Brew Fridge

[GeezyPeezy]

Hi guys,

I am about to embark on my next Homebrew project: building a brew fridge.

I have an old working fridge and a greenhouse heater so far but what I can't decide is: what is the better temperature controller to buy?

Is it the STC1000 which requires some degree of electrical expertise (of which I am willing but severely lacking and need to buy extra bits and bobs) or the Inkbird 308 which from what I can tell is a plug and play unit.

Is that the only difference?

Any further advice on wiring and required bits if I go for the STC?

Thanks
Gaz

 

[Leon103]

I have the inkbird 308 and it is brilliant. Similar price to building a Stc and plug and play

 

[dan125]

I use the STC1000 and it works a treat but did require wiring.
If I was doing again I'd probably get the inkbird though.

 

[GeezyPeezy]

I use the STC1000 and it works a treat but did require wiring.
If I was doing again I'd probably get the inkbird though.

How did you wire it exactly?

If you don't mind me asking.

 

[Leon103]

I guess he does mind lol

 

[nbpicklesno2]

How did you wire it exactly?

Have a look at this thread for wiring info.
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=51855

 

[Batlugs]

Hi Geezy,

I have two fridges, one with STC and another just come on line with the 308.

Has to be the 308, as has been already said, the price is very similar. The 308 looks and feels superior and has better controls, you can set different heating and cooling variations, with the STC one variation is fixed for both heat and cool.

I'm thinking of getting another 308 and using the STC to control my shelf cooer as it's factory set to 10'c by Corny which is a few degrees too cold for me, that is unless someone has a better solution?

Go for the 308 is my advice.

 

[bilhound]

What do people use as their heat source in these temp controlled environments? I'm looking at converting a fridge into a temp controlled fermentation chamber, that could then be used as a kegerator later on down the line - is this even a recommended option?

 

[Leon103]

Greenhouse heater

 

[Batlugs]

60 watt tube in one and 40 in the other.

Amazon or Fleabay.

 

[Spoon]

60W greenhouse heater,

Wiring up an STC is very straight forward. There's power (live and neutral), thermocouple, and 2 sets of relay switched terminals.

So Take the live incoming wire (brown), and a strip of chocblock connectors, and make jumpers to create 3 live terminals, short bit of wire from each to the live in, and the live pole of the two relay's.

Neutral also needs three connections on the chocblock. One to the neutralpower supply terminal, one for each of the heater and fridge neutral wires.

Heater and Fridge live wires go to the switched side of the relays.

Put a plug on the other end of the incoming wire. Use a 1A fuse.

Stick it all in a plastic box. If using metal one e.g. a biscuit tin, make sure to connect an earth to the inside securely somehow, and whatever you sue make sure it's not easy to open, the last thing you want is kids finding a chocolate box full of 240V wiring!

By the time you've done that, and if you buy a proper plastic case from maplin it'l cost about the same as the inkbird 308. The advantage to me is the STC in a box epoxied to the top of the fridge with the wires neatly run down the back looks a bit more 'pro', which is an issue if the fridge is to live in a clean&tidy kitchen rather than the garage.

 

[GeezyPeezy]

60W greenhouse heater,

Wiring up an STC is very straight forward. There's power (live and neutral), thermocouple, and 2 sets of relay switched terminals.

So Take the live incoming wire (brown), and a strip of chocblock connectors, and make jumpers to create 3 live terminals, short bit of wire from each to the live in, and the live pole of the two relay's.

Neutral also needs three connections on the chocblock. One to the neutralpower supply terminal, one for each of the heater and fridge neutral wires.

Heater and Fridge live wires go to the switched side of the relays.

Put a plug on the other end of the incoming wire. Use a 1A fuse.

Stick it all in a plastic box. If using metal one e.g. a biscuit tin, make sure to connect an earth to the inside securely somehow, and whatever you sue make sure it's not easy to open, the last thing you want is kids finding a chocolate box full of 240V wiring!

By the time you've done that, and if you buy a proper plastic case from maplin it'l cost about the same as the inkbird 308. The advantage to me is the STC in a box epoxied to the top of the fridge with the wires neatly run down the back looks a bit more 'pro', which is an issue if the fridge is to live in a clean&tidy kitchen rather than the garage.

That's my thought with the STC looks far more swanky. Only problem is I aren't great with wiring things up!

I was planning on wiring the STC to a standard plug to plug into a normal socket. Then (before I plug it in of course) wiring a double gang plug socket to the heater and cooler connections so that I can just plug the fridge and greenhouse heater straight into that giving me an extra bit of fuse protection.

All encased in a waterproof plastic box.

Appreciate the help!

Gaz

 

[Batlugs]

Hi Gaz,

Be careful with the two gang switch, normal ones only have one set of terminals to feed both sockets, with this set up you need separate sockets, one to feed heating and one for cooling as the controller switches from one mode to the other.

 

[GeezyPeezy]

Hi Gaz,

Be careful with the two gang switch, normal ones only have one set of terminals to feed both sockets, with this set up you need separate sockets, one to feed heating and one for cooling as the controller switches from one mode to the other.

So it's probably best to buy two single gang sockets?

 

[hoptoit]

Yes, you won't get a 2 gang socket with separate terminals for each socket.
Not sure if you can see from these pictures where the wiring runs to each terminal.

 

[lagerlad]

this may sound like a stupid question but i presume the fridge has to be working correctly before you can convert it to a fermentation chamber cheers lagerlad

 

[hoptoit]

It doesn't matter if the thermostat is not working on the fridge, but the compressor must be. So it will cool.

 

[dan125]

How did you wire it exactly?

If you don't mind me asking.

Sorry for slow reply - just noticed your post.
I'm by no means an electrician and this was the most ambitious wiring job I've undertaken.
I found this wiring diagram most useful:-

http://i753.photobucket.com/albums/xx180/Samohon/Homebrew Images/STC-1000WiringDiag.jpg

Hop it helps!

 

[GeezyPeezy]

Sorry for slow reply - just noticed your post.
I'm by no means an electrician and this was the most ambitious wiring job I've undertaken.
I found this wiring diagram most useful:-

http://i753.photobucket.com/albums/xx180/Samohon/Homebrew Images/STC-1000WiringDiag.jpg

Hop it helps!

Thanks for your reply! It seems that it's most ambitious wiring job I've ever done too!

The parts should have arrived by Friday.

Here goes! :electric:

 

[GeezyPeezy]

Is there an ideal plug I should be using for wiring the controller to?
Or will any 240v plug do?