Apologies: Temp control

[Brewer Gerard]

I know that if i spent a while searching i would be able to gather all the information i need for this but i just don't have the time these days. I use standard homebrew plastic buckets to do fermentation of my beer and i need to manage temp control a bit better. I have a ferm chamber for my lagers but keeping my ales on 68 is hard at this time of year even in Ireland. Can i get few suggestions on a system that deploys heating and cooling that will keep me within +/-1F.

I already have an a aquarium heater that doesn't keep it low enough. I don't need specific equipment or anything just suggestions for techniques i could use.

I've had enough of inconsistency and am not brewing again untill i have full control from mash to glass

 

[Cajun_McChicken]

I use a ranco temp controller for my ghetto fermentation fridge and it works great. Just set the temp, tape the probe to the outside of your bucket (under a layer of bubble wrap if you have it) and plug your ferm chamber into the controller.

 

[el_caro]

The STC 1000 is the cheapest way to control both heating and cooling of your fermentation chamber.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/220V-Dig...Electrical_Test_Equipment&hash=item1c32444b02

I have 3 of these and they are great.

 

[BigFloyd]

The STC 1000 is the cheapest way to control both heating and cooling of your fermentation chamber.

http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/705-5...0001&campid=5338413729&icep_item=121102420738

I have 3 of these and they are great.

+1 on the SCT-1000. They are excellent and inexpensive. I also use three of these little jewels.

It's a dual temperature controller. You wire it into a standard 2-plug outlet that you mount in some kind of project box (either homemade or bought at Radio Shack). One (cool) outlet is for the freezer/fridge. Into the other (warm) outlet, you plug some kind of small heater and then put that heater inside the freezer.

Set the target temp (in Celsius) on the STC-1000. Set the tolerance (default is +/-0.5*C). When the temp (as read by the sensor) climbs 0.5*C above the target, it powers up the cool outlet and keeps it energized until the temp drops to the target and then turns it off. Likewise with the warm outlet if it gets 0.5*C too cool. You tape the sensor on the side of the fermenter and place some kind of insulation like bubble wrap over top of it so that it reads the bucket temp and not the air.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/ebay-fish-tank-controller-build-using-wal-mart-parts-261506/


https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/ebay-aquarium-temp-controller-build-163849/



http://brewstands.com/fermentation-heater.html

 

[Brewer Gerard]

Ok so i bought one of these to control my fermentation and am wondering am i missing something. Everything seems to be working, lights come on, i can hear the relay activate inside but there is no voltage at the outputs for either heating or cooling when the temp fluctuates out of range.

Am i missing something really obvious here?

 

[Wynne-R]

It’s not an output, it’s a switch. You need to tie all the neutrals together and jump the switches to hot, if you’re using both relays, heating and cooling.

 

[Brewer Gerard]

Awh god i'm some donkey. Cheers man!!!

 

[BigFloyd]

If you watch that video a few times, it can really help.