Fridge Temp Control

[Punter]

Just saw this in Jaycar.
Tempmaster Kit
http://www.jaycar.com.au/images_uploaded/S...hip_July_AU.pdf

its on page 8 on the right hand side.

The kit is $39.95, comes with box and all the bits, but you have to solder it all up yourself.
Asked the guy about temp ranges but he didn't know. Looked at instructions and it doesn't say.
Has anyone got or tried one of these?

 

[Shunty]

I used to use one. It was crap. Too much of a pain to change temps, and got worried about the way it passed the mains to the fridge via narrow looking pcb tracks

Get a mashmaster fridgemate - having used both, i can tell you that the mashmaster is far far better

 

[jagerbrau]

I currently use a dixcel, but will be getting a mash master for sure. as the other thermostat will have new duties ie HLT. easy to use and look cool.

 

[frogman]

I am currently using two of these. One for fermenting fridge set at 18 deg. one running 510lt chest freezer at 3 deg.Setting temp a little difficult but they seem to work quite well for me.


:chug:

 

[Ash in Perth]

I used to use one. It was crap. Too much of a pain to change temps, and got worried about the way it passed the mains to the fridge via narrow looking pcb tracks

Get a mashmaster fridgemate - having used both, i can tell you that the mashmaster is far far better

Ill back that up. i had a jaycar for a while and it kept a good constant temp but had to be set and adjusted with a mulitmeter or trial and error. no display

The mashmaster ones are easy to wire up and dont need assembly. digital control to manage heating/cooling, etc with out havgin to re-wire it.

edit: I also found that the jaycar ones made my fridge bang and clunk when it turned on and off sometimes whre as the mashmaster doesnt. same fridge.

 

[Timmo]

Instead of starting a new topic about temp controllers ill add to this one.

My question is when installing a temperature controller to work with a fridge, the easy way out is to install the temperature controller in the middle of a extension cable and plug the fridge directly in to it. Now my question is will this ruin the fridge because it will be turning it on and off only running for short periods to maintain the temperature more offen then it would normally, if this is the case what is the best way around it???
Some ideas from members would also be a great help on how they setup their temperature controllers.

Regards

Timmo

 

[browndog]

I don't think you will have to worry about that problem Timmo. Most temp controllers have a variable range that they can wander off the set point before they will kick in. Added to this, if you make yourself a thermowell so the probe is actually in the middle of the wort, you will find the fridge cycles few and far between and once the wort is down to temp (because of it's mass) you can have the fridge door open for 10mins or more and the fridge will not kick in.

cheers

Browndog

 

[Jye]

Instead of starting a new topic about temp controllers ill add to this one.

My question is when installing a temperature controller to work with a fridge, the easy way out is to install the temperature controller in the middle of a extension cable and plug the fridge directly in to it. Now my question is will this ruin the fridge because it will be turning it on and off only running for short periods to maintain the temperature more offen then it would normally, if this is the case what is the best way around it???
Some ideas from members would also be a great help on how they setup their temperature controllers.

Regards

Timmo

Hey Timmo, When setting up your temperature controller you should tape the probe to the side of the fermenter and then stick some insulation (foam) over it, this will make sure it is measuring the wort temp and not the fridges ambient temp... better yet use a thermowell. Since it takes a while for 20L of wort to change temperature the fridge will not be turning on and off very often.

 

[Timmo]

yeh i was gunna slap tha probe on tha side of the fermenter.
so there is no reason y i cant cut a extension cable in two and wire the temperature controller into that and plug the fridge into the 3pin plug

thx for the replys

cheers

 

[browndog]

That should work fine, I have my temp controller mounted in a box attached to a double power point so I can plug in the fridge, or if it is too cold, two heat belts.



cheers

Browndog

 

[Timmo]

kool thanks for the info browndog

 

[shonky]

Another idea is to put your temp probe into a bottle of water inside your fridge. This removes any risk of infection but still provides a buffer for micro changes to temps inside the fridge.

I know other people have objected to this idea as the fermentor can generate quite a bit of internal heat during high-fermentation. I'm sure this is a factor but to my way of thinking a small (say 1lt) bottle next to a large (20Lt+) volume of liquid in a small insulated compartment will mirror the temperature as close as damnit. I figure there is nowhere for that heat to go!

I have used this method of controlling fermenting temps for many years without a drama

Quite happy to be shouted down if others have experienced conflicting results


Cheers, gotta be nearly beer o'clock!

 

[browndog]

That method works fine Shonky. The only advantage of a thermowell in your wort is that on initially putting the wort in the fridge, it will work hard till the wort is down to temp. If you have your probe in a bottle of water, it will take much longer for the wort to get down to temp.

cheers

Browndog

 

[homekegger1]

I am also going to jump onto this thread. Sorry for the jacking. I am looking for a plug in thermostat. One that has the probe to go into the chesty and then it plugs into the wall and you plug the chesty into it?

Anyone with an idea of where to get one would be great.

Thanks for you time

HK

 

[berazafi]

Try www.grainandgrape.com.au or search for mashmaster and brew (make) your own

 

[peter]

Hi all
I use a Jaycar tempmaster fridge controller , and I reckon they are OK.
I'll agree that the temp adjustments are a pain,sowhat I did was make a modification by soldering on an external potentiometer in place of the internal one (you don't have to use a screwdriver)
I also added two extra small switches so i can switch from cooling (running a fridge ) to heating (turning on a light bulb)
There is another adjusting pot inside the unit that can adjust the sensitivity, so I have no problems with with my light bulb turning on and off in rapid sucsession(like a strobe!) or the fridge carrying on .
There are probably better units out there ,but for a temp control unit for under $40 they're not too bad ,and whilst you have your soldering iron out building the kit, if you add the extras they come up Ok
Just my opinion.
Cheers Peter

 

[barls]

I am also going to jump onto this thread. Sorry for the jacking. I am looking for a plug in thermostat. One that has the probe to go into the chesty and then it plugs into the wall and you plug the chesty into it?

Anyone with an idea of where to get one would be great.

Thanks for you time

HK

you could always get ether the drixel or the master mash unit and get me to hook it up mate

 

[Timmo]

i ordered a mashmaster fridgemate during the week which does both heating and refrigeration but it does need to be wired up and installed in to a plastic box if u so wish.

 

[Timmo]

barls, how often would u think the temp controller would turn a fridge on and off each day to maintain the desired temp???

 

[barls]

i run two drixell units and they turn turn the fridge on about every couple of hours depending on what its set on my little bar fridge is set on 3 degrees and it only cycles every 3-4th hour