New Fridge Fermenter Project

[Mikeyr]

I've already successfully used an STC 1000 style controller on an old wine making heat belt I had, was great for heating in winter months.

So have a fair idea what I'm doing with the fridge, but wanted any advice on one particular point. Did a pretty good site search and no one seems to had done it this way??

My plan was not to switch the power on and off from the New STC rig, i.e. PLUG the fridge into a powerpoint on a jiffy box etc

What I am planning to try is to disconnect the fridges thermostat and insert the STC as the switch there. That way the light works and there is less load through the STC. Couple of examples on youtube.

Any one had any problems doing that?

 

[WarmerBeer]

The beauty of the STC-1000 in a Jiffy box is it can handle both heating and cooling.

I keep a heat pad inside my fermentation fridge, and regardless of the time of year, I can keep my fermenting beer within 1 degree of target temperature, even if I go away for a couple of days. Obviously, if you live in FNQ, some somewhere equally warm, it never gets below target ferment temperatures.

The other advantage of having the STC in a box, with appropriate connectors, is you can use the unit to control a different heating circuit. On brew days, my fermenter STC get re-purposed to control my HERMS element, keeping the mash at exactly the right temperature(s).

Just my observations and opinion from (literally) years of happy "STC in a box" usage.

 

[Mikeyr]

Maybe I wrote this wrong. Yep love my controllers too,

No difference in the heat / cool, it's just that rather than plugging the fridge into the jiffy box. I'm planning to wire the STC "cool" switch directly to the wires which are usually connected to the fridge's
thermostat. I.e. fridge plugs into the wall and the STC tells it when to turn on and off instead of it's old thermostat dial.

 

[michaeld16]

This is what I have done works fine if ya comfortable with the wiring. Not really any different than a jiffy box as the load of a lamp and maybe even a fan is bugger all of a load anyways

 

[dannymars]

You could also wire a PowerPoint into the fridge near where you have the heating belt.

 

[Moog]

The same thing occured to me recently when i had to replace my fermenting fridge again.
So, is it as simple as taking the fridges thermostat wires, and connecting those 2 wires up to the STC1000, If so i'll do it,
When i thought about it, i wondered if it'd need to be done through a relay or something.

 

[dblunn]

Yes easy to do. I have my fridge compressor wired to the STC-1000 cooling contacts and I have a brew belt sitting inside the fridge wired to the heating contacts as well. The STC-1000 is bolted to the outside of the fridge in a, you guessed it, jiffy box.
Dave

 

[Moog]

Dave, so when you say your compressor is wired to the STC, is that with those thermostat wires?

 

[michaeld16]

Thats how I did it I ran my cable from the controller to were the thermostat is in the fridge and connected there, you could pick up the tstat wires at the back of the fridge if its easier to run the cable there

 

[Moog]

Thanks, i'll give it a go

 

[QldKev]

A few people used to replace the thermostat with a temp controller to keep the light operational. The latest trend is not to touch the fridge and keep it separately so later on if you want to move to another fridge it makes life easier,as the light is not as important in a fermenting fridge.

 

[Mikeyr]

Thanks all, will be my weekend project!

 

[Stimsoni]

I wired the stc into the fridges compressor, but I didn't use the fridges temp prob. Depending on the fridge I don't think you would be able to use the probe in the fridge as I think it's an oil probe. I just used the one that came with the thermostat.

I also wired a gpo that is attached to the side of the fridge that is used for heating. I've currently got a 9m length of heat cord plugged in, but if I change my mind later I can just plug something else it. No need for any wiring.

 

[krausenhaus]

I finished my new fermenting fridge the other day. Pulled out the thermostat, wired in an STC, mounted it in the door and installed a computer fan and heater. I also built and painted some wooden shelves to put in there for the fermenters.

Turned it on and the compressor quickly locked up and completely shat itself. The fridge came under warranty from a secondhand joint but I voided that as soon as I started drilling it and gutting the electronics.

So now I have to buy another fridge and start all over again.

In this respect, a "plug and play" solution that doesn't alter the fridge at all looks like a much safer option.