wildburkey
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- 9/4/15
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Sorry to double up on posts here I am terrible at keeping on topic in forum's.
It seems most people here use project boxes to build temp controllers for their keg fridge or fermentation fridges, I just thought I'd share how I went about installing my single relay digital temp controller in a fridge with a buggered thermostat that I picked up for free.
The advantage in doing it this way is that you purchase less to achieve the same. The disadvantages - it would void warranty, the controller can not be used for anything other than controlling the temp of the fridge/ freezer it is installed in, and it will take a bit more understanding of your fridge/ freezer circuitry.
So here is what I have done, it's quite simple really if you have a fridge with a 240v light inside.
Running into the fridge there are a live (brown), neutral (blue), earth (green and yellow), and in my case a white wire which gets connected by the thermostat to the live (brown wire) to kick the compressor starter on and off.
In the picture above I have gutted the old thermostat and light and just kept the wires (with the white and brown twisted together the fridge compressor constantly runs)
From here I wired the active and neutral to power the controller, jumped the active from the input on the controller to one of the inbuilt relay switch terminals in the controller, and connected the white in the other relay terminal.
Once tested I cut a hole in the door, extended the wires and installed the controller in the door.
Here is a pic of the completed project -
I should note I am not a qualified electrician, I do have a good understanding of refrigeration mechanics. I am going to get a sparky to check this before consistent use and will keep ya'll updated when fully tried and tested. Circuitry may differ between fridges and a qualified sparky should be consulted if undergoing this project.
In theory the method I have used could also be used in conjunction with the existing thermostat cranked up on high if you connected the digital control relay in front of it and the light could be kept if power is taken in front of the switch!
Cheers all, I hope this can help someone.
It seems most people here use project boxes to build temp controllers for their keg fridge or fermentation fridges, I just thought I'd share how I went about installing my single relay digital temp controller in a fridge with a buggered thermostat that I picked up for free.
The advantage in doing it this way is that you purchase less to achieve the same. The disadvantages - it would void warranty, the controller can not be used for anything other than controlling the temp of the fridge/ freezer it is installed in, and it will take a bit more understanding of your fridge/ freezer circuitry.
So here is what I have done, it's quite simple really if you have a fridge with a 240v light inside.
Running into the fridge there are a live (brown), neutral (blue), earth (green and yellow), and in my case a white wire which gets connected by the thermostat to the live (brown wire) to kick the compressor starter on and off.
In the picture above I have gutted the old thermostat and light and just kept the wires (with the white and brown twisted together the fridge compressor constantly runs)
From here I wired the active and neutral to power the controller, jumped the active from the input on the controller to one of the inbuilt relay switch terminals in the controller, and connected the white in the other relay terminal.
Once tested I cut a hole in the door, extended the wires and installed the controller in the door.
Here is a pic of the completed project -
I should note I am not a qualified electrician, I do have a good understanding of refrigeration mechanics. I am going to get a sparky to check this before consistent use and will keep ya'll updated when fully tried and tested. Circuitry may differ between fridges and a qualified sparky should be consulted if undergoing this project.
In theory the method I have used could also be used in conjunction with the existing thermostat cranked up on high if you connected the digital control relay in front of it and the light could be kept if power is taken in front of the switch!
Cheers all, I hope this can help someone.