FridgeMate HOWTO

lethaldog · Post by **lethaldog** » Friday Jan 26, 2007 5:10 pm

I have one and i think it is great

chris. · Post by **chris.** » Saturday Jan 27, 2007 3:43 pm

I use one & I'm happy with it

I've never tried the aldo heat but used to own a Jaycar Coolmaster which absolutely cained my fridges compressor (to the point where I could hear it banging 3 rooms away).
The Fridgemate was atleast 10x easier to wire up & far easier to adjust too. Great product IMO.

Pale_Ale · Post by **Pale_Ale** » Saturday Jan 27, 2007 4:20 pm

Hey rwh,
What did you hold the fridgemate to the zippy box with? In your pics you just pulled it into the housing but I can't tell what holds it there...

lethaldog · Post by **lethaldog** » Saturday Jan 27, 2007 4:46 pm

If you make the cut in the box good enough then it holds itself there, it just slots in

geoffclifton · Post by **geoffclifton** » Saturday Jan 27, 2007 8:52 pm

PA

It's got magic orange slide grips on the sides. Push the display into an exact size opening and push the slide clips on from the inside. You'll see when you get yours

Cheers, Geoff.

Pale_Ale · Post by **Pale_Ale** » Saturday Jan 27, 2007 11:31 pm

Sounds good.

I've got the box prepared with all the wiring done and going to order FridgeMate shortly, upon arrival should be plug and play

Further question on the wiring - how does the wiring connect into the back of the fridgemate? Are they screw in or clip in jobs?

NTRabbit · Post by **NTRabbit** » Saturday Jan 27, 2007 11:34 pm

Screw in, leave yourself about 5mm of bare wire for it

rwh · Post by **rwh** » Sunday Jan 28, 2007 8:59 am

Yep, good answers guys; I've updated the HOWTO with those answers.

benson · Post by **benson** » Sunday Jan 28, 2007 7:24 pm

and where is the best place to by one of these great devices

OldBugman · Post by **OldBugman** » Sunday Jan 28, 2007 7:48 pm

http://www.craftbrewer.com.au

GREAT SERVICE

rwh · Post by **rwh** » Sunday Jan 28, 2007 8:37 pm

Or even better: FridgeMate @ CraftBrewer.

Pale_Ale · Post by **Pale_Ale** » Tuesday Jan 30, 2007 11:52 am

I just got mine (Thanks Ross, very good service

) and have already wired up the box, so will just slot in tonight. Exciting stuff.

rwh, thanks very much for putting these instructions on, I basically made the decision to order one based on your instructions being so easy.

One thing I noticed with your strain relief, it works if the cable is pulled but doesn't protect the cables from being pushed into the box. I used a couple of small cable ties on the outside, closed very tight flush against the box. This seems to do the trick.

Cheers

beerdrinker · Post by **beerdrinker** » Wednesday Jan 31, 2007 12:47 am

got my bro the electrician to wire mine up

testing her out on my 1st AG!!! works unreal

craftbrewer had it delivered in a day and a half

Pale_Ale · Post by **Pale_Ale** » Wednesday Jan 31, 2007 2:09 pm

Connected mine up last night...what a piece of equipment...brilliant!

Hello temperature controlled brews all year round!

tarlox · Post by **tarlox** » Thursday Feb 01, 2007 8:08 am

After reading this thread I decided to bite the bullet and order myself a fridgemate. Arrived within a day and a half of ordering (thanks Ross). I have already got the extra bits and pieces from Dick Smith ($20 all up).

So for about $70 I have myself an awsome digital fridge controller, which beats $120 for the analoge one from the local HB shop.

Thanks to all who have provided info on this thread.

Regards

Dave

benson · Post by **benson** » Thursday Feb 01, 2007 9:19 am

just ordered one about a minute ago
cant wait for it

benson · Post by **benson** » Friday Feb 02, 2007 3:40 pm

it arrived in the post today will set up tommorrow and no more wories about temp any more ...
cheers ross, great service

beerdrinker · Post by **beerdrinker** » Sunday Feb 18, 2007 11:39 pm

am having a bit of a prob with my fridge mate

have it set at 17C for my ales but it keeps going up to 22 or so??? was cold conditioning an ale at 4C the other week but it hovered around 10C untill i turned the fridges thermo down to its coldest setting. seems fine on the colder side? should i do something with the fridges original thermo? maybe the compressor delay is too long??? cheers

Pale_Ale · Post by **Pale_Ale** » Monday Feb 19, 2007 7:56 am

Look at the placement of the probe and temp differential.

Probe should be on the fermenter, I use blutak, seems to go well.

Temp differential should be 1C. It's on that instruction sheet...

Ross · Post by **Ross** » Monday Feb 19, 2007 7:59 am

beerdrinker wrote:am having a bit of a prob with my fridge mate have it set at 17C for my ales but it keeps going up to 22 or so??? was cold conditioning an ale at 4C the other week but it hovered around 10C untill i turned the fridges thermo down to its coldest setting. seems fine on the colder side? should i do something with the fridges original thermo? maybe the compressor delay is too long??? cheers

Beerdrinker, try to control the wort temp rather than the ambient air temp - either stick the probe on the side of the fermenter & cover with something (foam/plastercine) to shield from airtemp, or idealy as I do, use a thermowell (s/s diptube) through the lid of your fermenter into your wort & just slide the probe inside. The wort changes temp much slower than ambient air, so compressor delays will not be an issue & will control the temp of your ferment far more accurately than controlling air temp.
If you need help with a thermowell, contact me.

cheers Ross