Stc 1000 Temp Controller

[beerbrewer76543]

What's wrong with a flacid robo-quadpus?

 

[Shifter]

Not too bad for a flacid robo-octopus if I must say so myself :beerbang:

Looks very professional Amber. Still waiting for mine to come from China - reckon the pigeon has flown the coup!

 

[Amber Fluid]

The Jiffy Box that Ross sells is the perfect size for the job and cheap too. Admittingly it took a while to cut all the holes but I only had a drill, jigsaw blade and file and with a bit of figiting around, I finally got there. Checked the wiring about 10 times before I turned it on. Nevertheless, all works as it should :beerbang:

I was debating with myself how long to have the mains cord but ended up going with about 2 meters.

 

[Malted]

Circuit Breakers/Fuses, RCDs are very different cousins...

Contrary to common belief, circuit breakers are intended for one purpose... Protecting the physical wiring they're a part of... That, and the relevant attached appliances...

For protecting people and the like, Residual Current Devices are the commonly used medium. In short, leakage to earth of greater than 30mA causes the RCD to trip.

Both break a cir

This i why I have all power in my shed running through breakers for each circuit on a panel (or what ever the proper name is) in the shed and everything runs through an RCD also in the shed. Oh and yes it was done by a licenced and certified professional electrician.
I reckon an RCD is a great thing to have in your shed.

When we bought the house August last year, it did not have an RCD in the main fusebox or the shed. I got a licenced electrician to instal one in the main fuse box and in the sub-fusebox in the shed and install hard wired smoke alarms. We are in SA and I think the house was built in 1992.

Any SA sparkies want to comment on the legality of selling a house without hard wired smoke alarms or an RCD? Do I have any form of recourse?

 

[pimpsqueak]

Not too bad for a flacid robo-octopus if I must say so myself :beerbang:

Not too shabby at all dude. Apart from my outlets being on the side rather than the back, ours are pretty much identical.
Nice work

Just to clarify.. If I could have my pick of any pet in the world, real or imaginary, I am pretty sure I would go with a Robo-Octopus. Probably be handy to have around on brew day too.

 

[[email protected]]

Just finished mine off. Not as nice looking as Amber-fluids, but still it will do the trick.

I threw a 5A circuit breaker in mine for safe measure. Mainly because I'm sneaking power from strata so that my fridge can go in my storeroom. The breaker should stop the box tripping strata power and causing all the fire doors to shut.

 

[doxhead]

Hi all,

I bought one of these STC1000s and I'm going to get the jiffy box and wotnot tomorrow from Jaycar so that I can finish off the build. The whole thing appeals to my sense of poverty. I was originally looking at trying to build something myself with an Arduino but it's hardly worth the effort with the STC1000 being so cheap.

Dox

 

[Amber Fluid]

I get my fridge on Saturday so am starting to get excited. I still need something for heat, so am thinking about either a light bulb, mat or a belt but am undecided so far.
I'll need heat where I am. The brew I put down last week is sitting comfortably at 18C so come winter it is going to drop lower for sure.

 

[browndog]

I get my fridge on Saturday so am starting to get excited. I still need something for heat, so am thinking about either a light bulb, mat or a belt but am undecided so far.
I'll need heat where I am. The brew I put down last week is sitting comfortably at 18C so come winter it is going to drop lower for sure.

You could wire your controller up something like this



The Fridgemaster can only heat or cool at a any one time, I connect two heat belts into it in winter and have one near the bottom of the fermenter and one closer to the top to keep the wort at a stable temp in cold weather.

 

[barls]

#Wades into it with the benefit of a few bevies under the belt#

Do you often see chefs saying, no you shouldn't cook because if you don't get the core temp above 70oC you won't kill the bugs and they'll kill you man. Eat at a restaurant, get a qualified chef!
Will they share secret knowledge: you see plenty of recipes floating around.

Do you see chippies saying, nah man saws and stuff have teeth, if you don't know what a mitre joint is man they'll take your hand off, get a qualified carpenter.
Will they share secret knowledge: I see plenty of clearly drawn construction diagrams and plans around.

Do you see welders saying if you don't know the difference between ferrous metals and non ferrous metals you shouldn't be welding. Welders can burn you, send you blind and use high amps man and they'll kill you quick smart. Get a qualified welder to do it for you!
Will they share secret knowledge: I see a few blokes saying run low amps and direct the weld to the thicker material.

Do you see a taxi driver saying, if you don't know where it is man, you shouldn't be driving there, you might be in an accident and get killed. Get a qualified (?) driver, catch a cab! Will they share secret knowledge: Refidex, Sat nav etc...

Do you see a sparky saying, if you don't understand the wiring diagram, you'll get fried. It's not worth it man. Get a qualified electrician to do it for you!
Will they share secret knowledge: Yes but wiring daigrams are like some sort of secret language that you need advanced knowledge to interpret. Do they sprook gobledegook that average Joe Bloe can't understand when they do offer advice?


There's plenty of shiite that can potentially kill you, if you don't do it correctly. Clear and precise instructions that are aimed at the every day person in a language they can understand, so he/she can save a few bucks and complete a simple job (if he/she had good advice)...

