I have a Inkbird ITC-308 controlling a small chest freezer. I set the heating and cooling differentials to 1*. I don’t have a heating device plugged in to the controller. I’ve noticed that the heating light will be on at times. Will it damage the unit for the heating side to kick on with nothing plugged in? Can I just set the heating differential to say 25* so it won’t kick on ?
Inkbird setup without heater
- Thread starter Mike@M
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Interesting, I never even noticed those lights. I have only had my freezer plugged into the cooling side. I set the parameters on that a few years ago. I don't think I ever even looked at the heating side. Mine is working fine... Knock on wood!
Should be fine. I think I have mine set to 5. Only have cooling side connected and it rarely kicks it to the heater..usually in winter
Whysomalty
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Is there a reason you’re not using some kind of heating element? Just curious if it were a setup issue/concern or purely shelling out the money for something.
I use a Fermwrap on a similar device and setup and it works great. I think I bought mine for $35 a few years ago and it’s still working great.
The only reason is in my climate in the summer I don’t really need a heating source. In the winter I may use one of the reptile mats if I need one.
fwiw, it's just a relay turning on and off, no issues if unloaded...
Cheers!
Cheers!
Yeah that’s what I wanted to know if it needed a load.
Parrothead1
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If the heat light is coming on, your cooler than your chosen fermentation temp. I set mine with 1 deg heat and 1 deg cool so it always stays right where I want it. Plus I like to warm it up as fermentation starts to slow down.
Do you have a heat source? I cool only. Using the freezer. I then raise the temperature at the end of the fermentation. It just doesn't allow the freezer to run until the temperature rises. I see no need for a heat source.
The Inkbird will turn the cold until it hits the set temp. Then it shuts down (compressor off). Usually the temp will go a little colder and at that point the heater side will turn on (lamp on) to rise the temp if a heater device is connected. If nothing on heat side then the lamp will stay on until the temp crawls by itself to the threshold setting assuming environment temp is higher. That should take longer if no heating device connected and thus the heat lamp on (relay on). Nothing to worry.
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