First Brew - New temp controller failed - what to do

[Needle99]

Hi all,

Just got my first brew on Fresh Wort APA using SAF US-05 yeast.
All was good until just now, and the cooling relay on the new temp controller did not trigger.
Reset power cycled etc, all no help.
Just ran the fridge manually to get temp back down.

Did another test with where the temp went above 18 after tbeing cooled and the relay triggered.

I am going to leave tonight and see how it goes.

Question for tomorrow when it will get very hot if the relay does not trigger.
Better to set fridge to warmest setting and leave over cooled or leave off and add what ice bricks I have to the fridge in the morning to keep as cool as possible for the day?

cheers
Craig...

 

[Hermies]

What type of controller are you using ? Have you looked at the compressor delay function on the controller ?

 

[Brewnicorn]

What temp did you have it set at mate? Not sure I’m following well but if the risk of cooking it is there kill the fridge and ice brick it til you know.
I’m no expert but generally higher temps on a new brew could be worse than a slow start to the ferment cold. Hope someone else chimes in for you.

 

[Ben Hardman]

This, if a fridge goes, it turns into an oven.

 

[Needle99]

What type of controller are you using ? Have you looked at the compressor delay function on the controller ?

Hi Hermies,
It is the Mangrove Jacks Dual Temp controller.
To test it out put the fridge on earlier to today and had kept it with the range. As soon as she hit 18.5c would kick in.
Have just removed (as it failed to fire again) and temp was at 23C.
Instruction manual is pretty lean on the options. Just explains setting temo and hysterises.
cheers
Craig..

 

[Needle99]

Thanks guys.
Will wait until the brew fully cools down (still shows 23 on the brew therm).and will then try fridge on on warmest setting.
Seems like having too cold will be better than too hot.
Hopefully will just slow the yeast and then get set again tomorrow after I hopefully get back to the shop to swap controller over.
Temp was set at 18C and had been working well from 3pm when I tested the controller/fridge prior to putting the brew in.

 

[Hermies]

Thanks guys.
Will wait until the brew fully cools down (still shows 23 on the brew therm).and will then try fridge on on warmest setting.
Seems like having too cold will be better than too hot.
Hopefully will just slow the yeast and then get set again tomorrow after I hopefully get back to the shop to swap controller over.
Temp was set at 18C and had been working well from 3pm when I tested the controller/fridge prior to putting the brew in.

Get it down to 18*C and then turn your fridge off and keep up the ice bricks until you work it out . As Brewnicorn said better to have a lower temp and slower ferment .

 

[RobinW]

Where do you have the probe?
I sticky tape the probe to the bucket then sticky tape a piece of bubble wrap over that.
Also check the compressor delay isn't set to something stupid.

 

[Needle99]

Probe was originally free in mid fridge. I moved to up against the fermenter. That triggered the reading to be a bit higher.
Light is flashing in the controller, however the relay is not putting power back on.
Worked fine until after I have completed brew and put in fridge. When is was high ambient earlier,it was cycling the compressor back on every 3 minutes or so.
Not sure this one has a compressor delay function. (not listed in instructions that I can find)

 

[RobinW]

I found the manual on line. Compressor delay is default to 3 minutes, max is 8 minutes.
It also does heating so make sure it's set to cooling.
Set device mode (F4) to 1: cooling.

Link to Mangrove Jacks Dual Temp controller manual, print it and check.

https://www.nationalhomebrew.com.au/uploads/attachments/National_Home_Brew_ID-58242_1412116639.pdf

 

[peteru]

Sounds like compressor delay. Watch it and see if the fridge starts running after a few minutes of flashing light.

If the compressor delay is kicking in, it probably means that your probe is not positioned correctly and as a result the compressor delay is probably saving your fridge motor from burning out prematurely.

 

[Needle99]

Thanks guys. After having fridge on all night it finally got down to just under18 degrees at 5am.
Unit is definitely faulty as the Set button does not work anymore to check anything.

I have tapes it under styrofoam to the fermenter now. Will be a pray scenario while at work today....
At least the beer gods are trying to help, the sky is at least overcast to help with ambients a little

 

[Needle99]

New Temp controller is now in place. LCD also started to play up with 1 showing as a 7, so it has now been swapped.
Something a little wrong with the electronics. Lucky me got a dud that cost me some sleep. Good news is I think it did not cost me my brew.

 

[yvonne_john1]

My fridge doesn’t work when I plug into my mango jack temperature control but when I put into power

 

[axematt]

My fridge doesn’t work when I plug into my mango jack temperature control but when I put into power

Just a thought, What temp is the fridge at when you plug it into the temp controller? If the temp controller is set to the same as the fridge temp picked up by the probe, then nothing will turn on because the temperature is the same. Although I am not familiar with this controller.

Cheers

 

[GoodDuck]

My fridge doesn’t work when I plug into my mango jack temperature control but when I put into power

Also if you have not given it 5 or 10 minutes after powering up, it may be the compressor protection delay.
i.e. there is a typically a built-in delay on the temp controller, that won't supply power to the fridge until 5/10 minutes after power was cut off. This delay will be is active when powering up the controller, as a precaution incas it was a momentary black-out or similar.

 

[Virgin_Brewer]

My fridge doesn’t work when I plug into my mango jack temperature control but when I put into power

I bought 1 from ebay for $19 & hard wired it into fridge. Works a treat !!!