Keg King

[jackgym]

Hi
Anyone using a Keg King temp. controller? According to the , it has a 6.5 mm diameter probe. This would just about slide up the drain hole in my fridge. Has anyone used this method? The other alternative is just having it through the door between the door seal and the fridge. I presume the elect. cable on the probe is a small diameter? Also, do heat belts and pads have a flat cable?

 

[siege]

I'm using the probe up through the drain hole on one of my fridges because that's awesome.

The other fridge doesn't have a big enough one do it goes through the door seal which isn't cool at all.

Not sure what you mean by flat cable for the heating belt, but the only way to get that into the fridge without it upsetting the door seal is to chop off the plug and wire it directly into the STC 1000. Of course you are supposed to be a sparky to be allowed to do that. Are you a sparky?

 

[jackgym]

I'm using the probe up through the drain hole on one of my fridges because that's awesome.

The other fridge doesn't have a big enough one do it goes through the door seal which isn't cool at all.

Not sure what you mean by flat cable for the heating belt, but the only way to get that into the fridge without it upsetting the door seal is to chop off the plug and wire it directly into the STC 1000. Of course you are supposed to be a sparky to be allowed to do that. Are you a sparky?

No, I'm not a sparky. Can a heat belt cable be cut then poked through the drain hole and rejoined?

 

[pist]

I just pass my heat belt and temp controller probe in through the door of the fridge, and tape a piece of foam over the probe against the side of my fermenter. The cable is thin enough that the door seals fold around it. Have the keg king unit and its a pretty good unit. Tested it degree for degree against my calibrated lab thermometer and matched it degree for degree..so i even use the temp controller to measure temp when mashing

 

[Drewski]

Have two, one on the keezer (wooden collar so the probe has it's own hole). Also one on a freezer and heat belt combo for ferments. The cable seems to handle being squished by the door seal for both the probe and heat belt power. I guess some air might escape but temp are kept nicely.

 

[jackgym]

I just pass my heat belt and temp controller probe in through the door of the fridge, and tape a piece of foam over the probe against the side of my fermenter. The cable is thin enough that the door seals fold around it. Have the keg king unit and its a pretty good unit. Tested it degree for degree against my calibrated lab thermometer and matched it degree for degree..so i even use the temp controller to measure temp when mashing

I didn't want to squash it with the door, but a lot of brewers do, apparently. Maybe the only way. I may be able to give the heat belt a miss in Qld.

 

[jackgym]

Have two, one on the keezer (wooden collar so the probe has it's own hole). Also one on a freezer and heat belt combo for ferments. The cable seems to handle being squished by the door seal for both the probe and heat belt power. I guess some air might escape but temp are kept nicely.

Okay. Thanks forthe info. Any other way without trying to drill a hole hoping to miss a gas line :huh:

 

[barls]

i use to run the probe through the seal on my old bar fridge all it took was two very small slices in the seal behind the magnet and then passed through. no crushing issues.
although i suggest to do it on the hinge side.

 

[Drewski]

Okay. Thanks forthe info. Any other way without trying to drill a hole hoping to miss a gas line :huh:

Well in the Keezer the hole is in the wooden collar if you a familiar with what a keezer looks like so only drilled into the wood, prior to the collar i just run the probe into the freezer under the door seal and it seals over fine.

 

[jackgym]

i use to run the probe through the seal on my old bar fridge all it took was two very small slices in the seal behind the magnet and then passed through. no crushing issues.
although i suggest to do it on the hinge side.

Sounds like a plan barls.

 

[jackgym]

Well in the Keezer the hole is in the wooden collar if you a familiar with what a keezer looks like so only drilled into the wood, prior to the collar i just run the probe into the freezer under the door seal and it seals over fine.

It looks like most brewers do it that way so may have to go along with it. Thanks Drewski.

 

[TidalPete]

Drill hole in side of fridge -- thread normal lead through after taking off 3-pin socket -- rewire socket & join up to heat pad. Fill insulation space with scrap foam or whatever & seal both sides with Blu-Tak although using electrical cable glands does a much better & neater job every time.
Ditto for the temp probe.

 

[Brew Forky]

I just pass my heat belt and temp controller probe in through the door of the fridge, and tape a piece of foam over the probe against the side of my fermenter. The cable is thin enough that the door seals fold around it. Have the keg king unit and its a pretty good unit. Tested it degree for degree against my calibrated lab thermometer and matched it degree for degree..so i even use the temp controller to measure temp when mashing

Me.

i use to run the probe through the seal on my old bar fridge all it took was two very small slices in the seal behind the magnet and then passed through. no crushing issues.
although i suggest to do it on the hinge side.

Future me.

 

[jackgym]

Drill hole in side of fridge -- thread normal lead through after taking off 3-pin socket -- rewire socket & join up to heat pad. Fill insulation space with scrap foam or whatever & seal both sides with Blu-Tak although using electrical cable glands does a much better & neater job every time.
Ditto for the temp probe.

That's a better idea if I knew where to drill with safety without hitting any lines. A fridge mechanic would probably know.

 

[jimmy_jangles]

No, I'm not a sparky. Can a heat belt cable be cut then poked through the drain hole and rejoined?

i don't see why not, if it's just the cable that supplies power to the heat belt then there should be no issue. i would be having it setup so that your connections are in a jbox outside of the fridge to prevent any moisture from getting into the connections.

 

[Rocker1986]

Maybe the only way. I may be able to give the heat belt a miss in Qld.

I daresay you will be able to. I'm in Brisbane and have never needed a heat source in my fermenting fridge. I also just stick the probe cable in and close the door over it. No trouble holding temps.

 

[Kingy]

That's a better idea if I knew where to drill with safety without hitting any lines. A fridge mechanic would probably know.

Just drill a tiny hole first through the metal then poke a nail or the drill bit in and wiggle around to make sure your not going to hit anything then step the drill bit size up.
I also have my leads just sitting under the seal of the door.

 

[dicko]

Try drilling a small hole first from the inside through the plastic, then get a small probe and push into the insulation to feel for any pipework.
If clear then drill through the metal and then enlarge the hole to the required size after again checking for pipes.