Stc 1000 Temp Controller

[michael_aussie]

First negative feedback on this topic I think, Its not the STC 1000 it must be said, but similar item from THIS SELLER

I had reason to think that one of my controllers was out, so tinkering today when dry hopping I took a thermometer reading and checked it against the STC and was pretty much spot on, I then ran the probe from the other item (forthe other fridge) linked above to same fermenter to check the difference..

0.3 - 0.4'c variance.. it couldnt decide for a while <_<

cannot argue for the price I'm just sayin it's totally worth calibrating them against a trusted thermometer. (For those that have this one)

I still love it though not as much as the STC

Yob

cough.. I didnt realise for ages that my F4 was set to 3'c... so I guess I was fermenting at 15 for a while there cough..
how embarresment
[edit] F number

I'll bet it comes from the same factory as the STC1000 .. and has the same guts as a STC1000.

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.

these guys are smart enough to know that Aussieland is 240V, and so you've screwed up.

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 purchased 4 and side by side they all read within 0.3 degree so I didn't even bother adjusting F4.
0.3 degree is close enough for me!!

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

i too sometimes unplug the fridge or my heater if the ambient is kind.

 

[rotten]

Never had any dramas with my 2 operating stc-1000. I do have one for backup just in case. As a rule i set them 1.5-2c below what I need for consistent results.

Disclaimer - individual results may vary

Cheers, no affiilation etc

 

[Truman42]

So if Im brewing in 15 litre cubes in a bar fridge can I just put the temp probe into a coke bottle filled with water, or am I better off taping it to the side of the fermenter?

Im assuming that a couple of degrees variation wont matter that much in the scheme of things anyway?

Also this time of year in Melbourne where temps can be warm during the day but colder at night do you guys use heating in your brew fridges as well, or will the fridge keep the brew insulated at night enough that it shouldn't drop too much below 19C approx?

 

[Maheel]

So if Im brewing in 15 litre cubes in a bar fridge can I just put the temp probe into a coke bottle filled with water, or am I better off taping it to the side of the fermenter?

plenty of ideas with this, some tape to the side of cube etc, insulate with foam, use a thermowell in the cube, dangle it in space ....

i put my probe in a 1L empty honey bucket put the lid on and sit it on top of the cube / barrel
it slows the reaction to the door opening (loss of cold / warm air etc )

works for me and seems to keep the wash in the temp range i aim for

i dont trust the probe to be water tight for ever ...

 

[Muscovy_333]

QUOTE (DazDog @ Oct 7 2011, 05:41 PM)
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.

these guys are smart enough to know that Aussieland is 240V, and so you've screwed up.



I have just ordered the 220V as well.
Does that mean i need to send it back?
I'm clearly have no sparky now-how!

 

[edschache]

I have just ordered the 220V as well.
Does that mean i need to send it back?
I'm clearly have no sparky now-how!

No - it means you need a second fermenting fridge

 

[Nibbo]

When i bought mine a few weeks ago i remember somewhere reading it had a tolerance of 10% meaning a 220V unit will handle 240V. This would be to accomadate different voltages and fluctuations in different countries. Don't take my word though...best to check that theory out. Powered mine up last week and no smoke to be seen or smelt. Gotta be a good sign.

 

[Muscovy_333]

Phew!

 

[PhantomEasey]

So if Im brewing in 15 litre cubes in a bar fridge can I just put the temp probe into a coke bottle filled with water, or am I better off taping it to the side of the fermenter?

Im assuming that a couple of degrees variation wont matter that much in the scheme of things anyway?

Also this time of year in Melbourne where temps can be warm during the day but colder at night do you guys use heating in your brew fridges as well, or will the fridge keep the brew insulated at night enough that it shouldn't drop too much below 19C approx?

I use a similar setup as you Truman, only with a 20ltr cube. I lean a heat pad against the back wall to heat the ambient air, and the temp probe is passed through the handle of and suspended in the air surrounding the cube. As it is my first ferment with this setup I have no data to show if it is sufficient or not. The STC-100 seems to hover around 18*C (+/-0.5*C) for the ale I'm making atm.

 

[Phoney]

Has anyone written up a wiring diagram for cooling only? ie: the heating terminals won't be used at all as this is only for a chest freezer kegerator conversion....

Cheers

 

[PhantomEasey]

Has anyone written up a wiring diagram for cooling only? ie: the heating terminals won't be used at all as this is only for a chest freezer kegerator conversion....

Cheers

I'm no sparky (engineer, so no electrical certs) but I would think you simply omit that half of the controller. If you're not looking to drive a heat source, there's no need to wire the live through that relay, or link back the earths or neutrals to their respective commons either.

