Digital Thermostats

[under]

I dont know which to get. The fridgemate or this?? Heh.

 

[Fourstar]

I dont know which to get. The fridgemate or this?? Heh.

get this, or two of them for the same price as a tempmate and the same functionality!

 

[moovet]

Hi guys,

Thinking of buying one and getting a fridge set up but couldn't actually find the instructions/pictures of how to wire this one up despite the many references. Can someone please give me the link to the A-Z instructions including the components required. I may get the materials and get a sparky to do it for me but need the details.

Cheers,


Geoff

 

[gava]

I've got two tempmates and i've just purchased one of theses cheap ones.. once i get them I'll give them a side by side test.. im pretty sure they'll be the same.. ordered two for $10 cheaper than one tempmate..

get this, or two of them for the same price as a tempmate and the same functionality!

 

[Fourstar]

Hi guys,

Thinking of buying one and getting a fridge set up but couldn't actually find the instructions/pictures of how to wire this one up despite the many references. Can someone please give me the link to the A-Z instructions including the components required. I may get the materials and get a sparky to do it for me but need the details.

Cheers,


Geoff

wiring diagram comes with the temp comtroller, alternativly its pretty much identical to woring up the tempmate minus wiring a earth to the controller. (only requires N and A.)

 

[LethalCorpse]

Hi guys,

Thinking of buying one and getting a fridge set up but couldn't actually find the instructions/pictures of how to wire this one up despite the many references. Can someone please give me the link to the A-Z instructions including the components required. I may get the materials and get a sparky to do it for me but need the details.

Cheers,


Geoff

Take it to an appliance shop, or a friend who's good with electronics. If you can't work out how to do it after the screeds of information and diagrams posted by myself and others in this thread and others, you've got no business working with a 240V appliance. Sorry, pal, that's just how it is.

EDIT: Didn't see that last sentence the first time - at least you recognise your limitations. If you can find a sparky willing to do it for you, he won't need more detailed instructions than what is provided with the unit. The detailed parts list has been provided in these threads.

 

[rendo]

I couldnt agree more. It is not really that complex, BUT, if you have any doubt then dont do it. If you have no experience with electronics etc then I would say you definitely need to get a electrician or mate who knows what they are doing.

You really are dealing with a loaded gun (240V kills, electricians included, it just takes one very quick slip or misunderstanding) and really is beer worth dying for? Seriously...no. I bet your family wont think so, even if so many of us brewers may Cant drink much beer when ur toasted! Maybe could be buried in a pit of beer?? hmmmmm...beeeeeer ...pit of beeeeer!! It'd be like a beer spa!

Take it to an appliance shop, or a friend who's good with electronics. If you can't work out how to do it after the screeds of information and diagrams posted by myself and others in this thread and others, you've got no business working with a 240V appliance. Sorry, pal, that's just how it is.

EDIT: Didn't see that last sentence the first time - at least you recognise your limitations. If you can find a sparky willing to do it for you, he won't need more detailed instructions than what is provided with the unit. The detailed parts list has been provided in these threads.

 

[beerDingo]

I ended up using a box similar to these:
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=HB6128

With the see through lid. Not sure of the exact size.

However, after wiring it up, I plugged it in, and got NOTHING! Checked, ..., triple checked, and it looks like it's wired correctly. I suppose I will hunt down an electricion, to confirm that it is DOA, and if so, I will try and get a replacement.

 

[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.

Might be a bit quick to repost, but it looks like my question got lost at the end of the thread.

 

[LethalCorpse]

Most fridge/freezer combos work by having a single compressor driving the freezer and controlled by the freezer's thermostat. There's then a second thermostat which controls airflow between the fridge and the freezer - either cutting a fan in and out, or simply closing a vent. My brew fridge (before it died ) was the latter - just a bimetal strip with a flat plate on the end over a hole, with a fan in the freezer that was on when the compressor was on. I just removed the whole plate to allow better airflow between the two compartments. If you can come up with a means of controlling or replacing the thermostat between the two compartments in your fridge, you can control them at different temperatures - lagering and fermenting if the freezer is big enough, or hops or yeast store and fermenting. If it's an electrical control, that's really easy - just add another digital thermostat to the wires that power it. If it's mechanical, like mine was, it's a bit more fiddly, though not impossible - a digital thermostat controlling an actuator/solenoid driving the plate over the hole would do it.

 

[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

Just re-posting this. Does anyone know if these reptile mats would have a similar heat output to the proper brewing heat mats?

A site search on 'heat source' tells me that many people hang their brewing heat pad in the back of the fridge somewhere as the heat source. Wondering if this reptile mat could do the same job?

