[theDarkSide]

http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/pimp-my-system/build-temperature-controller/

The instructions on this say to wire black to 1, 5 & 6 but the diagram says 1,5 & 7.  You may want to fix that.

Perfect timing on this since I just bought one of these temp controllers a couple weeks ago.  Thanks!

[rjharper]

Yeah, and it looks like the white wire for connection #2, and the upper outlet should actually go to the white wires' orange connector. The internal relay is good for 10A but larger freezers can draw 12+A on spooling up.  When I build my second controller I bought a couple of 25A solid state relays that I drive with the TC.

[Stevie]

I've been meaning to install a 10amp inline fuse on mine. Easy with car stereo parts.

[duncan]

http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/pimp-my-system/build-temperature-controller/

The instructions on this say to wire black to 1, 5 & 6 but the diagram says 1,5 & 7.  You may want to fix that.

Perfect timing on this since I just bought one of these temp controllers a couple weeks ago.  Thanks!

Good catch. I updated the directions to be inline with diagram.

Yeah, and it looks like the white wire for connection #2, and the upper outlet should actually go to the white wires' orange connector. The internal relay is good for 10A but larger freezers can draw 12+A on spooling up.  When I build my second controller I bought a couple of 25A solid state relays that I drive with the TC.

I hadn't seen anything about this in my research. Are you saying just go from STC-1000 connection #2 to the orange wire connector instead of going into the outlet? Where do the solid state relays come into play?

Edit: Found this pic from someone who gutted the STC-1000, which I think shows that the relay is rated to 15A

[Vin S]

http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/pimp-my-system/build-temperature-controller/

The instructions on this say to wire black to 1, 5 & 6 but the diagram says 1,5 & 7.  You may want to fix that.

Perfect timing on this since I just bought one of these temp controllers a couple weeks ago.  Thanks!

Good catch. I updated the directions to be inline with diagram.

Yeah, and it looks like the white wire for connection #2, and the upper outlet should actually go to the white wires' orange connector. The internal relay is good for 10A but larger freezers can draw 12+A on spooling up.  When I build my second controller I bought a couple of 25A solid state relays that I drive with the TC.

I hadn't seen anything about this in my research. Are you saying just go from STC-1000 connection #2 to the orange wire connector instead of going into the outlet? Where do the solid state relays come into play?

Edit: Found this pic from someone who gutted the STC-1000, which I think shows that the relay is rated to 15A

I think he means from from the outlet to the plug. Because you made 2 powers go to the outlet. Hopefully rjharper will verify.

[rjharper]

http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/pimp-my-system/build-temperature-controller/

The instructions on this say to wire black to 1, 5 & 6 but the diagram says 1,5 & 7.  You may want to fix that.

Perfect timing on this since I just bought one of these temp controllers a couple weeks ago.  Thanks!

Good catch. I updated the directions to be inline with diagram.

Yeah, and it looks like the white wire for connection #2, and the upper outlet should actually go to the white wires' orange connector. The internal relay is good for 10A but larger freezers can draw 12+A on spooling up.  When I build my second controller I bought a couple of 25A solid state relays that I drive with the TC.

I hadn't seen anything about this in my research. Are you saying just go from STC-1000 connection #2 to the orange wire connector instead of going into the outlet? Where do the solid state relays come into play?

Edit: Found this pic from someone who gutted the STC-1000, which I think shows that the relay is rated to 15A

I think he means from from the outlet to the plug. Because you made 2 powers go to the outlet. Hopefully rjharper will verify.

Looks like you are good to 15A on a 110v circuit.

To clarify the wiring, the image on the AHA page shows the neutral wire (white) for the power supply routing through the upper outlet and into the heating relay. While I'm not familiar with the STC-1000 directly, that indicates to me that the Temp Controller wont be powered unless the heating relay is closed, AND there's a load plugged into the outlet to complete the circuit. I.E. I cant see it working that way.

To correct the diagram, I would connect the white line coming out of 2 directly to the orange cable connector that holds the ground connected for the cooling circuit. Similarly, the left wire on the upper outlet needs to go to the neutral cable connector as well. That way the Temp Controller is powered independently as are the two switched circuits.

EDIT - it's easier just to fix the diagram!

[rjharper]

To clarify the wiring, the image on the AHA page shows the neutral wire (white) for the power supply routing through the upper outlet and into the heating relay. While I'm not familiar with the STC-1000 directly, that indicates to me that the Temp Controller wont be powered unless the heating relay is closed, AND there's a load plugged into the outlet to complete the circuit. I.E. I cant see it working that way.

In further review, it's possible the two outlets are bus-barred on the left of the socket (which isnt on the diagram), but the right one is removed to separate the circuits. That might work, although there's the chance of somebody else removing the wrong jumper.

[Slowbrew]

Looks like you are good to 15A on a 110v circuit.

To clarify the wiring, the image on the AHA page shows the neutral wire (white) for the power supply routing through the upper outlet and into the heating relay. While I'm not familiar with the STC-1000 directly, that indicates to me that the Temp Controller wont be powered unless the heating relay is closed, AND there's a load plugged into the outlet to complete the circuit. I.E. I cant see it working that way.

To correct the diagram, I would connect the white line coming out of 2 directly to the orange cable connector that holds the ground connected for the cooling circuit. Similarly, the left wire on the upper outlet needs to go to the neutral cable connector as well. That way the Temp Controller is powered independently as are the two switched circuits.

EDIT - it's easier just to fix the diagram!

I looked at the yesterday and finally concluded it is 6 in one 1/2 dozen in the other.

The left side of the outlet in the diagram is still a single contact point.  Only the right side was split out (by breaking out the buss bridge on the right side.  The 2 hot wires from the controller route to a single outlet each (on the right).  The neutral connections are already making the connections you described but using 2 wires and the left buss bar instead of 3 wires. 

I agree it doesn't look "right" when you first see it but electrically it is doing exactly what you expect it to.

Paul

[MightyE]

I've been meaning to install a 10amp inline fuse on mine. Easy with car stereo parts.

consider a 10 amp fuse for a 12v system will not be 10 amps at 110v

[Stevie]

I've been meaning to install a 10amp inline fuse on mine. Easy with car stereo parts.

consider a 10 amp fuse for a 12v system will not be 10 amps at 110v

Sure, but the enclosure would work with a 10a 110v glass fuse. Pretty sure they use AGU sized fuses.

When I cared enough to blow money on car stereos, my fuses were 100amp for 1000 total watts. That's small when compared to what some of my friends needed including fuse panels and full farad caps. Boy do I miss that money.

[Phil_M]

I just finished using this guide to build a temp controller.

One thing I didn't care for about the design was lack of strain relief on the cables running out of the box. To solve this issue for the power cable, I simply used a computer-type power socket:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00917Z96S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hot, neutral, and ground were all clearly labeled on the outlet's terminal. 1/4" crimp-on spade terminals made connecting it to the box wiring simple.

For the temperature probe I simply tied a strain relief knot in the cable.

[S. cerevisiae]

One thing I didn't care for about the design was lack of strain relief on the cables running out of the box. To solve this issue for the power cable, I simply used a computer-type power socket:

The official name for the part is IEC 320 C14 Power Inlet.