STC 1000

[breakbeer]

I've been using my stc1000 with my single vessel brew rig for a while now with no problems, until today. Worked perfectly for the whole brew & I unplugged it during the boil as it was no longer required.

I usually then hook it up to my fridge to take care of fermentation. Plugged it in & get the error 'EE' and a long beeeeeeeeeeep

I've checked the instructions & am trying to make sense of the broken english. From what I can tell it says it must have an open sensor or short circuit. I opened her up to check if the wiring was fried but everything looks exactly as it did the day I wired it up.

Anyone else had this problem? How'd ya fix it?

 

[labels]

All jokes aside, I do have a problem with my new STC 1000 though.

It keeps over cooling and kicks in the heating function (I have a heat pad stuck to the inside of the chesty).

Yes I do have the probe in a two litre bucket of water.

No I haven't searched for another thread due to it not working since the upgrade.

I had it set at 18c with 1 degree tolerance and then I changed the tolerance to 0.3c and it is still doing it.

The compressor delay is set to 10 mins.

I have taped the probe to the side of the fermenter tonight with a piece of insulation over it so I will see how that goes.

My theory is that the freezer is so efficient that the ice on the inside walls continues to cool after the compressor has been switched off.

I am thinking of installing a fan so that the ice will not form so much and the temp will be more even.

Opinions???

Leave the probe dangling in the bottom of freezer with a 10 min compressor dealy and TWO degrees differential, you won't have a problem.

The reason for overshoot is it won't turn off until the water bath is at the set temperature, in the meantime you 'air' is way cooler. In my experience with temperature controllers over the last seven years, leaving the probes dangling near the bottom of fidge or freezer works out best.

-=Steve=-

 

[Fergus]

I have my probe insulated with an old stubby holder I cut up, and taped to the side of the fermenter. I have switches on the stc1000 that allows me to turn off either the heat or the cool outputs. Set at 18ºc with 1º differential. Seems to work a treat. The heat is switched off. Doesn't drop much below 18ºc, gets up to 19º but not a problem. Fridge holds temp well so compressor doesn't work hard.

 

[tim0850]

I've been using my stc1000 with my single vessel brew rig for a while now with no problems, until today. Worked perfectly for the whole brew & I unplugged it during the boil as it was no longer required.

I usually then hook it up to my fridge to take care of fermentation. Plugged it in & get the error 'EE' and a long beeeeeeeeeeep

I've checked the instructions & am trying to make sense of the broken english. From what I can tell it says it must have an open sensor or short circuit. I opened her up to check if the wiring was fried but everything looks exactly as it did the day I wired it up.

Anyone else had this problem? How'd ya fix it?

stc 1000 makes that noise etc when sensor is not connected. get a multimeter and check that you dont have a broken wire in your sensor

 

[breakbeer]

Thanks for the reply. I've checked the sensor cable & all seems to be fine. Where the cable meets the probe is very slightly loose, which I've never noticed before, so maybe the problem is inside the probe

Might be time for a new probe

 

[Amber_Man]

so can you set it to sit around 1 or 2 degrees? what setting /temp do you set for your kegs,cheers pat

You can set it at any temperature, you just need to play around with the setting until you get it running at the temperature you want. I have a 700 litre westinghouse freezer converted that I am in the process of setting up as my new kegerator and I am running at about 2.0 degrees for my kegs.

 

[p2beer]

Keg King in Melbourne now sell these in a 10amp model and a 16amp model
anyone interested should look them up www.kegking.com.au
reasonably priced not sure on post if your interstate

cheers

 

[bowhunterslodge]

my two turned up today..

 

[Truman42]

Thanks for the reply. I've checked the sensor cable & all seems to be fine. Where the cable meets the probe is very slightly loose, which I've never noticed before, so maybe the problem is inside the probe

Might be time for a new probe

Did you check it with a multimeter like suggested or did you just look at it? A multimter will tell you if there is a broken wire inside that you cant see.

 

[breakbeer]

Brought it into work today so the sparkies can run a multimeter over it

 

[Truman42]

Brought it into work today so the sparkies can run a multimeter over it

Was it the probe? if so you can buy them on ebay.

