My STC 1000 is 6.4c out!

[nosco]

I had a beer line in my keezer freeze up last week. I did notice a bit of ice build up on the inside of the keezer and now I using the softer clear beer line so I moved it away from the inside. Next night another had frozen. Came home last night and they were all frozen. I think I lost a few smack packs too. The read out said 6.5 or something. I checked the temp probe that was in a 1.25 bottle of mostly frozen water against my therapen. Thermapen read .4. Ive calibrated the stc just now but I think it must be on the way out. Maybe it doesnt like the heat in the garage and has been working too hard. Its only about 2 years old.

Ive had one other stc that stoped heating but would still cool. Anyone else had an stc go so far out?

Ill order a few spares I think.

 

[damoninja]

I have 3 and an inkbird and they all pretty close to one and other as well as my other thermometers.

Try another probe before another unit?

 

[nosco]

Good idea. I think i have a spare one.

 

[Kingy]

Yea I've had a stainless probe go on me before, it crash chilled my beer on me

 

[manticle]

Had the probe dodge out, as above.

 

[nosco]

Changed the probe over and back to normal. Thanks all. I might get a spare probe though.

 

[yum beer]

where is the best place to get a stainless probe for a STC-1000

 

[nosco]

Depends which kind you want. The regular one with a stainless bit on the end or the threaded weldless ones to go into the side of your fermenter.

Im gonna get a few of the cheap ones. You can also get the longer threaded ones. Theres a few home brew shops that sell them. 20 or 30 bucks I think.


Edit : I got all that from a quick read of this thread. Might be more info in there.

 

[quadbox]

They take any 10k ohm NTC probe btw, for searching purposes... Search for "10k ntc sensor" and you'll find bloody shitloads of compatible probes on ebay and on aliexpress, in many different form factors.

I'm using a pair of these atm on two of mine and they're working very well. Not stainless, but waterproof. There were lots of stainless ones around when I was looking

 

[Kingy]

I get mine from craftbrewer just dangle it in the wort from the top and cover with glad wrap and the o ring

 

[Zorco]

Boys. They have an input shift function. F1 I think. +- 10 degc to balance out probe error.

Anyway, that's just rough recall but I tuned mine a week ago.

Hope that helps.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

I think it is F2 to set the + or - isn't F1 to set the temp.

 

[Zorco]

Probably mate. A short online manual hunt will reveal all.

 

[Zorco]

Allrighty

http://make-documents.s3.amazonaws.com/pDkwhVyEu6SCgjoQ.pdf

F4

 

[nosco]

You are correct Zorco. I did actually calibrate it to be the same as my Thermapen but 6.4c out did seem like a lot. 1 or 2c I could have been happy with. Plus I had a spare probe and easy to change over. Ill test the 2 I use for fermenting though. More important than the keezer temp.

 

[damoninja]

You are correct Zorco. I did actually calibrate it to be the same as my Thermapen but 6.4c out did seem like a lot. 1 or 2c I could have been happy with. Plus I had a spare probe and easy to change over. Ill test the 2 I use for fermenting though. More important than the keezer temp.

If you have to offset it test how well that holds up at various temps, may be out at a ratio opposed to a flat number

 

[Zorco]

What then?

 

[Jack of all biers]

A ratio means it will be out at a different number of degrees at different temps. For example, my electro thermometer is out by 1C between 20C and 80C, but over 100C its out by 2.5C. Cheap product, but by knowing I deal with it. In a temp controlper it would annoy me TBH. My Stc is out by 1.6C at ferment temps, but this reminds me to test at 4C to see if there's a difference. Cheers.

 

[Zorco]

A ratio means it will be out at a different number of degrees at different temps. For example, my electro thermometer is out by 1C between 20C and 80C, but over 100C its out by 2.5C. Cheap product, but by knowing I deal with it. In a temp controlper it would annoy me TBH. My Stc is out by 1.6C at ferment temps, but this reminds me to test at 4C to see if there's a difference. Cheers.

Yep, easy as. But the STC-100 can't be calibrated for the characteristic of the probe other than input shift. Your info is good; if the STC-1000 is holding ferment temp then adjusting input shift at that range is the right plan.

 

[Jack of all biers]

Yep, easy as. But the STC-100 can't be calibrated for the characteristic of the probe other than input shift.

Which is why it would be annoying if it was a temp ratio issue. If it was a ratio problem, I would be replacing the probe like has been done by Nosco as there is something wrong with the probe other than factory temp settings. If it was a linear temp problem (within the 10C adjustment for the STC1000) I'd stick with the probe (but I can be a tight arse)

if the STC-1000 is holding ferment temp then adjusting input shift at that range is the right plan.

Exactly.

EDIT: This thread (like many others on faulty measurement equipment) just goes to show that calibration of new equipment at different measurements are critically important to find errors (ie thermometer at 0C and 100C or hydro in pure water and a known gravity measurement). If we calibrate even against other instruments it is better than trusting a tool that can be out (and avoid many brewing frustrations until the fault is identified). Is there a general calibration of brewing equipment thread pinned somewhere? Might be a good idea.