FridgeMate HOWTO

anthony · Post by **anthony** » Sunday Jan 21, 2007 1:33 pm

Anyone know of a fridgemate setup that doesn't require additional wiring after purchase? Doesn't make sense to me why they make this product so that additional wiring has to be done?

I have mucked around with a fair bit of home wiring and want to avoid it now as I made a stupid mistake and it was only a circuit breaker that saved my life.

Balls · Post by **Balls** » Sunday Jan 21, 2007 1:38 pm

There are other types on the market that you don't need to do any wiring which work just as good

Cheers

OldBugman · Post by **OldBugman** » Sunday Jan 21, 2007 1:39 pm

because the product is designed to be installed by a refrigeration mechanic to a fridge control circuit to modulate the temperature of a fridge/bottlecabinet/coolroom etc.

Not for use as an external thermostat for a domestic fridge.

The thing that is holding back someone from assembling these things and selling them ready to go is that they would need to have them certified and not do like they are currently(buying them from the distributor and reselling)

anthony · Post by **anthony** » Sunday Jan 21, 2007 1:44 pm

Balls wrote:There are other types on the market that you don't need to do any wiring which work just as good Cheers

Any idea where I can get a 'ready to go' temp controller

Balls · Post by **Balls** » Sunday Jan 21, 2007 1:54 pm

Good HBS should carry them. I have an Adloheat that you just plug in and set temp! Cheers

vitalogy · Post by **vitalogy** » Sunday Jan 21, 2007 2:09 pm

anthony wrote:
Balls wrote:There are other types on the market that you don't need to do any wiring which work just as good Cheers
Any idea where I can get a 'ready to go' temp controller

As far as I know there's one at Grain & Grape that does what you're after. (no affiliation or anything, just saw it being discussed somewhere a couple of days ago...)

anthony · Post by **anthony** » Sunday Jan 21, 2007 2:09 pm

Thanks balls
adloheat have listed the Fan Control Model THF 0-40oC 10 Amp (fan/brew/fridge use), is this what you use? They list for $112

Pale_Ale · Post by **Pale_Ale** » Sunday Jan 21, 2007 8:07 pm

Are there any that come pre-wired that work like a firdgemate though? A fridgemate will not continually switch your fridge on and off, it will always leave a lag time so as not to kill your compressor. The ones I've seen in HB stores are not digital and are just controlled by a knob...

OldBugman · Post by **OldBugman** » Sunday Jan 21, 2007 9:17 pm

Pale_Ale wrote:Are there any that come pre-wired that work like a firdgemate though? A fridgemate will not continually switch your fridge on and off, it will always leave a lag time so as not to kill your compressor. The ones I've seen in HB stores are not digital and are just controlled by a knob...

before you diss something think.

How do you think your fridge operates normally?

Pale_Ale · Post by **Pale_Ale** » Sunday Jan 21, 2007 9:53 pm

OldBugman wrote:
Pale_Ale wrote:Are there any that come pre-wired that work like a firdgemate though? A fridgemate will not continually switch your fridge on and off, it will always leave a lag time so as not to kill your compressor. The ones I've seen in HB stores are not digital and are just controlled by a knob...
before you diss something think.

How do you think your fridge operates normally?

I'm not 'dissing' anything!

I'm no refrigeration mechanic, but why would there be a compressor delay time built into the FridgeMate if this was a redundant feature?

KEG · Post by **KEG** » Sunday Jan 21, 2007 10:08 pm

OldBugman wrote:
Pale_Ale wrote:Are there any that come pre-wired that work like a firdgemate though? A fridgemate will not continually switch your fridge on and off, it will always leave a lag time so as not to kill your compressor. The ones I've seen in HB stores are not digital and are just controlled by a knob...
before you diss something think.

How do you think your fridge operates normally?

with a fair amount of overlap on the hot/cold temperature thresholds, so it doesn't power cycle the compressor several times per minute...

beernut · Post by **beernut** » Sunday Jan 21, 2007 10:35 pm

My fan control from G&G on the ferment fridge has worked almost continuously for 4 yrs now with no problems (knock on wood)
No wiring required. Just plug and go.
Cheers Glenn.