 

[Nibbo]

I wired mine up so you plug your fridge and heat source in to a double power point on my STC 1000 box. Even though you might not use it now to heat, it might be something you would use down the track. Doesn't cost a lot to rig it up. Would be easier rigging it up now and not using it then not rigging it up and later on re-wiring it to suit.

 

[Truman42]

Just finished mine off and had it elect tested here at work for safety.

I've set my compressor delay to 1 min working on the assumption that once the compressor cuts off its going to be at least ten minutes or more before it climbs in temp enough to require the fridge turning back on again so the compressor will have at least that much rest. If my fridge needs to switch on sooner than that just to hold 19C then I've got a problem with its insulation etc. (which I don't)

 

[Maheel]

I wired mine up so you plug your fridge and heat source in to a double power point on my STC 1000 box.

i hope that means you used two separate power points one for cool and one heat

 

[Cortez The Killer]

The picture in this post shows all the wiring for cooling only

http://www.aussiehomebrewer.com/forum/inde...st&p=747068

Cheers

Has anyone written up a wiring diagram for cooling only? ie: the heating terminals won't be used at all as this is only for a chest freezer kegerator conversion....

Cheers

 

[Nibbo]

i hope that means you used two separate power points one for cool and one heat

I don't understand...a double power point is two seperate power sources. Each has a switch and it saves space.

 

[Maheel]

I don't understand...a double power point is two seperate power sources. Each has a switch and it saves space

i was concerned as i had not seen a double power point where you could run two sets of wires to ? (one 240 for cool another 240 for heat)


check put post 367 in page 19 of the thread, two small power points

 

[Nibbo]

i was concerned as i had not seen a double power point where you could run two sets of wires to ? (one 240 for cool on 240 for heat)


check put post 367 in page 19 of the thread, two small power points

The one i used had seperate feeds...just made the box look a little professional...even though i built it :blink:

 

[michael_aussie]

So if Im brewing in 15 litre cubes in a bar fridge can I just put the temp probe into a coke bottle filled with water, or am I better off taping it to the side of the fermenter?

Im assuming that a couple of degrees variation wont matter that much in the scheme of things anyway?

Also this time of year in Melbourne where temps can be warm during the day but colder at night do you guys use heating in your brew fridges as well, or will the fridge keep the brew insulated at night enough that it shouldn't drop too much below 19C approx?

there has been much debate here about where to stick your probe.

I believe the "best" place is in a thermo-well within your fermenter. Not so easy to do.

A close approximation is to put the probe against the wall of your fermenter and put some sort of insulation around it to isolate it from the air. Some use bluetak, others strap it to the fermenter with a piece of foam over the top of the probe. I use bubble wrap and squeeze two fermenters together.

Others use a small container filled with water close by. They are happy with this set up. I think this is flawed, as you aren't measuring what you actually want to control. Yes, your coke bottle full of water will have a very steady temperature, but your beer could be a different temperature. If you aren't measuring your beer how would you know?

QUOTE (DazDog @ Oct 7 2011, 05:41 PM)
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.

these guys are smart enough to know that Aussieland is 240V, and so you've screwed up.



I have just ordered the 220V as well.
Does that mean i need to send it back?
I'm clearly have no sparky now-how!

220V appliances are fine for 240V mains. If you read the name plate on many of your appliances you'll see they are plated as 220V.

When i bought mine a few weeks ago i remember somewhere reading it had a tolerance of 10% meaning a 220V unit will handle 240V. This would be to accomadate different voltages and fluctuations in different countries. Don't take my word though...best to check that theory out. Powered mine up last week and no smoke to be seen or smelt. Gotta be a good sign.

you're correct nibbo. they are usually rated for +/- 10%, so 220 is ok for 198V-242V .. and therefore ok here.

Has anyone written up a wiring diagram for cooling only? ie: the heating terminals won't be used at all as this is only for a chest freezer kegerator conversion....

Cheers

just leave off the heating output.

I'm no sparky (engineer, so no electrical certs) but I would think you simply omit that half of the controller. If you're not looking to drive a heat source, there's no need to wire the live through that relay, or link back the earths or neutrals to their respective commons either.

no, don't link anything, just just leave off the heating output.

I don't understand...a double power point is two seperate power sources. Each has a switch and it saves space.

most double power points only have a single feed... so you can't wire the heating output to one outlet and the cooling to the other.

 

[QldKev]

The one i used had seperate feeds...just made the box look a little professional...even though i built it :blink:

Good idea, where did you get it from?

QldKev