Fridgemate Instructions For Dummies.

[schooey]

You know, when i first got my fermenting fridge, it was the middle of winter and I wanted to brew a batch at 20C. I thought ok, if I stick it in a fridge, it will be great for keeping it at 20C all day, but what happens at night when my garage gets to 8C? So I thought about two fridgemates, one for cooling with the fridge plugged into it, and one for heating with some sort of heat source in the fridge.

I then read the internet for about 14 days and found copious amounts of electronics sites that had circuits for turning fridges into wine cellars etc.. After about too long of studying this, I decided I'd build a unit that controlled heating and cooling all in one go.

Then it happened.

I embarked on this task that nearly got me divorced, nearly made me pull out my already slowly receeding hairline and ended up costing me a ittle bit more than what two fridgemates would have anyway. And here it is...



I then set about making the sensors waterproof to put them in the brew etc etc etc.. Then went to insulating them and putting them inside the case. I tried putting massive great big heat sinks on them.

You know what worked best?

A great big glob of bluetack stuck against the side of the glass carboy insulating it from the fridge air.

You know how they always say hindsight is 20/20? Well yeah..

 

[beerguide]

I recently purchased a Fridgemate and have just finished wiring it up, it is one of the newer models with the open/closed relay or the 7 point model.

I've been told to wire it up to points 2,3 instead of 1,2 for the 'live' lead and 'live' jumper. Or simply incrementing points 1 & 2 as per this picture to 2 & 3 (http://helms-deep.cable.nu/~rwh/files/fm_wiring.png)

When I used 2 & 3 it powers up and works alright, except when the probe is reading 14 degrees it doesn't turn the fridge off. I have my set point at 16 degrees and modified the instructions as per the fridge settings in the included instructions.

I then read on the blog above here: http://helms-deep.cable.nu/~rwh/blog/?p=29 to use points 1 & 2 and ignore 3. When i use 1 and 2 I do not get any power to the unit at all.

For reference when the fridgemate is reading 14 degrees the work light is no longer lit, which to me indicates the unit knows to turn the fridge off, but it doesn't do so.

Has anyone had a similar problem or have any ideas?

 

[reveler]

I recently purchased a Fridgemate and have just finished wiring it up, it is one of the newer models with the open/closed relay or the 7 point model.

I've been told to wire it up to points 2,3 instead of 1,2 for the 'live' lead and 'live' jumper. Or simply incrementing points 1 & 2 as per this picture to 2 & 3 (http://helms-deep.cable.nu/~rwh/files/fm_wiring.png)

When I used 2 & 3 it powers up and works alright, except when the probe is reading 14 degrees it doesn't turn the fridge off. I have my set point at 16 degrees and modified the instructions as per the fridge settings in the included instructions.

I then read on the blog above here: http://helms-deep.cable.nu/~rwh/blog/?p=29 to use points 1 & 2 and ignore 3. When i use 1 and 2 I do not get any power to the unit at all.

For reference when the fridgemate is reading 14 degrees the work light is no longer lit, which to me indicates the unit knows to turn the fridge off, but it doesn't do so.

Has anyone had a similar problem or have any ideas?

I had the exact same problem.

post a pic of your wiring and make sure it matches the instructions.

Use post 1&2 as per diagram.

and then use 4,5,6,7 inplace of the 3,4,5,6 on instructions.

I wired mine up using post 2&3 first off, it worked except the unit didn't switch off when it was within range. I changed to point 1&2 and it work perfect (Keeping the fermenting fridge at 10 deg is great!).

 

[beerguide]

Image below:


I apologise about the quality, my camera is on the blink and this was with my phone.

In this photo I rewired 2&3 to 1&2 and same result as prior, I get no power to the fridgemate or fridge.

 

[haysie]

Image below:
View attachment 15701

I apologise about the quality, my camera is on the blink and this was with my phone.

In this photo I rewired 2&3 to 1&2 and same result as prior, I get no power to the fridgemate or fridge.

zoddy, wiring looks ok.but have you got the female male leads aroung the right way? that could be the cuuse of no power.

 

[beerguide]

The female plug is the lead on the left hand side of the terminal block, whilst the male lead is the one leading out the bottom of the terminal block at the bottom of the picture.

 

[beerguide]

I decided this morning to re-wire the whole thing using a different extension lead and it is now working. So I rejoined the extension cable, and guess what it doesn't work properly.

Gotta love brand new things that don't work - shame I sliced it in half and can't take it back now. But it looks like its just the female plug that is stuffed, so I'll just replace that.

Thanks for all your help last night it is appreciated!