Chiumanfu
DIY Vintner
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2012
- Messages
- 127
- Reaction score
- 15
Description
In this thread, I'm documenting another project that I've hacked together. The only area available for me to brew wine is in my poorly insulated garage. The temperature in my garage fluctuates quite a bit. During the winter it can drop to 5C and in the summer it can be 30C. I bought a cheap temperature controller on eBay that does the job perfectly. For heating, I have a brew belt although I am contemplating trying an aquarium submersion heater just because it will be so much more efficient. For cooling, I have a small freezer that can hold 1 23L carboy perfectly.
I am not responsible for any damage or injury caused by the use of this information.
Parts list
Wiring It Up
Here you can see how the connections are made. The temperature controller is simple but the connections are not as straight forward as you would think because the outputs are actually relay contacts. Wire it up using proper gauge wire for the load you will be using. A brew belt only draws about 25 watts so you can get away with samller wire if you must but the freezer is a power hog so I suggest using #16 gauge to cover all possibilities. The outlet labelled Heat goes to your brew belt and the outlet labelled cold goes to your fridge/freezer if you are using one.
The Sensor
Attaching the sensor to the primary/carboy can be as simple or complex as you like. I experimented with thermowells and heat transfer paste and aluminum tape but nothing really changed the accuracy. In the end, I found that simple is best. I used a 2" x 2" close cell foam block and sandwiched the sensor directly to the carboy/primary wall with a long velcro strap. You can find the long velcro in a garden supply store. Press the foam block as compressed as you can and wrap the velcro around it. As the foam expands, it creates a good insulation seal.
I also suggest wrapping the carboy in a thermal blanket just to save energy. It really makes a significant difference.
Programming the Controller
The controller is pretty simple to program but the instructions are written like a typical chinese manual so it can confusing at first.
Conclusion
I use this temperature controller to maintain a constant temperature on the primary. With EC-1118, the optimal temperature is 15C-25C. I set the controller to the lower side (18C) so the ferment is a little slower and steadier. When the fermentation really gets going, it generates it's own heat but the cold garage keeps it in check. During the summer, I may have to put the primary in the freezer to keep it within the optimal temps.
For bulk aging in carboys, I set the controller for 16C. This keeps the temp nice and stable. Temp swings are bad for aging wine, before I got the controller I was measuring swings up to 5C between day and night.
In this thread, I'm documenting another project that I've hacked together. The only area available for me to brew wine is in my poorly insulated garage. The temperature in my garage fluctuates quite a bit. During the winter it can drop to 5C and in the summer it can be 30C. I bought a cheap temperature controller on eBay that does the job perfectly. For heating, I have a brew belt although I am contemplating trying an aquarium submersion heater just because it will be so much more efficient. For cooling, I have a small freezer that can hold 1 23L carboy perfectly.
I am not responsible for any damage or injury caused by the use of this information.
Parts list
- 1 x STC-1000 Digital Temperature Controller. $24.95CAD shipped to Canada. Do an eBay search for STC-1000. I got mine from a seller named skiesmall360. Just make sure the one you get is the correct voltage for your region. For north America, that means 110VAC.
- 1 x Standard electrical wall outlet.
- 1 x Old repurposed electrical cord. I used an extra one from a PC.
- 1 x Velcro strap that will go all the way around your carboy/primary.
- 1 x Chunk of closed cell foam.
Wiring It Up
Here you can see how the connections are made. The temperature controller is simple but the connections are not as straight forward as you would think because the outputs are actually relay contacts. Wire it up using proper gauge wire for the load you will be using. A brew belt only draws about 25 watts so you can get away with samller wire if you must but the freezer is a power hog so I suggest using #16 gauge to cover all possibilities. The outlet labelled Heat goes to your brew belt and the outlet labelled cold goes to your fridge/freezer if you are using one.
The Sensor
Attaching the sensor to the primary/carboy can be as simple or complex as you like. I experimented with thermowells and heat transfer paste and aluminum tape but nothing really changed the accuracy. In the end, I found that simple is best. I used a 2" x 2" close cell foam block and sandwiched the sensor directly to the carboy/primary wall with a long velcro strap. You can find the long velcro in a garden supply store. Press the foam block as compressed as you can and wrap the velcro around it. As the foam expands, it creates a good insulation seal.
I also suggest wrapping the carboy in a thermal blanket just to save energy. It really makes a significant difference.
Programming the Controller
The controller is pretty simple to program but the instructions are written like a typical chinese manual so it can confusing at first.
- Press and hold the "S" button for 3 seconds.
- Press the "Down Arrow" until F1 displays.
- F1 is the setting for the maximum temperature that you want. Press and hold the "S" key and at the same time use the up and down arrows to adjust the setting.
- Press the "Power" key to save the setting. If you do not press the power key, the setting will not be recorded.
- Repeat steps 1-4 for "F2". This is the difference value. Default is 0.5C. If you max temp is set to 18C and your difference is set to 0.5C then the heater will turn off when the wine hits 18C and the cooler with turn on. When the wine temp drops to 17.5C the heater turns back on and the cooler turns off. You can set this value down to 0.1C but I suggest keeping it at at least 0.5C so that there is a little hysteresis in the system, especially if you are using a fridge or freezer which needs time for the compressor to kick in.
- Repeat steps 1-4 for "F3". This is the compressor delay time. Default is 3 minutes. This setting provides a delay to switch on/off the cooling unit so to avoid damage to the compressor.
- Repeat steps 1-4 for "F4". This is the temperature calibration setting. If you find that the sensor temp does not match, you can set in an adjustment value here.
Conclusion
I use this temperature controller to maintain a constant temperature on the primary. With EC-1118, the optimal temperature is 15C-25C. I set the controller to the lower side (18C) so the ferment is a little slower and steadier. When the fermentation really gets going, it generates it's own heat but the cold garage keeps it in check. During the summer, I may have to put the primary in the freezer to keep it within the optimal temps.
For bulk aging in carboys, I set the controller for 16C. This keeps the temp nice and stable. Temp swings are bad for aging wine, before I got the controller I was measuring swings up to 5C between day and night.
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