Temperature Controllers

[dreamboat]

I guess the easy answer is, that it depends!

If it is used in a fridge then I would set the AC up fairly long to look after your fridge. This is particularly useful if you open your fridge from time to time, and the temp increases at the probe quick enough to start the compressor - which then gets shut off a minute after you shut the door.
If your probe takes a long time to respond to changes in temp (if it is inside a fermenter), then it will not really matter how short or long you set the AC as it will take a long time for the probe to respond to any change in temperature.



dreamboat

 

[hockadays]

whats the difference between the two probes?

matt

 

[dreamboat]

Same probe, just referring to the way in which it is or may be used. The response time of the probe is actually the same, but in your fermenter, it will not respond as quickly as the temperature of 20+ litres of beer must change before the probe will register that change, which obviously takes a lot more time than it takes for the air int he fridge to cool as a result of the compressor starting.



dreamboat

 

[AndrewQLD]

Here is a fairly comprehensive programming guide for all of you people who have the dixell xr10c, it covers most of their units too.
View attachment dixel_prog.pdf

Andrew

 

[BrissyBrew]

I think I have the wiring all worked out but I get a P1 error, do I need to change the type of probe?
Does the polarity matter for the price and what numbers should they be wired to?
Did anybody else get this P1 error. (P1 blinks constantly) do you need to change the probe value?
Anybody have any ideas

 

[dreamboat]

Have you sorted this out BrissyBrew?

Let me know if it is still not working, and I will hunt through the manual, and have a play with one here, and see if I can get some idea.



dreamboat

I think I have the wiring all worked out but I get a P1 error, do I need to change the type of probe?
Does the polarity matter for the price and what numbers should they be wired to?
Did anybody else get this P1 error. (P1 blinks constantly) do you need to change the probe value?
Anybody have any ideas

[post="84605"][/post]​

 

[BrissyBrew]

Still not working and I have now tried the prob in both modes.
What pins have you connected the prob to.

 

[Fammer]

I have the probe connected to Pins 11 & 12 on my setup and I have placed the probe tip down the bottom under a keg so the air doesn't affect it too much.

 

[BrissyBrew]

Is working now, after a suggestion of testing the resistence with a multimeter I discovered that one of the couple had a plastic like cover pulled that off no problems. The simple things seem to make me come unstuck.

 

[Hoops]

I know I know your gonna hate me dreamboat but if you were to do another bulk buy how many would you need to get them at that price again?
I have 2 guys in BBC that probably want them. 1 definite and have had a few other people asking.

Mine is working a treat by the way.
Thanks again for organising it all, much appreciated.

Hoops

 

[ntboozer]

I have no idea how I missed the first Bulk buy but I'd be interested in grabbing 2 if it was to go ahead again.
nt
:beer:

 

[dreamboat]

For $90 each, I can get as many or as few as are required. Just a bit of stuffing around for me to pick up and one a week for the rest of my life.
If there is interest in some more, maybe another mini-bilk-buy... and with the interest, we could close up in a week, and still get half a dozen or more to take care of those with interest at this time, then I won't have to do it again for another month or two...


dreamboat

 

[barls]

im up for another on if they are going again. since i have another fridge as well

 

[ntboozer]

dreamboat,
Any update on the possibility of another buy?
Cheers
nt
:beer:

 

[dreamboat]

If you are in, and we can get to say a minimum of 6, then it will be a go.



dreamboat

 

[ntboozer]

Pricing aside how do these units compare (technically) to the units from Tobins (TS-040S), Aldoheat (THF0-40C) etc.?
I have no dramas with the assembly / wiring side of things so that isn't an issue.
I've done all the searches, read bucket loads of posts....question remains....which controller is better suited for the fermentation fridge application?

nt
:beer:

 

[Andyd]

Will these controllers do the trick for an HLT and fermentation?

 

[JasonY]

Will these controllers do the trick for an HLT and fermentation?

[post="90203"][/post]​

Yep I am running my HLT with mine and its bloody great, the second one will go in the new beer freezer once i get it. Very happy with these suckers.

 

[ntboozer]

OK fellow brewers,
Seems as though there aren't a great deal of opinions out there regarding these controllers compared (technically) to what is available from Adloheat, Tobins etc.
Although I 'like the look' of the digital readout of the Dixell and the whole 'assemble myself' isn't a drama I'm leaning towards the units from Adloheat (plug and play) as initial quotes are looking quite favourable (inc. freight (freight is a killer to the NT, any company will tell ya that)).
Based on this can I pose my question again to all those techo minds out there (before spending my hard earned $'s) - are these units (Dixell) technically better than the 'plug and play' style controller e.g more accurate, easier to adjust etc?
nt
:beer:

 

[Wortgames]

nt, I don't know exactly what controllers you are referring to, but generally the dixell type are just a more complex version of a plug and play controller. They can be quite awkward to configure, as they are designed to be used for all sorts of applications and tend to have ridiculously complicated menu options. If you can get a simple one ready to go for a good price I'd say get it.

I have two electronic controllers (one Beta, one Carel - both similar to Dixell but I had some bad experiences with Dixell so I have sworn off them). One is a 2-stage which is permanently installed in the fermenting/lagering fridge, the other can be switched between heating and cooling and is used on my HLT on brewday or I can use it on a spare fridge for extra fermenting space.