Chest Freezer 101

[flbrewer1]

Any chest freezer experts out there? I'm using one as a fermentation chamber and have an Auber TD 100 temp. controller. I have just been testing this tonight and find that I'm chasing the temp quite a bit although my actual temp isn't moving much.

I'm using a small piece of bubble wrap with the sensor pressed against the plastic Speidel fermenter with some tape.

My settings are 65 cold set point and hot set point is 61. The differential is set to 2 degrees and the anti short point is set to 5 minutes.

The actual water temp has been floating around 67.5-68, again, I have only run this test for a couple of hours and I'm not sure how long to expect a normalization of temps.

The problem during testing this was that the controller would kick on at 65 and drop the temp to ~60 or so and start to climb back up. It would get up to 67 and kick back on. This repeated a couple times each hour and never seemed to equalize and run less.
Maybe this is normal?

 

[thumpersk_a]

If possible id run the temp probe into a thermo well in a stopper with 2 holes or into your fermentor how ever you have to. Or if thats not an option fill a mason jar or something similar with water and poke a hole in the lid and put the sensor in the water. It will have thermal mass and help with cycling

 

[flbrewer1]

If possible id run the temp probe into a thermo well in a stopper with 2 holes or into your fermentor how ever you have to. Or if thats not an option fill a mason jar or something similar with water and poke a hole in the lid and put the sensor in the water. It will have thermal mass and help with cycling

I considered placing the probe in water, but this won't account for the beer temp rising during fermentation. Perhaps I'll just set it a few degrees lower during the first 72 hours and set the probe anywhere in the chest freezer.

 

[thumpersk_a]

That will get you by but id strive towards something to monitor actual fermentor temps. Here is my setup it uses a 12" temp probe

 

[thumpersk_a]

Heating and cooling control. If i need to heat, i use 3 feet of flex watt for heating plugged into this controller

 

[MindenMan]

You say the the cooling kicks off and then the temp climbs back up, is that correct? I don't know if you are adding heat right now or not, but if you are, don't. I suggest if possible give your carboy a good swirl and see what the real temperature is. I have an STC-1000, and when I first used it, the temps were all over the place; up and down for what seemed like forever. It will take a few hours for the temp to reach your desired number. If your temp keeps climbing as soon as the cooling is off, then your liquid is still very warm, and if it were me, I would disconnect the heat, and be patient. I hope this helps.