155 replies to this topic

[positiveContact]

got my controller - looks to be in good shape. I'll be looking for tips later from you drunkies to make sure I don't cook anything (including myself).

[positiveContact]

Don't cross the streams. I think 14 gauge would be the way to go if you're running a refrigerator off of it. That's about all I can think of.

so 14 gauge for the wiring - how about the the plug to the wall? is that something that is sold at HD? I guess I could look for a PC power cord and just cut that up.

The controller itself only draws 3 watts so you dont need a very big cable to power it. As for the wires going to the cold and hot relays I would use something rated to carry 10A since the relays are rated at 10A.Dan

the power for the fridge still travels via the controller though so should I still be concerned with how many amps I'll be using for my cooling/heating devices?

[MtnBrewer]

so 14 gauge for the wiring - how about the the plug to the wall? is that something that is sold at HD? I guess I could look for a PC power cord and just cut that up.

PC power cord won't work because of the connector on the female end. Just get a 10 foot 3-prong extension cord, cut it in two, strip the wires and connect them up to the terminals. One half goes to the wall, the other half goes to the fridge power cord.

[HVB]

Just get a 10 foot 3-prong extension cord, cut it in two, strip the wires and connect them up to the terminals. One half goes to the wall, the other half goes to the fridge power cord.

Mtn speaks the truth .. listen to him!

[positiveContact]

Mtn speaks the truth .. listen to him!

that would be pretty easy. I like it!

[positiveContact]

so if I go with the "cut the extension cord in half" method how do I wire this thing up? the probe leads are pretty obvious. There are two connectors for power and two connectors for heating and cooling. right now I'm only interested in cooling. what do I do?

[brewman]

Easy, Take a lamp cord or whatever you are using and wire it to the power connectors. For cooling you take one of the wires from your cooling unit and wire it through the temp controller then to the plug. Look at the pic below.Dan

[brewman]

This is how I wired mine up. As you can see I use a terminal strip so I only need one plug leaving the unit. I used the power cord from the fridge I gutted. I wired the power cord to the terminal strip and I jumpered 3 or 4 rows together. I used small wire going to the temp controller for its power, It does not draw much. Then I took the wires from the cooling unit. One went straight to the terminal board, the other wire from the cooling unit goes through the cooling relay in the temp controller then to the terminal board.

[positiveContact]

I'll have to check these out when I get home. images blocked here...

[brewman]

PM me your email addyDan

[positiveContact]

PM me your email addyDan

that's blocked too!

[brewman]

work email?

[HVB]

that's blocked too!

what is NOT blocked!

[positiveContact]

work email?

I don't want to cross the streams. Thanks for the offer though

[positiveContact]

so does a 3 prong extension cord have 3 wires?

[MtnBrewer]

so does a 3 prong extension cord have 3 wires?

Yes. Hot (black), neutral (white) and ground (green or bare). You weren't kidding when you said you knew nothing about electricity. :DETA: If you follow Dan's diagram it will work fine. You'll have to do a little more than cut the cord in two though. You'll have to cut out a section to go from the terminal strip to the cool input.

[djinkc]

Yes. Hot (black), neutral (white) and ground (green or bare). You weren't kidding when you said you knew nothing about electricity. :DETA: If you follow Dan's diagram it will work fine. You'll have to do a little more than cut the cord in two though. You'll have to cut out a section to go from the terminal strip to the cool input.

and you want to have the hot wire, not the neutral, that the controller turns off/on. Otherwise you will have a hot wire connected to your cooling unit = not good.

[MtnBrewer]

and you want to have the hot wire, not the neutral, that the controller turns off/on. Otherwise you will have a hot wire connected to your cooling unit = not good.

Yeah, I was wondering about that and I wasn't sure it was a problem. If it was me, I'd wire the hot wire into the controller and then the output of the controller goes to the hot input on the fridge. The fridge neutral then returns back to the terminal strip minus side. Dan has it the other way around.So + -> controller -> fridge -> -

[djinkc]

Yeah, I was wondering about that and I wasn't sure it was a problem. If it was me, I'd wire the hot wire into the controller and then the output of the controller goes to the hot input on the fridge. The fridge neutral then returns back to the terminal strip minus side. Dan has it the other way around.So + -> controller -> fridge -> -

It'll work the other way, but you are exposing yourself to more places that you will be the path to ground. More chances to take 120V.Studs, this means get a cheap, or expensive, multimeter so you can identify hot/neutral. Ideally you should be able to tell from where you plug it in, unless someone wired the outlet bassackwards - and it happens. Best to just test it.

[brewman]

I just did my pic as an example. Are you using a AC unit or a fridge compressor?Dan