates" store?

You've listed a few features & limitations, thanks for that. Overall, would you rate the unit as acceptable for cool/cold fermenting?

Tim.

 

[Jye]

Phrak, Yep this is the one from ebay. I think it is perfectly ok for a fridge and will be brewing my first lagers soon now that I have accurate temperate control.

Jye :beer:

P.S. All up it cost me about $50, $55 if you have to buy an extension lead.

 

[MHD]

Brilliant!

Can you show us a rough circuit diag of how you did it?

 

[Jye]

 

[MHD]

Bloody Brilliant!

 

[delboy]

THANKS FOR THAT JYE

well i am glad i pointed you guys there got mine today and tested it out works perfectly and of coarse very simple to programme up as well .
looks like there might be a few buys on this one .

Delboy :beer: :chug: brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrup!

 

[Sammus]

Howdy, I just joined this board I'm pretty new to brewing (ie still waiting for my first to finish and bottle! ) but can see myself getting into it pretty quickly, its something I've been meaning to do for a while...
Anyhow, I've had a bit of experience with PID controllers (for my espresso machine - espresso requires accurate temperature control too!) and am wondering if it may suit this application as well?

For my espresso machine I use a Fuji PXR3 with a 40A SSR to control the heating element, but they are fairly pricey being a brandname and japanese, but there are cheaper alternatives: http://tinyurl.com/o9puw for example, although still a bit more than the thermostat I imagine it would have finer temperature control, any thoughts?

 

[Bacchus]

Hi guys. I'm new to this forum but a keen brewer. I came across AussieHomeBrewer searching for a thermostat for my fermenting fridge.

I managed to track down the original manufacturer of the MTC-2120 in China. Sent them some email and they are willing to supply the unit for USD9.50/piece. Thats just over AUS13.25 at todays exchange rate. If I can get a few people interested maybe it would be worth an order. Any interest?

By the way, I based in Perth WA.