Wiring Your Ranco Temperature Controllercontributed by JimvyWhen I began looking at building a new kegorator and fermentation unit, I decided to upgrade to a digital model. I had used an analog controller for nearly two years and while it worked great, I was looking for a little more precise control. The Ranco unit lets you not only put in the exact temperature, but control the differential (when the unit kicks on).The only problem I had with the digital units were the expense. Getting one can cost as much as $65-70 (or as little as $30 if you can find a good buy on eBay). Wired units will cost you an additional $25-30. My trade off: get the digital, but wire it myself.Wiring the unit isn't as hard as I thought. However, it will require you to spend another $7-10 on parts. Here's what you need:- Entension cord (3 prong)- Wire nut- 3/8" Romex connector (or "two screw")Start by cutting the extension cord. You can cut it in the middle if you wish, or move to one side, depending on your needs. Cut an extra 3 inches off one end, as you will need 1 short wire separate from the cords.Then, cut back the cord a few inches to show the wires and then strip off about ¼ inch, exposing the wires. Do this on 1 piece of the 3 inch wire as well.
Next, remove the cover from the temperature control unit.
Attach the Romex connector the to temperature control unit, thread the wired ends thru it and tighten.
Now you need to do the wiring. The following diagram comes from the instructions that come with the unit (PDF file link at the bottom of this document). I have adjusted it slightly so that it is easier to read. Complete instructions can be found
here. (pdf)
The controller itself looks like this:
And that's it! Put it back together and plug in your fridge/freezer and enjoy!Jim Yeager
