Issue with Inkbird ITC308S - anyone else had this?

[jeg3]

Bumping an old thread but I noticed the other day that my inkbird jumped from 20 to 22 for about half a second, switching the fridge on then immediately off again.

It's in the back of house where I only brew or do the washing so I never normally notice it. It does seem like a definite inkbird issue.

I've had it a few years, so I don't mind getting something else. Might try the mangrove jack's controller

 

[George Hawkins]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but this issue is still persistent.

Even after inkbird sent me a new unit I am still seeing temperature spikes, triggering my fridge to turn on briefly.

No longer have confidence in the product, I fear it’s going to wreck my fridge.

Has anyone actually had this issue resolved?

 

[Hoddy]

Yes I have seen this many times with the all in one controller. I reverted to the STC Type controller with my own wired sockets and temp probe and never has such an issue since.

 

[George Hawkins]

Yes I have seen this many times with the all in one controller. I reverted to the STC Type controller with my own wired sockets and temp probe and never has such an issue since.

Thanks, looks like I may be heading in that direction sadly...

 

[ssparks]

Are you referring to the Elitech stc 1000?

 

[George Hawkins]

Sorry ssparks, no I’ve got the ITC-308S

 

[chrisb8]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but this issue is still persistent.

Even after inkbird sent me a new unit I am still seeing temperature spikes, triggering my fridge to turn on briefly.

No longer have confidence in the product, I fear it’s going to wreck my fridge.

Has anyone actually had this issue resolved?

After much back and forth with inkbird and 2 replacement units it looks like the WiFi version they sent me most recently is free of this fault I think the most frustrating thing myself and a few others found was that inkbird refused to acknowledge the problem even after sending them a video just like yours.

 

[Avo]

I've got the Inkbird 308 and have the same problem.
I've just ordered an STC1000 as Hoddy as done. At least if the STC1000 plays up, it's a cheap replacement.
Looking at the Mangrove Jack controller, looks like an STC1000 packaged up in a housing.
I'll use the dual socket outlet from the 308.

 

[George Hawkins]

After much back and forth with inkbird and 2 replacement units it looks like the WiFi version they sent me most recently is free of this fault I think the most frustrating thing myself and a few others found was that inkbird refused to acknowledge the problem even after sending them a video just like yours.

This is disappointing to hear. I have fired them a message hopefully I get somewhere. Thanks

 

[George Hawkins]

I've got the Inkbird 308 and have the same problem.
I've just ordered an STC1000 as Hoddy as done. At least if the STC1000 plays up, it's a cheap replacement.
Looking at the Mangrove Jack controller, looks like an STC1000 packaged up in a housing.
I'll use the dual socket outlet from the 308.

Ive been looking at going down this route. Looks like a nice little project actually! Good shout on butchering the 308, didn’t think of that.

 

[peebee]

Now, can't be letting this thread die until everyone is aware of it or there is a fix ...

This is a TiltPi output as it monitors a Tilt (Pro) sitting in a SS conical fermenter (just the last few days, fermentation finished a week ago):

The red line is temperature. Being a Tilt the temperature probe is near the surface a few centimetres from the probe controlling the temperature. Saying that 'cos I know this isn't evidence for the sceptics who don't want to believe it.

But note how the lowest temperature (which is corresponding to the set temperature, or "TS") stays about the same ("TS" was set at 15.5°C, 16.0°C for the first few days). But the upper temperature is bouncing all over. The upper limit should be set temperature ("TS") plus the "cooling differential" (CD").

But "CD" has been set as "2.0" so I should be seeing upper temperatures of 17.5°C; instead it doesn't reach 16.5°C and in some cases never reaches 16.0°C. This is the ITC-308 fault at work!

If I wasn't applying my "fix" and had the CD set to 0.5°C, as many people do, the "fault" would have been pulsing the compressor on and off while the temperature was less than "TS" (15.5°C). The compressor in this Maxi 310 possibly suffering irreversible (and eventually terminal) damage as a result. The actual temperature would be staying close to set temperature ("TS"). Yippee. Would you notice anything was wrong?