JubJub · Post by **JubJub** » Sunday Jan 21, 2007 11:42 pm

Geoff,

"electrical accessories (eg. junction boxes, light switches, plugs, power points, light fittings without a cord)"

You do fit a plug to these don't you?

Jub

Ross · Post by **Ross** » Monday Jan 22, 2007 8:04 am

If you can wire a plug, you can wire a Fridgemate. If you can't wire a plug, then don't attempt it...

cheers Ross

cleverpig · Post by **cleverpig** » Monday Jan 22, 2007 8:49 am

Dick Smith, Jaycar etc sell many mains powered kits, they usually come with a warning, and state that kits is for experienced kit builders.

Basically if you understand what your doing, and you make sure you double check your wiring, you should be fine. sometimes it helps to get someone else to cross check your wiring, before switching on.

I've built several mains powered kits, once i designed and built my own power supply for a project. I wired the regulator in the wrong way (did not cross check it ). When switched on the regular literally got blown across the room. No safety switches, in that house, lucky for me I was not touching anything. I now make sure I cross check everything several times.

reg · Post by **reg** » Tuesday Jan 23, 2007 7:05 pm

The fridgemate is so good for the reason that it doesnt short cycle the compressor, This is a setting that is changeable up to 10minute rest times.
It wont be the fridgemate or controller that will fail but the fridge itself will shit itself if you run the compressor off and on at short intervals.
Analogue controllers are still good but the digital ones such as the fridgemate will offer your fridge better protection over time.
The analogue controllers were up around $120, the fridgemate was $50, another reason to look at them.
I will post again that if anybody would like help wiring theirs in Melbourne then get in contact with me at mgrundy@bigpond.net.au
and we will see what we can organise.

Cheers
Reg

OldBugman · Post by **OldBugman** » Tuesday Jan 23, 2007 9:24 pm

agreed about the cycling but you'll find an mechanical thermostat that is positioned correct wont short cycle either they have inbuilt differentials to avoid this.

- one time it may cause issue is with openning the door for extended periods but you'll probably find the same with your food fridge when you stand there deciding which nick nack is going to help you get thru the ad break.

OldBugman · Post by **OldBugman** » Tuesday Jan 23, 2007 9:29 pm

oh and I'll be using an electric (digital) jobby when I get round to getting a brew fridge sorted, as I did with my chestfreezer for my taps.

Aussie Claret · Post by **Aussie Claret** » Wednesday Jan 24, 2007 9:06 am

anthony wrote:Thanks balls
adloheat have listed the Fan Control Model THF 0-40oC 10 Amp (fan/brew/fridge use), is this what you use? They list for $112

I have both the aldoheat model above and a fridgemate, the fridge mate is much better, as it allows you to control to the degree and also allows you to set the range. The other biggest advantage with the fridge mate is the probe, the aldoheat one being thin metal coil it's easily broken, whereas the fridge mate seems to be alot more pliable and forgiving.

The fridge mate is so good I bought another one and have put the aldoheat one into retirement.

AC

geoffclifton · Post by **geoffclifton** » Wednesday Jan 24, 2007 9:34 am

you'll find an mechanical thermostat that is positioned correct wont short cycle either they have inbuilt differentials to avoid this.

Half right Bugman.

IF the fridges inbuilt hydraulic bulb/switch thermostat is doing the controlling then there is a delay between compressor cycles as the evaporator plate (which the thermostat tube is fixed to) slowly warms up again.

If the fridge is exernally controlled (swiched) at above the designed operating temperature then the inbuilt thermostat never functions and is simply a closed switch. The external controller 'could' cause compressor chatter. Try it yourself with the power point switch when the fridge is running. Off/On no delay.

The problem is actually for the compressor motor. The greatest demand is put on the motor at startup, double or more than the running power draw. A cold start to a rested system needs much less kick off power than is required to restart a recently running system that is still pressurised to the evaporator, much more power in fact than the motor was designed for. Manufactures ain't gonna put in a bigger motor than they need to and hence frequent restarting may well burn out the motor.

Another good demo of the restart problem is often found with an aircon running from an 'only just' big enuff generator, often in caravans and motorhomes. It'll start up a rested aircon but try a quick restart and it stalls. You have to wait a while for the pump to decompress.

Bit of a rave but hope that helps.

Cheers, Geoff.