Stc 1000 Temp Controller

[Truman42]

Why not peaky cant be that bad????

Just a question is everyone bothering with vent holes as per the post on building a housing for the fridgemate?

Fridgemate housing

Do they produce much heat?

 

[raven19]

Just a question is everyone bothering with vent holes as per the post on building a housing for the fridgemate?

I have wired a few of these up and I have found vent holes are not required. I have had them running in summer in a small shed, yep it gets warm but no issues at all thus far.

I do use little 'feet' under the jiffy box to elevate it slightly off the top of the fridge for some extra circulation.

 

[richiev]

Great thread, definitely worth reading all 19 pages so far.

I've done my own wiring diagram. Can either a sparkie or someone who has wired heaps of these up verify that I have the wiring correct....?

 

[kelbygreen]

looks totally fine to me

 

[adryargument]

I have wired a few of these up and I have found vent holes are not required. I have had them running in summer in a small shed, yep it gets warm but no issues at all thus far.

I do use little 'feet' under the jiffy box to elevate it slightly off the top of the fridge for some extra circulation.

Mine gets slightly warm to the touch, nothing worth venting.

 

[ashley_leask]

Mine gets slightly warm to the touch, nothing worth venting.

I put some thick rubber feet under mine and it's in a 197x113x63 case and it doesn't get warm at all.

 

[stux]

Pretty much finished wiring up my two STC-1000s the other day.

Quite happy with them

Total build cost was less than 50$ each including the STC-1000 + shipping!

All parts were sourced from Jaycar, except the STC-1000 (or a clone, but I suspect its just un-stenciled) from metapark on ebay

 

[insane_rosenberg]

Pretty much finished wiring up my two STC-1000s the other day.

Quite happy with them

Total build cost was less than 50$ each including the STC-1000 + shipping!

All parts were sourced from Jaycar, except the STC-1000 (or a clone, but I suspect its just un-stenciled) from metapark on ebay

G'Day Stux,

What Jaycar cat. number is that box? I wanted one about that size but they didn't look cheap?

 

[stux]

G'Day Stux,

What Jaycar cat. number is that box? I wanted one about that size but they didn't look cheap?

HB5912
http://jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=HB...;SUBCATID=986#1

 

[Dazza88]

Looks oldschool stux.
I stupidly accidently bought a 110v version and it is on its way. Gonna send it back for a replacement.

Anyone ever just used or adapted the 110 version for aussie use anyway?

 

[stux]

Looks oldschool stux.
I stupidly accidently bought a 110v version and it is on its way. Gonna send it back for a replacement.

Nothing wrong with looking old school

Main concern is with a smaller case, the power sockets would be too close together and I was worried about not being able to plug wall warts in (if that's what I wanted to plug in)

Anyone ever just used or adapted the 110 version for aussie use anyway?

I'm sure the switching would work fine, the problem is the device runs on mains power, so if it supports 110/240 then you're fine... but its probably cheaper to make them 240V only, which means it won't work.

 

[Dazza88]

Stux - the oldschool comment was a compliment, looks cool. Reminds of a commodore 64 or apple ii which has been in the media a lot the last few days. My stc is in a smaller case, it has been running non stop for nearly a year now - no probs.

Just received the new stc-1000 and they gave me the 220v version. All references to voltage on the back of the unit and in the instruction manual say 220v. I checked online to see what the 110v diagrams look like and they do state 110v, so i think i am right. Getting a sparky friend of friend to wire it so he can confirm this i guess.

 

[weiht]

Does anyone calibrate the STC1000? Or are these things pretty accurate out of box??? All of my thermometers are digital and give differing results!!!

 

[Yob]

I calibrated, or at least checked, the first of mine and found it to be accurate, I calibrated the second one I had to this one but still found it to vary up to 1'c, got a replacement and F4 is not needed.

All I can suggest is that it is best to at least check... I dont have a digital thermo though... an old candy type one that I trust (dunno why but I do) so makes checking accuracy simple.

Yob

 

[weiht]

I calibrated, or at least checked, the first of mine and found it to be accurate, I calibrated the second one I had to this one but still found it to vary up to 1'c, got a replacement and F4 is not needed.

All I can suggest is that it is best to at least check... I dont have a digital thermo though... an old candy type one that I trust (dunno why but I do) so makes checking accuracy simple.

Yob

The best i did was to mix ice and a little water, and measure to see how close it is to 0c... measured 0.7c

 

[Yob]

My testing method for the one I built today ro run the immersion element I've been dreaming about..



pretty damn close... will be waiting for the ambient readings in both. Always wanted to know if they were waterproof, now I know!!

:icon_chickcheers:

 

[QldKev]

Does anyone calibrate the STC1000? Or are these things pretty accurate out of box??? All of my thermometers are digital and give differing results!!!

I have 2 wired up at the moment. Calibrated against my trusty alcohol filled thermometer, one was spot on, the other was out by 2 degrees.

Also if you are going to check the calibration always do it around mash temp, cause thats where it matters the most.


QldKev

 

[raven19]

Also if you are going to check the calibration always do it around mash temp, cause thats where it matters the most.

Er, unless you use them to control a fermenting fridge, then 8 - 20 is a better range :icon_cheers:

 

[Robbo_VIC]

what do people normally use for the heating side?

And do they simply plug in the fridge (assuming they've wired it with a socket) for the cold side?

With regards to the calibration, the best way to do it without an accurate thermometer would be to get a cup of crushed ice and fill it with about 1cm of water, then let it sit for a bit then put the probe in there and it should read 0C.

 

[Maheel]

what do people normally use for the heating side?

And do they simply plug in the fridge (assuming they've wired it with a socket) for the cold side?

With regards to the calibration, the best way to do it without an accurate thermometer would be to get a cup of crushed ice and fill it with about 1cm of water, then let it sit for a bit then put the probe in there and it should read 0C.

i use a old school light bulb in a upside down teracotta pot

yeah crank the fridge thermo to MAX COLD and set the temp you want on the STC to do the switching
i often leave the heat unpluged when cooling rather than it switching hot -> cold -> hot -> cold depending on temps outside etc

i calibrate against my collection of temp gauges and thermometers nothing to scientific