Just saying...
(smile inserted to convey sense of good natured shit stirring intent. However, it is probably going to make some folks very angry, maybe not people who are not sparkies).

mate there are dodgy bastards out there. this is one i had to rewire. it was apparently done by a back yard electrician.

can anyone pick whats wrong with this wiring on a twin element urn, it was tripping the rcd. the ends of the elements are left and right of the pairs. ie two lefts and two rights.

the person that was using it was bloody lucky not to be zapped.

you also left out engineers and chemists.

 

[michael_aussie]

You could wire your controller up something like this

View attachment 44579

The Fridgemaster can only heat or cool at a any one time, I connect two heat belts into it in winter and have one near the bottom of the fermenter and one closer to the top to keep the wort at a stable temp in cold weather.

I like the idea of the double power-point outlet.
It makes a neater finish than wiring in 2 female sockets on leads.
Fitting a male computer socket for the incoming power, and then using a computer cable, and fitting a head-phone socket for the probe, and a head phone plug on the end of your probe cable, leaves you with a simple "box" that you plug and play, however, it will be slighly more expensive.

 

[Peteoz77]

I have wired up a LOT of temp controllers, and I do it as cheaply as possible. I buy 2 meter extension leads for less than $3. One is good for Fridgemate, and two are good for STC1000. No extra cutting, fitting etc, just Less than $6 for two cords.

 

[michael_aussie]

I have wired up a LOT of temp controllers, and I do it as cheaply as possible. I buy 2 meter extension leads for less than $3. One is good for Fridgemate, and two are good for STC1000. No extra cutting, fitting etc, just Less than $6 for two cords.

Me too.
That's how I've done mine too.
It is cheaper, and it is easier, but I do acknowledge, that all the cords look messy.

 

[Yob]

mate there are dodgy bastards out there. this is one i had to rewire. it was apparently done by a back yard electrician.

can anyone pick whats wrong with this wiring on a twin element urn, it was tripping the rcd. the ends of the elements are left and right of the pairs. ie two lefts and two rights.

the person that was using it was bloody lucky not to be zapped.

you also left out engineers and chemists.

is i tthe fact that the earth is attatched to a bit of steel that is just laying on the urn? er... shouldnt it be insulated?

 

[Amber Fluid]

You could wire your controller up something like this

View attachment 44579

The Fridgemaster can only heat or cool at a any one time, I connect two heat belts into it in winter and have one near the bottom of the fermenter and one closer to the top to keep the wort at a stable temp in cold weather.

I have the STC 1000, you can see it in the pics above. I was also thinking of going the double power point but the box I had didn't give much room for it and I didn't think about mounting it on top :blink: .
I am actually thinking to go the light bulb or the mat. Having to remove and replace when cleaning the kit doesn't really apeal to me. I can be a lazy buggar.

Fitting a male computer socket for the incoming power, and then using a computer cable, and fitting a head-phone socket for the probe, and a head phone plug on the end of your probe cable, leaves you with a simple "box" that you plug and play, however, it will be slighly more expensive.

What a fantastic way to go. Very neat and portable.
The added expense is minimal considering these units are so cheap anyway. (got mine delivered for $17)
Do you have wired this way?.... any chance for a pic?... I'd love to see it.

 

[Maheel]

mate there are dodgy bastards out there. this is one i had to rewire. it was apparently done by a back yard electrician.

can anyone pick whats wrong with this wiring on a twin element urn, it was tripping the rcd. the ends of the elements are left and right of the pairs. ie two lefts and two rights.

is that power running back to the earth ?

that should not be happening, i would have thought that would never work. (and be lethal if no RCD)

i would like to know where those elements came from, i need something like that for another project (immersion type)

 

[barls]

is that power running back to the earth ?

that should not be happening, i would have thought that would never work. (and be lethal if no RCD)

i would like to know where those elements came from, i need something like that for another project (immersion type)

correct. they have wired the return circuit to earth. we were int he workshop looking at it going wow really someone thought this would work.
im sure if you search for malleys water heater elements you can find them

 

[Nick JD]

What I don't understand is how fridge manufacturers don't cough up the extra $10 (it would cost them) to put a damn STC1000 on their fricken fridges in the first place.

I'd buy a fridge for $20 extra where I could set the temperature accurate to 0.1C. Even if it's just for a reason to yell that the kids. "Johhny! Look at the temperature! It's gone up two degrees since you opened it and stared at the food. Close the bloody door."

I'm gonna sound like a trainspotter, but it's fun to watch it slowly climb up and then click on. Isn't it?

Fisher & Paykel? YOU LISTENING!

 

[barls]

my lg has one but its only controllable between 3 and 6. bloody cheap skates

 

[sinkas]

What I don't understand is how fridge manufacturers don't cough up the extra $10 (it would cost them) to put a damn STC1000 on their fricken fridges in the first place.

I'd buy a fridge for $20 extra where I could set the temperature accurate to 0.1C. Even if it's just for a reason to yell that the kids. "Johhny! Look at the temperature! It's gone up two degrees since you opened it and stared at the food. Close the bloody door."

I'm gonna sound like a trainspotter, but it's fun to watch it slowly climb up and then click on. Isn't it?

Fisher & Paykel? YOU LISTENING!

STC1000's havent been invented in NZ yet!