Help my fridge keep it's cool!

[Twostage]

Long time in getting back to this, sorry! But have connected live and neutral directly to compressor (and earthed) and something is working. It’s making a bit of gurgling noise but I’ve left it running for now with a temp probe inside the fridge and will see if it brings the temp down. Assuming it does any suggestions on next steps? Do I just hook it up to an inkbird and let it flick the compressor on and off as needed?

Haven't got an inkbird but assuming it has a fridge protect delay setting there's no reason why it shouldn't work. I'd be amazed if it hasn't as STC-1000s have that setting.

 

[MashBag]

Inkbirds do, but don't wake Peebee.

 

[clyne]

How's the temp doing?

So far so good. Set it to 5C on my inkbird and seems to be holding at or around that temp based on the compressor getting switched on/off.

 

[MashBag]

PT is (obviously) compressor delay.
Set it to loads.
@peebee will be along soon to advise

 

[peebee]

Inkbirds do, but don't wake Peebee.

Yyyyaawn.. Well, he's awake. What you want?

Ah ... Flippin' Inkbird ITC-308 and their temperature reading glitch (which Inkbird refuse to acknowledge).

Yeah, they have a "compressor delay" setting, which is totally ineffective. Which given the 308 has had the temperature reading glitch for years probably proves the "compressor delay" is an old-wives-tale as there isn't an endless pile of broken fridges, etc., that had been attached to a 308.

Okay? Can I go back to sleep now?

 

[clyne]

I’ve got both and inkbird 308 and a spare STC-1000. I use my inkbird on brew days. Would I be better getting another or is the STC just as good/better? What’s the recommended delay for the fridge setting then? I know I could google it but I trust you guys more

 

[JockyBrewer]

I’ve got both and inkbird 308 and a spare STC-1000. I use my inkbird on brew days. Would I be better getting another or is the STC just as good/better? What’s the recommended delay for the fridge setting then? I know I could google it but I trust you guys more

It's more that you don't want it turning off and on again within seconds.

A couple of minutes delay should be fine. If your temps are swinging faster than that then you need to insulate things better.

 

[clyne]

Ah cool thanks. I think that’s fine then - this is the chart over about a 6 hour period. Seems pretty good to the untrained eye?

 

[MashBag]

I would set 10 mins or more. Give the compressor a chance to settle and cool.

Run it and see what the data says for 10mins. You could also consider some thermal mass. This will help keep a stable temp. A few bricks in the bottom or bottles of water.

 

[clyne]

Cool thanks @MashBag, I'll adjust accordingly. Would 7 corny kegs of beer count as thermal mass? That's currently what I have in there - and I can squeeze an 8th back in there now that I don't have to faff about with that thermostat/control unit. I think I'm going to get the STC wired up and replace the inkbird. Seems like a bit of a waste of an inkbird if I'm honest, when a cheaper STC will do the job. Albeit I've quite liked being able to see the temp of the fridge! Although I may hook up a second temp probe to my little Raspberry pi which I use for monitoring my fermentation fridge.

Really appreciate all the support - well chuffed that I'm back serving cool beer!

 

[peebee]

I would set 10 mins or more. Give the compressor a chance to settle and cool. ...

For Inkbird (I don't know about other controllers) the "delay" applies to you; stops you turning it off and back on again within N minutes. The controller does what it likes and happily turns the compressor off, on and off again within a fraction of a second. That's what the glitch does, but if you set the temperature for compressor on, and the temperature for compressor off well apart, 4 or 5°C it minimises the effect of the glitch. Don't worry, the temperature won't have to rise 5°C, the "glitch" ensures the temperature never rises more than 2 or 3°C before the compressor triggers on.

@clyne: You can log the temperature. You seem to have the on/off temperatures at a respectable distance apart. Try logging a few cycles at you should notice the glitch if it's there. Don't worry, I now doubt the glitch does any harm.

Inkbird told me it wasn't realistic to have the on/off temperatures closer than 2°C but couldn't tell me why the 308 allows the temperatures to be set much closer together.

Glitch has no significant effect on heating.

 

[Twostage]

Seems like a bit of a waste of an inkbird if I'm honest, when a cheaper STC will do the job. Albeit I've quite liked being able to see the temp of the fridge! Although I may hook up a second temp probe to my little Raspberry pi which I use for monitoring my fermentation fridge.

The STC shows temperature. Or are you saying the inkbird logs it ?

You could use the RPi to control as well as monitor (I do that).