Digital Thermostats

[rendo]

You're an ideas man, thats fantastic.

No need to unplug it, just set your temp that you want everything to be chilled to and you will know how cold your beer is. :icon_cheers:

 

[rendo]

Hi everyone,

What sort of compressor delay do you set on your 'fridgemates' and similarly named digital thermostats?

I think the default of the ebay one is 3mins? Is that long enough?? 5mins??

Your thoughts guys??

rendo

 

[Fourstar]

Just put some cash down for one of these bad boys.

Excellent!

 

[Cortez The Killer]

Hi everyone,

What sort of compressor delay do you set on your 'fridgemates' and similarly named digital thermostats?

I think the default of the ebay one is 3mins? Is that long enough?? 5mins??

Your thoughts guys??

rendo

I have mine at 9 mins (the maximun on a fridgemate)

There was a theory at some point that its less intense on the compressor - but honestly I don't know

Seems to be working fine

Cheers

 

[rendo]

I got mine today, couldnt resist, I had it hooked up in an hour and now I am having fun with it.

Works a treat.

Am going to start a new thread about settings...

Just put some cash down for one of these bad boys.

Excellent!

 

[coe-crl]

I'm getting an "EE" error with my unit. According the manual this error occurs when the temperature is outside of it's operating range. Based on this I suspect my problem is interference on the sensor lines. I'm going to re-route it so that the cabling is well clear of all other wires inside my box. This means drilling another hole and running it out of the side of the unit rather than the back.

Also, thanks for all the good posts in this thread! I'm looking forward to ditching the frozen water bottles.

 

[rendo]

it 'could' be a faulty/intermittment sensor problem too...

hopefully just interference as you said though...

I'm getting an "EE" error with my unit. According the manual this error occurs when the temperature is outside of it's operating range. Based on this I suspect my problem is interference on the sensor lines. I'm going to re-route it so that the cabling is well clear of all other wires inside my box. This means drilling another hole and running it out of the side of the unit rather than the back.

Also, thanks for all the good posts in this thread! I'm looking forward to ditching the frozen water bottles.

 

[stew.w]

I'm getting an "EE" error with my unit. According the manual this error occurs when the temperature is outside of it's operating range. Based on this I suspect my problem is interference on the sensor lines. I'm going to re-route it so that the cabling is well clear of all other wires inside my box. This means drilling another hole and running it out of the side of the unit rather than the back.

Also, thanks for all the good posts in this thread! I'm looking forward to ditching the frozen water bottles.

your probe might be broken because my probe wiring runs out the same hole as the power and doesnt get any interference

 

[coe-crl]

Thanks guys. I'll test it tonight and see if I can find a replacement sensor if required.

 

[coe-crl]

All good, just a faulty connection on the sensor. Up and running with a 0.3 degree difference between the unit and my thermometer.

 

[herbo]

Fellas, quick question.

Any thoughts on how this would go as a heat source?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Reptile-snake-lizar...=item3efcf3e728

They're quite inexpensive and already rigged with a plug but wondering if 20 watts would push out enough heat? Gets a bit cold here in Ballarat during winter and would like to still be able to brew ales.

Cheers

 

[rendo]

Hey Herbo,

U should check out the auction description again!!

It says: Heatmat is not waterproof and DO NOT immerse in water

I guess it doesnt say do not immerse in beer?? so MAYBE!

haha, anyway, maybe you were thinking to put the fermenter ON TOP of it...GENIUS! No idea if its good, sounds similar to a brewing heat mat really. Dont know what sort of watts they pump out. someone else will for sure (or google will). Also you'd want to make sure the mat can handle the weight? Of not, maybe it can be strapped against the side of the fermenter, the mat looks flexible.

Fellas, quick question.

Any thoughts on how this would go as a heat source?

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Reptile-snake-lizar...=item3efcf3e728

They're quite inexpensive and already rigged with a plug but wondering if 20 watts would push out enough heat? Gets a bit cold here in Ballarat during winter and would like to still be able to brew ales.

