Thinking Of Buying a thermostatic heat controller stc 1000

[Brownster]

Hi All,
I didn't realise you could pick up one of these so cheaply until I looked on ebay yesterday, I'm thinking of buying one in January and use it for my next brew.

What I do at present is use a large heat pad designed to take 4 demijohns and then cover the FV with an old well insulated bodywarmer (fits perfectly!!!) Trying to keep the temperature just right is a bit trial and error, I've been plugging it into a mechanical timer switch and cycling it on / off. The ambient temperature in the room is between 14 - 16 c this time of year, anyway that's the background.
The STC 1000 looks simple to wire from the pictures on ebay, would someone be able to confirm it's as easy as:
1. a length of flex to the power input with a plug.
2. wiring the heat mat into the heat side of the circuit (I need to find an inline fuse here since no longer using the 3 pin plug? any suggestions? )

Then it's just a matter of taping the thermostat probe to the outside of the FV?

I can see this making fermenting so much easier

Cheers,
Wayne.

[sweatysock]

Hi, it is just as easy as you suggest. I use mine to control a heater in a fridge. It maintains fermentation temperature then I drop it for cellar temperature. For temperature monitoring you can tape the probe to the outside, but I have found there is less switching if it is in a small bottle of water.
Hope this helps.

[Brownster]

Hi, it is just as easy as you suggest. I use mine to control a heater in a fridge. It maintains fermentation temperature then I drop it for cellar temperature. For temperature monitoring you can tape the probe to the outside, but I have found there is less switching if it is in a small bottle of water.
Hope this helps.

Thanks, did you manage to find an inline fuse or have you just wired straight to the heater element? I'm looking now on fleebay and am struggling to find anything other than 12v car type fuse holders.
I could wire it to a trailing socket then plug the heat mat into that I guess.

I'll have to see how I get on with the switching, I'm hoping that because the heat is at the base of the FV and the jacket is close fit, that with the probe half way up the side of the FV it will not be affected too much by air temperature fluctuations as more likely in a fridge. I can see myself getting a fridge in the future though, It get's far too hot in the summer for me to brew normally. The old beer stocks run dangerously low, I even had to buy some beer this year, tragedy!

With the current brew I'm back up to a sane 120 bottles worth

Cheers,
Wayne.

[sweatysock]

I wired two plug sockets to the outputs of the controller, then have a plug fitted with a 3 amp fuse. Hope this helps.

[Brownster]

I wired two plug sockets to the outputs of the controller, then have a plug fitted with a 3 amp fuse. Hope this helps.

I think this is going to be the easiest option,

Cheers,
Wayne.

[far9410]

How much are these on eBay now, have you got a link?

[Brownster]

How much are these on eBay now, have you got a link?

search for 'thermostatic temperature controller', they are on there for £17.99 free postage. Pretty cheap I think.

Cheers,
Wayne.

[far9410]

How much are these on eBay now, have you got a link?

search for 'thermostatic temperature controller', they are on there for £17.99 free postage. Pretty cheap I think.

Cheers,
Wayne.

Ta

[danwells]

If you only need an option to heat,one of these may http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ATC-300-ATC-3 ... 3a7c640c89 may be a good option! Works out a little bit cheaper as its all wired up with plugs and sockets already!

[Brownster]

If you only need an option to heat,one of these may http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ATC-300-ATC-3 ... 3a7c640c89 may be a good option! Works out a little bit cheaper as its all wired up with plugs and sockets already!

That's a bit neat, thanks for pointing that out. I'm thinking long term that I'll use it in a fridge with a chiller too otherwise that's perfect.

Cheers,
Wayne.

[Blackaddler]

How much are these on eBay now, have you got a link?

Mine was £12.79, from here. Last month it was free shipping, but £1.99, now.

This one might be cheapest now, at £12.29, with free shipping. The specs appear to be the same.

I just finished making the box for mine, out of old computer bits...
A broken CD-ROM drive was gutted for the main case, plus a power socket from a dead PSU, and some metal to close the open ends.
2 x "LAP 13A" 1-Gang DP Unswitched Plug Sockets from Screwfix, at £0.70 each.
Not forgetting the 3.5mm mono jack plug and socket, for the sensor.



Check this post for a wiring diagram

[Brownster]

Hi Blackaddler,
Thanks very much for the info and pictures of your one, I like what you've done and you've given me some ideas there - I have an old dead pc tower knocking around which I can butcher for parts so I think I'll try and make something similar.
Damn I thought 17.99 was cheap, still, that one's in the UK. Thanks for the links.


Cheers,
Wayne.

[Blackaddler]

I have an old dead pc tower knocking around which I can butcher for parts

I've used dead PSUs before. They're a bit more bulky and cube-like, so you can only fit one plug socket per side.

Horses for courses...

[Cazamodo]

I like the idea of the jack for the sensor, and the input for the power. Mins built in a box atm but it has the sensor and power lead built in, which is not a problem atm as I never move it, but I plan to move it around when I re-do the brew shed in the future.

[Brownster]

Well, all built and tested, thanks for the advice received, particularly to Blackaddler, gave me some good ideas and the wiring diagram saved me a headache for sure!
There's a few Photo's here

Cheers,
Wayne.