rcm_rx7
Well-Known Member
I ordered one to install in my mini fridge kegerator. For $30 it's worth a try.
Hong Kong is in China.
"China is here Mr. Burton."
bjorn, you could also replace the existing thermostat in the fridge with the controller relay, right? for those of us with bigger fridges it means that the defrost would still work even when the fridge wasn't cooling.
Could you use this controller to rig it up to a outlet box like I've seen done with a Love controller?
Hey guys, I got a PM asking how I wired it so I figured I'd share with everyone.
I ran power to a 5-15R2 receptacle, breaking off the tab between the two hot terminals so the two receptacles can be individually controlled. One is always hot.
I then ran a hot to the controller (pins 1 & 7) and a neutral to pin 2. I ran a switched hot from the controller (pin 8) back to the receptacle and plugged the mini-fridge into that. This way I have an "always on" receptacle, and a "switched" receptacle controlling the mini-fridge. The fridges internal t-stat is let at coldest setting and is not doing any controlling.
Note: you can select the hot or neutral to do the switching on, but it's safer (for various reasons) to switch the hot. I didn't put a fuse on the controller, but you probably should...I think I will add one acutally...just a 1/4A inline. I don't totally trust anything made in China that's not UL listed....or anything made in china that is UL listed for that matter.
Hope this helps.
Hey guys, I got a PM asking how I wired it so I figured I'd share with everyone.
I ran power to a 5-15R2 receptacle, breaking off the tab between the two hot terminals so the two receptacles can be individually controlled. One is always hot.
I then ran a hot to the controller (pins 1 & 7) and a neutral to pin 2. I ran a switched hot from the controller (pin 8) back to the receptacle and plugged the mini-fridge into that. This way I have an "always on" receptacle, and a "switched" receptacle controlling the mini-fridge. The fridges internal t-stat is let at coldest setting and is not doing any controlling.
Note: you can select the hot or neutral to do the switching on, but it's safer (for various reasons) to switch the hot. I didn't put a fuse on the controller, but you probably should...I think I will add one acutally...just a 1/4A inline. I don't totally trust anything made in China that's not UL listed....or anything made in china that is UL listed for that matter.
Hope this helps.
yesIs this a standard wall outlet? Mounted in a new work box?
I used 14ga stranded wire for this. Romex would be difficult to wire to the controller being that it's solid wire. A pilaged extension cord is a great idea!Are you using pieces of Romex for this? Scrap from the butchering of an extension cord? (probably 14ga for this sort of application?)
Thank you for the very helpful post - I'm trying to visualize the setup in my unedumacated mind here so that I can tackle this safely and save a pile of money.
I don't like to buy auctions from anywhere overseas. I feel the same about buying from London as I do from Hong Kong.
You have a pilot light on your freezer? Usually pilot lights are only on furnaces, correct?!
So you mean the power light, not a pilot light. My interest was piqued at the notion that someone had a NG or LP powered freezer! ;0)
sorry for the chicken scratch writing. You get what you pay for.
This is how I wired my temp controller. Since the temp contorller will be in the vicinity of liquid (most likely) it's wise to put the whole thing on a GFCI. Mine is right next to a sink all in a wet bar, so it's requried. I added the fuses because it's a 15A circuit but the contacts are only rated for 10A. I used a fast acting fuse (ABC-1/4) for the controller and a slow blow (MDA-10) for the contact.
don't kill yourself wiring it, and if you do, it's not my problem.
Shorty,
10A 250V is not a power rating. The contacts can handle a 10A max current and can work with a 250V max voltage. If you use them on a 110V circuit, the max current is still 10A.
Paul
Excellent! Chicken scratch and all - that's very helpful. Thank you very much. Looking forward to getting this thing in the mail and letting 'er rip.
OK, that I can accept. It was the 5A that was driving me nuts. 10A is 10 coulombs of electrons per second, no matter what the voltage, so contacts can handle "x" electrons per second.
Thanks!
Exactly! sounds like someone has had physics recently. Pop quiz hot shot: How many electrons is that?!
10A 250V is not a power rating. The contacts can handle a 10A max current and can work with a 250V max voltage. If you use them on a 110V circuit, the max current is still 10A.
Paul
Why is the current rating fixed? The contacts have two ratings, one being insulative properties to keep from arcing (Volts) and power dissipation which is max amps at max voltage. Since power is Watts and the formula is Watts = Volts * Amps you should get Amps = Watts/Volts. This means that the rating for power would be 2500W = 10A * 250V if you solve for Amps at 110V it should be 22.7A = 2500W/110V. I'm sure I'm missing something here from my electronics 101 class, but what is it? At less than max voltage, you should be able to increase current and still be safe.
Enter your email address to join: