Temperature controler.

[Orfy]

Is there any reason why a room thermostat couldn't be rigged to a ssr and used as a cheap pid for a fridge?

[steve_flack]

Not sure but aren't room stats wired to turn on the load when the temperature gets too low. For a fridge you need the opposite.

[Andy]

Steve you can get ones which do both! Some of the guys on here built a fermentation chiller and used a cheapo stat to control a cooling fan.

[steve_flack]

Phew...the wonders of modern technology eh?!?!?

[RabMaxwell]

Never fancied the cooling fan approach always looks like hassle & inefficient to me. I prefer the temperature controlled old fridge or chest freezer or beer cooler approach Although never tried the fan one so might be wrong. Cheers

[Vossy1]

Never fancied the cooling fan approach always looks like hassle & inefficient to me.

True, but if you ain't got the room for a larger appliance they're a reasonable compromise

[eskimobob]

Well it could be made to control temperature but it is unlikely to give you the PID (Proportional Integral Derivative) function so temperature stability is not likely to be as good - typically they are simply on/off controllers that have a deadband (hysteresis).

Assume the wanted temp is 21C, they might have a 1C hysteresis - so it would possibly switch on when the temp cooled to 20.5 and then switch off when it rises to 21.5. Having said that, there are loads of controllers around so your one might be better than this.

The other thing to consider is how the SSR will be operated. These controllers often have relay contacts or possibly a relay driving voltage and may or may not have an output suitable to drive an SSR.

[RabMaxwell]

Vossi Wrote .
True but if you ain't got the room for a larger appliance they're a reasonable compromise

Hello all a good option is a under bar beer cooler if there is't much room. Mine is only 23 ins x11 ins high you get them even smaller.You can wire the python to your controller to control your fermenter.And you then have a cooler to serve your draft ales in hot weather .You can get them quite cheap if you shop around i paid £80 + £20 postage it was only 6 months old and in mint condition. Whould make a good christmas present