Conclusion: Careful where you use these ITC-308s, they are cr&p!

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

The red line is temperature. Being a Tilt the temperature probe is near the surface a few centimetres from the probe controlling the temperature.

Yes that is a bit weird isn’t it. I’ve not got a Tilt myself, but does it have a separate temperature sensor on the board or does it use the one built in to the accelerometer chip?

 

[user 43194]

Hi folks, was thinking I was going mad - suspecting my Inkbird 308 (non wifi) to be doing something it clearly shouldn't - until google led me to this forum>thread yesterday. Thank you to all for helping me to understand that my problem is not unique, and especially to peebee for genius workaround suggestion... I increased CD to 2.5degC yesterday evening and now keeping an eye on things.
If anything I think my Inkbird maybe at the even more mysterious end of the spectrum as I suspect my temperature spikes maybe...
1. Smaller - maybe only 0.5 or 0.6 of a degree C - initially giving me the impression that the cooling output was spiking just as the actual temperature crossed TS, with CD set at 0.5degC.
2. Faster - a couple of times I've witnessed the fridge compressor being tripped into action just for a fraction of a second, without seeing any change in temperature on the Inkbird display.
3. Less frequent - I was working in the garage all afternoon yesterday and it only happened once.
Therefore took me a while to start to realise what might be happening - start googling symptoms to see if a known problem?

 

[chrisb8]

Hi folks, was thinking I was going mad - suspecting my Inkbird 308 (non wifi) to be doing something it clearly shouldn't - until google led me to this forum>thread yesterday. Thank you to all for helping me to understand that my problem is not unique, and especially to peebee for genius workaround suggestion... I increased CD to 2.5degC yesterday evening and now keeping an eye on things.
If anything I think my Inkbird maybe at the even more mysterious end of the spectrum as I suspect my temperature spikes maybe...
1. Smaller - maybe only 0.5 or 0.6 of a degree C - initially giving me the impression that the cooling output was spiking just as the actual temperature crossed TS, with CD set at 0.5degC.
2. Faster - a couple of times I've witnessed the fridge compressor being tripped into action just for a fraction of a second, without seeing any change in temperature on the Inkbird display.
3. Less frequent - I was working in the garage all afternoon yesterday and it only happened once.
Therefore took me a while to start to realise what might be happening - start googling symptoms to see if a known problem?

Hi @OldNick, it sounds like your one is behaving in the same way as others - sometimes big spikes, sometimes small spikes, sometimes faster than others to come back down again etc. In other words it seems quite random and probably why inkbird can't find/understand/acknowledge the fault.

As posted previously I have found that the wifi version has not displayed the fault (yet) Other than @peebee's workaround I don't think there is a solution. I would suggest contacting inkbird as the more reports they get hopefully will do some good.

 

[peebee]

Hi folks, was thinking I was going mad - suspecting my Inkbird 308 (non wifi) to be doing something it clearly shouldn't - until google led me to this forum>thread yesterday. Thank you to all for helping me to understand that my problem is not unique, and especially to peebee for genius workaround suggestion... I increased CD to 2.5degC yesterday evening and now keeping an eye on things. ...

Thanks!

Do keep your eye on it. I have noticed this "fix" can need tweaking over time, the magnitude of the fault does seem to vary over a few days (sometimes fading to virtually no obvious problem). But it does take days (weeks) so doesn't need continual checking (once a week perhaps?).

I pinched a quote of your post to quote on another forum full of non-believers: Hope you don't mind.

 

[peebee]

Yes that is a bit weird isn’t it. I’ve not got a Tilt myself, but does it have a separate temperature sensor on the board or does it use the one built in to the accelerometer chip?

I haven't a clue.

 

[The-Engineer-That-Brews]

I haven't a clue.

Fair enough. I only ask because the sensors built into the accelerometer chips are pretty inaccurate and will also lag a fair bit behind changes in the temperature of the beer