Temp controller that does not require wiring

[Elderfi]

Hi,

I've decided to take the next step in making amazing beer, and am going to set up a fermentation chamber. I just bough a STC 1000 im curious is there any controllers out there that do not require wiring? I'm a little put off by the wiring process and I don't want to burn my house down or kill myself. Most likely im going to get a sparky to do it for me, but im just wondering if there is an easier way?

 

[whitegoose]

Yeah as a bloke without a DIY bone in my body (okay a few small DIY bones) I really wish that there was either a temp controller that didn't require wiring or a retailer who does the wiring for you and sells it as fully functional unit. I'd pay!!! But nobody does it and I don't know any sparkys. I mamaged to get a bloke from work who was an electrical hobbyist to do my last one, but there are now a few problems with it (not sure if it;s the unit, the probe or the wiring) and I have a brand new STC-1000 sitting around until I figure out what to do with it.

 

[slash22000]

I have never done a single "DIY" electronic project in my life, and I managed to put together my STC-1000 in about 20 minutes. It could hardly be simpler. Not trying to be a dick or anything, it's mad easy. You don't have to solder anything, or glue anything, nothing like that. Just clip it in.

 

[Elderfi]

I have never done a single "DIY" electronic project in my life, and I managed to put together my STC-1000 in about 20 minutes. It could hardly be simpler. Not trying to be a dick or anything, it's mad easy. You don't have to soldier anything, or glue anything, nothing like that. Just clip it in.

Thats really re assuring, did you follow some sort of instruction? could you paste a link to them? also what kind of fridge do you have? I watched you tube video and it required soldering and crimping etc. I dont mind a bit of DIY

 

[SimoB]

Hey mate... I used this wiring thingy 'below'

I did however solder and use tape to protect everything. This video helped me to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30TvX1Zz1-Y

 

[slash22000]

I did follow some kind of diagram, I'm at work at the moment I will have to post it when I get home. There are a LOT of diagrams on the net of how to put them together but I found this one was the only one I could understand.

You can screw the wires into the STC-1000 with no soldering required (it has little screw connectors), and you can buy a terminal block from Jaycar (basically lets you connect wires together by just screwing them into the block, no soldering etc required) to connect the power cord to everything else.

 

[SimoB]

I did follow some kind of diagram, I'm at work at the moment I will have to post it when I get home. There are a LOT of diagrams on the net of how to put them together but I found this one was the only one I could understand.

You can screw the wires into the STC-1000 with no soldering required (it has little screw connectors), and you can buy a terminal block from Jaycar (basically lets you connect wires together by just screwing them into the block, no soldering etc required) to connect the power cord to everything else.

Yup, if you get the terminal block no soldering. will make it easier.

 

[Elderfi]

great! are terminal blocks those little white things? Ive watched that vid and it is very helpful, was put off by the soldering though. Also, does the STC over ride the fridges temp controller?

 

[Nath83]

Keg King also sell pre-made ones if you still didn't want to as well.

 

[whitegoose]

Haha you guys make it sound so easy - I didn't even know what a terminal block is, or what type of wires to buy, or how to cut them, or how to be confident that I'm not doing a crap job that will result in fire or electrocution!

 

[angus_grant]

STC does not over-ride the fridges thermostat. so set your fridge to coldest setting.

Temperature of fridge is then controlled by STC allowing power through into the fridge according to temp settings.

Make sure you get 10A terminal blocks from Jaycar as they sell some lower amp blocks which are easy to confuse

If you are not confident get a sparky in to do it. Get him to make up a couple as you will find uses for them (I use one to control the air-con/heater in my little boys room)

 

[slash22000]

Haha you guys make it sound so easy - I didn't even know what a terminal block is, or what type of wires to buy, or how to cut them, or how to be confident that I'm not doing a crap job that will result in fire or electrocution!

I didn't know what any of those things were before I made my STC either. It's piss easy though.

1) Buy STC-1000

2) Buy extension cord

3) Buy 10 amp terminal block from Jaycar (just ask them for one, they'll know what it is)

4) Cut extension cord in half, then cut off a couple of 10cm sections (I think I needed two, not 100% sure offhand). Boom. there are all the wires you'll need

5) Screw them in to the STC-1000 and the terminal block as per the above diagram making sure you match the colours. "Mains" is the side of the cord that plugs into the wall. "Cool" (or "Heat") is the side with the holes on it (that you will plug the fridge into)

6) Finished

Honestly the hardest part was hacking apart a plastic box to fit into, but you can just mount it in a $5 plastic container from Woolies.

 

[Yob]

great! are terminal blocks those little white things? Ive watched that vid and it is very helpful, was put off by the soldering though. Also, does the STC over ride the fridges temp controller?

With newer fridges, and only if you want to use it for cold conditioning/lagers, you may need to disconnect the fridge sensor, not in itself a tough job, but you may want someone who known which end of a set of pliers to do that so you are confident you arent destroying your fridge.

Just something to be aware of.

Cheers

 

[damoninja]

I was toying with the same idea - in fact I even bought a super cheap thermo off ebay which is apparently OK.

After discussing, I bought an STC and it arrived 2 days later. That evening I bought a jiffy, some cheap 10A extension cords and a 16A 380v terminal block from Bunnings.
After about 60 minutes of marking, drilling, filing and wiring it was plugged in and running.

If you're really concerned about it surely you'd know someone who's a sparky? Wire it up yourself and get them to inspect / tag it.

 

[Elderfi]

Ok so really silly question, do you wire into fridges power cord? or is some other part of the fridge?

 

[WarmBeer]

I was toying with the same idea - in fact I even bought a super cheap thermo off ebay which is apparently OK.

After discussing, I bought an STC and it arrived 2 days later. That evening I bought a jiffy, some cheap 10A extension cords and a 16A 380v terminal block from Bunnings.
After about 60 minutes of marking, drilling, filing and wiring it was plugged in and running.

If you're really concerned about it surely you'd know someone who's a sparky? Wire it up yourself and get them to inspect / tag it.

I'd be buying a couple of cable-glands to hold those 240 volt cables nice & tight. Any external strain on them is going to be putting sts on either your terminal block or the back of the STC unit itself.

 

[damoninja]

I'd be buying a couple of cable-glands to hold those 240 volt cables nice & tight. Any external strain on them is going to be putting sts on either your terminal block or the back of the STC unit itself.

Few people made this comment on the image itself - The cables are all hot glued in place in the hole itself and around the inside. I've given it a fair yank, they're not going anywhere.

 

[Elderfi]

Ok so really silly question, do you wire into fridges power cord? or is some other part of the fridge?

Sorry , the main power plug is the power to STC, the cooling is the fridge power and the heating is the power to the heat meat/cord/whatever im going to use?

 

[QldKev]

Keg King also sell pre-made ones if you still didn't want to as well.

This ^^^^

Plug fridge into this box, plug box into wall. Set fridge thermostat to the coldest setting, and dial up desired temperature on the control box.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

Soldring is not the method generally used to conect wires. You are better to use screw terminals.

Another important thing is a a cord restraint where the cord goes through the hole in the box. This stops the cord and wring being pulled out from the box. There is the danger that you could trip or pull on the cord the power point out of the box and having exposed live wires. Not sure if If bunglings have them but Jaycar etc will.