Super cheap temperature controller

[Chubber]

I get some farming catalogs and I was flipping through the latest from FarmTek and I found a manual temp controller for cheap that will work with any of your fridges for fermentation or serving. I wish I had found this before I dropped big bucks on mine.

www.farmtek.com product number CR2095:

NEMA 4 Thermostat (http://www.farmtek.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10052&catalogId2=10001&ftCatalogId=10001&storeId=10001&langId=-1&division=FarmTek&searchMethod=wcSearch&searchType=ANY&searchBeginIndex=0&searchDefaultPerPage=10&ftSearchBeginIndex=0&ftSearchDefaultPerPage=10&partNumber=CR2095)

NEMA 4 Thermostat
Item# CR2095
Clear flip cover keeps dial clean and easy to read!

• No-nonsense, affordable temperature control.
• Dependable performance at a super-low price.
• Controls heating or cooling from 30°F to 110°F.
• Stainless steel coil calibrated for accuracy.
• Dual Voltage: 16FLA @ 120V, 8FLA @ 240V.
• Waterproof enclosure with clear flip cover.
Our Price: $18.95 / EA

Just wanted to tip you guys off.

[zaphod]

?... This looks like air temp control. Anyone know for sure, I am looking for temp control.

[HogieWan]

I am also looking for a another thermo, and the cheaper the better. However, I don't want to waste $20.

[Chubber]

This thermostat is mostly used by farmers to control fans or heaters in greenhouses or livestock houses. It is rated for wet locations (The NEMA 4 rating). About the only thing that would give me pause about this thermostat is that it has a pretty short thermocouple. So, you would have to either mount it inside of your fridge (and run the power line in then out) or figure out some other way to mount it and extend the thermocouple inside the case just a little.

Most "brewing" thermostats though seem to be in the $50+ range. For $30 you might be willing to wire it in directly.

[danno]

clubber has this right. I'd mount this on the inside wall of a chest freezer (with some really short self tapping screws), right above the compressor shelf, and run my power through the top of the shelf. no cooling coils there, so no worries of wrecking your freezer...

nice find, but I'd look a bit closer through the specs to check on the temp differential, you absolutely don't want a controller that will switch quickly, or your compressor will shortly be toast...

[texasliam]

another option: I got mine at fry's electronics. It does cooling or heating. Short thermocouple so it has to live in the freezer. I think it was $30.

Liam