Cheers

 

[herbo]

Hey Herbo,

U should check out the auction description again!!

It says: Heatmat is not waterproof and DO NOT immerse in water

I guess it doesnt say do not immerse in beer?? so MAYBE!

haha, anyway, maybe you were thinking to put the fermenter ON TOP of it...GENIUS! No idea if its good, sounds similar to a brewing heat mat really. Dont know what sort of watts they pump out. someone else will for sure (or google will). Also you'd want to make sure the mat can handle the weight? Of not, maybe it can be strapped against the side of the fermenter, the mat looks flexible.

Hey Rendo,

Wasn't planning on immersing the mat in the beer. Thought it might go alright just hanging in the fridge behind the fermentor as the heat source.

Cheers mate

 

[Fourstar]

All good, just a faulty connection on the sensor. Up and running with a 0.3 degree difference between the unit and my thermometer.

I was going to say that was the issue after reading the manual yesterday but you beat me to it.

Had a go at pre wiring most of it up and gave it a test run. I can say she works.

Now i just need to buy myself a jiffy box and same cable glands. Off to jaycar i go!

What size box did most of you guys opt for?

 

[Supra-Jim]

4*,

I used a larger box, about 150mm x 200mm, and mounted a power point on the face of the box below the fridgemate display. This reduced the cables dagging around and came up looking a little neater. My previous effort had cables running all over the place.

Cheers SJ

 

[rendo]

I'll be doing the same, i.e mounting a double powerpoint on the back of my box (soon). One for the cooling/fridge and one for the heating (no idea what yet, if it all, but I just want to have it hooked up).

Box is about 25cmx15cmx10cm approx, a bit on the larger side, but its solid

4*,

I used a larger box, about 150mm x 200mm, and mounted a power point on the face of the box below the fridgemate display. This reduced the cables dagging around and came up looking a little neater. My previous effort had cables running all over the place.

Cheers SJ

 

[Fourstar]

4*,

I used a larger box, about 150mm x 200mm, and mounted a power point on the face of the box below the fridgemate display. This reduced the cables dagging around and came up looking a little neater. My previous effort had cables running all over the place.

Cheers SJ

Ive already wired a powerpoint to the controller for the fridge to plug into and then im planning on running a cable gland out the rear next to it with the power cable for the temp controller. Two steps ahead of you!

For the Fridge:

I was thinking of running another point for the temp controller but couldnt be arsed re wiring a extension lead with two male ends or buying a kettle plug.

One of those Iris style waterproof glands should make it neat enough i think.

 

[Supra-Jim]

Two steps aheah eh? I suppose you think pretty clever!! Pretty much the same as i have done, even down to the choice of glands!

I'm using the stainless immersible probe and i put some male connecters on the end of this, and female plugs into the side of the box. Makes it a little neater, and i can easily unplug the temp probe as i swap between using this to control the fermentation fridge and the HLT urn for brew days.

Cheers SJ

 

[Fourstar]

I'm using the stainless immersible probe and i put some male connecters on the end of this, and female plugs into the side of the box. Makes it a little neater, and i can easily unplug the temp probe as i swap between using this to control the fermentation fridge and the HLT urn for brew days.
Cheers SJ

Cant say im going that far, Simply glanded out the side for me.

 

[coe-crl]

I used one of these (Jiffy Box - Black - 197 x 113 x 63mm - $6.95) from Jaycar. It's a bit tight inside because of the way I have it arranged, but if you off-set the controller to the power in and heating/cooling points out, you'd have no worries. A little bit more pre-planning and I reckon I could use the next size down comfortably.

Does anyone have advice on how these would affect the freezer unit of a fridge freezer?

My feeling is that it would hamper the freezer unit. I would guess that it depends on how the fridge controls the two parts. If it's the one compressor and the cooling effect is distributed differently, then there's no chance. If it's two compressors and the power is split, controlled by thermostats, then it could be mated directly to the fridge compressor.