 

[breakbeer]

Yep, it was the probe. Gonna stop in @ Keg King on my way home & pick up a new one.

edit; old one was the long stainless type

 

[verysupple]

I know it was a while ago but concerning TheCarbinator's question about overshooting when cooling:

I think someone already mentioned it but I find that if I raise the temp setting by 0.3 C after the vigor of the fermentation reduces it stays about right without too much overshoot - that is, if I'm aiming for 18 C then I raise it to 18.3 and it swings between 18.6 and 17.5. I have my differential set to the min (0.3 C) and have my probe in my wort. At the moment because it is warm I don't have a heating element connected so it warms naturally.

 

[ivars]

my two stc 1000 builds

Very nice clean setup. Could you please tell me where you got the power points from? I've been looking and can't find any like these.

 

[tim0850]

Very nice clean setup. Could you please tell me where you got the power points from? I've been looking and can't find any like these.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/321058088631?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2648

 

[ivars]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/321058088631?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2648

Many thanks

 

[Nedasaurus1]

my two stc 1000 builds

job well done

 

[Truman42]

My STC1000 has failed. It wont switch the fridge off even though the temp is down to - 7C. The heat light is on but it just wont switch the fridge off. Anyone experienced that before?

I have 3 blue and 6 camemberts that are probably now stuffed.

 

[verysupple]

My STC1000 has failed. It wont switch the fridge off even though the temp is down to - 7C. The heat light is on but it just wont switch the fridge off. Anyone experienced that before?

I have 3 blue and 6 camemberts that are probably now stuffed.

This is a bit like the IT response "have you turned it off and on?", but is it possible that your fridge is plugged into the heat side? Someone playing funny buggers on you?

 

[stux]

My STC1000 has failed. It wont switch the fridge off even though the temp is down to - 7C. The heat light is on but it just wont switch the fridge off. Anyone experienced that before?

I have 3 blue and 6 camemberts that are probably now stuffed.

I've had a probe fail before. It happens I guess.

Good reason to keep two on hand

 

[QldKev]

I converted my freezer to a fridge, works heaps better now. It doesnt cool as quickly and the temperature stays a lot more stable. I also used the same method for my 700 litre kegarator.

http://negergy.com.au/products/freezer-to-fridge-conversion?gclid=CP3cjuXy6LQCFcsipQodpyYAKw

You can get those thermostats a lot cheaper, here is a under $7 one posted

And another if you need an earth pin

I still like the stc-1000, you can see what the temp is, and when you want to dial up 18, you set it to 18 and not take a guess at a setting. But the manual bi-metal ones are good if you use it in a kegerator and set and forget.

QldKev

 

[Truman42]

This is a bit like the IT response "have you turned it off and on?", but is it possible that your fridge is plugged into the heat side? Someone playing funny buggers on you?

No its still pluged into the cold side, been working fine for 2 weeks now. the heat light is on and if i swap it over to the heat plug the fridge comes on, but if I then plug it back into the cold side the fridge still comes on even though its at - 7C.

Its also not the probe. The temperature shown on the display is exactly the same as the temperature on my wireless hygrometer that I have in the fridge.
One thing I forgot to check as I was going out was if I can hear the relay clicking off when the temp is reached.

 

[pcmfisher]

I had a similar thing happen once.
I just unplugged it took the lid off the box to see if all was well, which it was.
Put the lid back on and plugged it in again and it worked. So I dunno.

Your cheese will be fine.

 

[Truman42]

Your cheese will be fine.

Are you speaking from experience here? Or just making me feel good??

 

[Truman42]

I had a similar thing happen once.
I just unplugged it took the lid off the box to see if all was well, which it was.
Put the lid back on and plugged it in again and it worked. So I dunno.

Your cheese will be fine.

Tried that when I got home from work and it fixed it. And yes the cheese seems fine.
Crisis averted.

Thanks

 

[fcmcg]

I know it's fixed now but checking your wiring is also a good idea !

 

[Truman42]

I did that too. Cheers mate.

 

[QldKev]

Did ya also kick it, always makes me feel better after something stuffs up :lol:

 

[Truman42]

No but I called it a dirty female who sleeps around. That helped lol

 

[Nedasaurus1]

No but I called it a dirty female who sleeps around. That helped lol

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: