The lazy brewers's kegerator, but would it work?

[Roysy]

I would like to eventually set up a nicely finished kegerator but while accumulating the gear I would like to make a simple set up with a freezer, Richies heating plate and an STC 1000 Controller.

I note on home builds, folk have cut out a panel in the freezer and bypass the electric control of the freezer. My plan would be to have the STC 1000 in a separate unit with sockets fixed on it. I would effectively be switching the freezer on and off at the mains supply and the same for the heater the latter of which would be housed in the base of the freezer. I would at this stage not be attacking any internal electrics of the freezer or the panels. The STC would have a 1 degree tolerance so it does not swing continually from one device to the other.

This would mean the freezer being switched on and off at the mains rather than through any internal wiring.

Will this damage the freezer unit/electrics?

Roy

 

[dannythemanny]

If i understand you correctly, I think I used to have a similar setup. It was a chest freezer, housing 3 cornsies and a co2 cylinder. I had a plug-in thermostat, into which I plugged the chest freezer. When it got too cold, the thermostat just cut the power. The freezer was ancient, bought off a guy on Craigslist, but it held out for a year until i sold it on. As far as i know, it's still going. That was in the US - Don't know if that makes a difference.

 

[dannythemanny]

To clarify, that's not to say it broke down after a year. It was still working just fine when i sold it.

 

[Roysy]

Thanks Danny, that is reassuring and unless someone comes up with concerns this is probably my initial route. Next is to consider BrewPi, stc1000 or be extra lazy and go for the fermostat but that will be another thread.

Has anyone experienced any adverse effects on their freezer with what I am considering?

Roy

 

[Craven Brewer]

You should be OK as long as you set the delay for the freezer motor on the STC 1000. This is, I think, recommended at 3 minutes and is to prevent the freezer motor burning out by stopping it constantly switching on and off.

 

[Roysy]

Thanks I will address that :