FridgeMate HOWTO

rwh · Post by **rwh** » Friday Jan 19, 2007 11:01 pm

I just wired up my FridgeMate, and I decided to take some photos so that y'all can see just how easy (or hard) it is. Work in progress, so if you have any suggestions let me know.

Rob's FridgeMate HOWTO

Pale_Ale · Post by **Pale_Ale** » Friday Jan 19, 2007 11:32 pm

That is really handy, thanks for the effort on that, I thought it was much more difficult but with those pictures there may be hope!

JubJub · Post by **JubJub** » Saturday Jan 20, 2007 12:01 am

Hey rwh,

Just be carefull about showing people how to perform wiring. It is ILLEGAL for a person in Australia to do this stuff without the appropriate licence.

Jub

geoffclifton · Post by **geoffclifton** » Saturday Jan 20, 2007 9:31 am

Not right Jub. That's a 'plug in' appliance, you ain't working on the house electrics. As I said in a previous fridgmate thread - MAKE SURE THE HOUSE HAS A SAFETY SWITCH (aka RCD, ELD) fitted in the fuse box. That way even the dumbest mistake only trips a breaker.

Neat job RWH. Your bits were expensive, I paid $4 for the zip box in DS and $2 for the cord in IGA. WHERE ARE THE VENT HOLES ??? The destructions call for them. I drilled a row of 4mm holes at 1cm spacing all around to match the vents on the controller. Do you need them? Well mine has been going for about six weeks and I just looked at the base. You would not believe how the vent holes were all full of that very fine fluff dust from convection air rising through the unit.

Great little jigger eh?

Cheers, Geoff.

Pale_Ale · Post by **Pale_Ale** » Saturday Jan 20, 2007 10:04 am

If your house doesn't have a safety switch (like mine doesn't) then you can also buy a safety switch plug in unit fairly cheaply.

rwh · Post by **rwh** » Saturday Jan 20, 2007 12:17 pm

Er, let's see. Zippy box: $4, 3m extension: $3, wire joiners: $2, rubber feet: $2, grommets: $2. So I guess that's a total of $13... I originally bought a smaller, more expensive box, but it was slightly too small (and much more expensive). So I took it back and switched it.

If you read right down the bottom, I say that I'm going to drill some vent holes; it was midnight when I finished tho and I just wanted to go to bed. The unit certainly gets warm, so the vent holes are definitely necessary.

rwh · Post by **rwh** » Saturday Jan 20, 2007 12:26 pm

Also, I just got an email that recommended strain releif on the 240V cables, which I think is a great idea (got to love the internet - many eyes and all that). One possible way to do this is by tying a knot in the cables, but even better is a clamp or cable gland. The one recommended in the email is:

7mm cable clamps

I'll update the howto with additional photos once I've made the changes.

afromaiko · Post by **afromaiko** » Saturday Jan 20, 2007 2:03 pm

I fed the wires through rubber grommets in the case which pretty much held them in place anyway, but for a good measure a tight cable tie around the wire will stop it pulling through.

For the probe cable I used the same grommet which was too large, but just made a little loop in the wire and cable tied that to bulk it up a bit which worked well. Alternatively you could use a smaller grommet for the probe, or a loop the wire around a washer or similar.

Rob, I see you had grommets at the ready in the first photo.. what happened to those? Get to the end of assembly and realise you had some left overs?

Rod · Post by **Rod** » Saturday Jan 20, 2007 2:55 pm

used a cable tie on mine to stop it pulling through

NTRabbit · Post by **NTRabbit** » Saturday Jan 20, 2007 3:49 pm

Perfect timing, I went out and bought the zippy box, a 2m extension cable, and the small wire joiners. Didn't see where the grommets went, so I didn't buy them. Should already have something to keep the cable from pulling through.

BierMeister · Post by **BierMeister** » Saturday Jan 20, 2007 6:06 pm

Good Job Rob. When I get a shed or space to get a second fridge I'll remember this.

NTRabbit · Post by **NTRabbit** » Saturday Jan 20, 2007 10:47 pm

Got it all wired up, and it works like a charm. Now all i need to do is add the grommets (RTFM, rabbit), drill some ventilation holes, and attach it to the chest freezer using the ultimate method - fridge magnets!

JubJub · Post by **JubJub** » Saturday Jan 20, 2007 11:28 pm

For anyone who is interested,

http://www.dir.qld.gov.au/electricalsaf ... /index.htm

Jub

JubJub · Post by **JubJub** » Saturday Jan 20, 2007 11:52 pm

also,

geoffclifton wrote: As I said in a previous fridgmate thread - MAKE SURE THE HOUSE HAS A SAFETY SWITCH (aka RCD, ELD) fitted in the fuse box. That way even the dumbest mistake only trips a breaker.

It's not the intention of the RCD to be the sole method of personal protection from electrocution or fire. A person is still able to recieve an electric shock from an appliance connected to a circuit with an RCD fitted.

Jub

morgs · Post by **morgs** » Sunday Jan 21, 2007 7:30 am

JubJub wrote:also,

It's not the intention of the RCD to be the sole method of personal protection from electrocution or fire. A person is still able to recieve an electric shock from an appliance connected to a circuit with an RCD fitted.

Jub

You might still get a shock but the RCD instantly cuts off the power once a lethal current(think 30mA) is detected leaking from the circuit. They work by detecting current in both the active and neutral wires and if the current differs ie some flowing through you or something to earth then they trip. However the main protection for the circuit and the wiring etc is the fuse or circuit breaker.

SpillsMostOfIt · Post by **SpillsMostOfIt** » Sunday Jan 21, 2007 7:37 am

[RANT]

Just because you have a safety switch - or even two - doesn't mean you should become blase about mains electricity. Feel free to think that it makes your electrical wiring safer, but remember that these things *could* fail or you may develop a habit you take somewhere where there is no such protection.

There is no substitute for being careful. Imagine that a RCD failed half-way through your brew and you got electrocuted. You could die. Then what would happen to your brew?

[/RANT]

morgs · Post by **morgs** » Sunday Jan 21, 2007 7:46 am

SpillsMostOfIt wrote:[RANT]

l. Imagine that a RCD failed half-way through your brew and you got electrocuted. You could die. Then what would happen to your brew?

[/RANT]

If you receive an electric shock yes you could die! However if you got electrocuted it means you did die, as electrocution means ' to die by electric shock'

rwh · Post by **rwh** » Sunday Jan 21, 2007 8:21 am

Hi guys, I've updated the howto with one more photo with two enhancements:

1. Strain releif on the cables
2. Cooling holes

Thanks for all the suggestions people, this is the real power of the internet: cooperation, and many eyes looking at a problem to find the best solution. Knowlege is good.

afromaiko · Post by **afromaiko** » Sunday Jan 21, 2007 9:04 am

Looking good! I wish you'd made that site when I put together my Fridgemate! It really does take away any confusion.

geoffclifton · Post by **geoffclifton** » Sunday Jan 21, 2007 12:24 pm

Superfluous addition ....

Jub - read FIXED wiring in your link. This applies the the house electrics, not to things that plug into a power point.

Yes you can get electrocuted with a working RCD installed. Stand on a rubber mat, hold the active in your left hand and the nuetral in your right hand. You just became the appliance and with no leakage to earth to trip the RCD your a gonner. But there's no such thing as a foolproof fuckwit protector and Darwin's theory must apply.

Commonsense Rules.

Cheers, Geoff.