Cheap temp controllers

[Richard Jack]

Dual channel temp controllers, free shipping going on ebay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Mini-Digital-Temperature-Controller-Thermostat-...

The seller seems to have a lot of them, going for around 25-30 USD with free worldwide shipping. They look just like the ones from craftbrewer, but a much lower price + free shipping. Think I might grab a few :)

[Tilt]

This looks good at the price! I'd just watch this if you are planning to use a beefy heating element - the rating for these is 10A, whereas I beleive the one from CB is 20A.

[Richard Jack]

I don't think I'd use them for a HLT controller. I had it in mind for ferment control and the likes.

[martin w]

if my maths and physics knowledge from school are still up to it then they should be good for a 2.4kw element? can you use them in parallel for higher rated elements i'm wondering?

edit-not sure why i'm wondering that,my hlt is 2 kw and i don't need to control the boil!

[Stu H]

I got mine in the mail a couple of days ago and just finished wiring it up. Gonna test it tonight, hopefully I don't get electrocuted! I'll post up pics soon.

Couldn't come at a better time, what with my frozen fermentors and all!

[Paul Fraser]

How did that thermostat work out Stu?? Looks good your pics and i'm thinking of getting one too

 

[Stu H]

Yea man, it worked out swell. I've gone and ordered another!

[Paul Fraser]

You've got the clearest pics that i've managed to find on the net for the wiring. I hope you wired it right cos i've pretty much copied exactly what you've done. Just one question - where do you have the wire for the temp probe coming out. Did you have to drill another hole for it, if so did you need a smaller grommet for it??

[Stu H]

Haha yep I've done it right, my controllers have been working a treat. Yeah I just drilled a separate smaller hole for the probe, and didn't bother with a grommet.

[Stu H]

Here's what I used... http://urowiki.filecore.net/index.php/Thermostat#Step-by-step_guide

[Bren]

If anyone is looking for some more controllers, I ordered a couple of these :

http://www.aliexpress.com/product-fm/390554427-free-ship-All-purpos...

 

Which were US$23 including shipping. Cheap as chips. Delivery was quite prompt on their part. Wired it up last night, was real simple and had good diagrams with it, and I now have a brew fermenting with it, perfect.

Controls a heater and a cooler, so perfect for a fermenter.

[Ralph]

Looks like exactly the same one as what I got. Mine works well. Think I got mine through an ebay store, and it was shipped from singapore?

[Richard Jack]

Here is a bank of them, all wired up together to control my ale, lager, and keg fridges.

 

uncalibrated right now obviously!

 

I'm going to have a crack at using one to control an HLT as well (separate from the fridge control bank, that would be asking a bit much from my fuses I think)... will be interesting to see how that goes. Cheap solution if it works. If it doesn't, well, it was only $36 and I'm sure I can find something else to control with it!