 

[rendo]

Herbo,

I was just joking about submersing it

ANyway, a quick search on google "brewing heat mat watts" got me this & more

http://homebrewheaven.com/brew-heater-pad.htm

most of the mats I saw were about 20W-30W. So they seem to be around the same wattage. I couldnt say if it would be as good as I really dont know, but if its the same watts then I couldnt see why? Maybe a light bulb really simply does the same trick, or better if you start using a 40W globe or higher

Anyway, i think you should be an AHB pioneer and give it a go and report back on your findings then I can get one (or not) based on what you say

Just re-posting this. Does anyone know if these reptile mats would have a similar heat output to the proper brewing heat mats?

A site search on 'heat source' tells me that many people hang their brewing heat pad in the back of the fridge somewhere as the heat source. Wondering if this reptile mat could do the same job?

 

[Doogiechap]

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.

4* please promise me that you will NEVER do that h34r:

2 males on an extension lead will probably not get you killed because you know about it. It will kill your mate who unplugs the wrong end first .
Be careful with this stuff fellas.
cheers
Doug

 

[LethalCorpse]

Nice spot, Doug, I missed that one. He's dead right, 4*, an extension with two male ends is EXTRAORDINARILY unsafe. It's a question of when it will kill someone, not if. Don't ever do this.

It is for very good reason that outlets are ALWAYS female, and inlets are always male. Whether it's on a wall socket, a cable or an appliance, this ensures that it is impossible to connect something that's live into something else that's live, and makes it impossible for someone to touch live pins.

 

[coe-crl]

Most fridge/freezer combos work by having a single compressor driving the freezer and controlled by the freezer's thermostat. There's then a second thermostat which controls airflow between the fridge and the freezer - either cutting a fan in and out, or simply closing a vent. My brew fridge (before it died ) was the latter - just a bimetal strip with a flat plate on the end over a hole, with a fan in the freezer that was on when the compressor was on. I just removed the whole plate to allow better airflow between the two compartments. If you can come up with a means of controlling or replacing the thermostat between the two compartments in your fridge, you can control them at different temperatures - lagering and fermenting if the freezer is big enough, or hops or yeast store and fermenting. If it's an electrical control, that's really easy - just add another digital thermostat to the wires that power it. If it's mechanical, like mine was, it's a bit more fiddly, though not impossible - a digital thermostat controlling an actuator/solenoid driving the plate over the hole would do it.

Cheers LC.

 

[moovet]

If you can't work out how to do it after the screeds of information and diagrams posted by myself and others in this thread and others, you've got no business working with a 240V appliance. Sorry, pal, that's just how it is.

I spent about an hour today going through this thread to find the details I was wanting before posting this request. Disappointingly, no-one has actually highlighted the post(s) in this thread with the info I was after.

I have been through all Lethalcorpse's profile after he made reference to clicking his signature for a diagram of the tempmate wiring but I couldn't find what I was after. This may be because I am new to this forum or the info I am after is on a different thread.

A little guidance was all I was after as I thought that was what these forums were for. As I said, I was not necessarily going to do it myself but thank you for all the warnings about electricity. I thought it only tickled.

 

[under]

Put those pliers down and call an electrician before you hurt someone.

 

[rendo]

Moovet,

Here is what you are after

http://helms-deep.cable.nu/~rwh/blog/?p=29

Its a great post with excellent pictures. We care for you and others, hence the warnings or i'd term it 'genuine concern'. I would hate to think someone hurt/killed themselves because of advice from AHB or myself or that I didnt do enough to prevent someone from making a lethal mistake.

The link above should make it very clear for someone with electrical experience and don't try this at home

Rendo

I spent about an hour today going through this thread to find the details I was wanting before posting this request. Disappointingly, no-one has actually highlighted the post(s) in this thread with the info I was after.

I have been through all Lethalcorpse's profile after he made reference to clicking his signature for a diagram of the tempmate wiring but I couldn't find what I was after. This may be because I am new to this forum or the info I am after is on a different thread.

A little guidance was all I was after as I thought that was what these forums were for. As I said, I was not necessarily going to do it myself but thank you for all the warnings about electricity. I thought it only tickled.

 

[moovet]

Thank you rendo, I did see the fridgemate instructions but was after the ebay units instructions. Someone said it was the same as the TempMate but I couldn't find those instructions either. Must be in a different thread so I will try and find them.

Thanks again.

 

[rendo]

its all the same really....

the wires are in a different 'order' or 'sequence' on the ebay one, but its all the same logic.

anyway, here is the instruction sheet for the EBAY one......(page 2 of this thread)

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//ind...st&p=589310

AND...here is pok's ebay unit wired up. (page 3 of this thread) He when to town and wired it up really well, good on him, but between the link I previously sent you, the instructions above and pok's pics and post....its all there

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum//ind...st&p=591068

hope that all helps

Thank you rendo, I did see the fridgemate instructions but was after the ebay units instructions. Someone said it was the same as the TempMate but I couldn't find those instructions either. Must be in a different thread so I will try and find them.

Thanks again.