Beer fridge temp

[fretlessman71]

How do I do this again?

My beer fridge won't let me adjust the temp setting to be warmer than about 44° without it turning completely off. There's a trick, and I just can't remember what it is... is it easy? cheap? simple? all of the above?...

[HogieWan]

you can get an external temp controller for ~$50 - other than that, I don't know

[HarkJohnny]

check out eBay for a Johnson Controls A19. the older style that doesn't have an electrical cord with it will require you to cut your fridges plug and hardwire it to the unit. easy to do, but the newer ones let you plug the fridge right into the unit.

[HogieWan]

Even if it doesn't have the cord, you can bastardize an extension cord instead of cutting the refrigerators cord

[fretlessman71]

eBay # 160094257437 might be what you're talking about... any idea how it works?

[hooky]

As a matter of fact, I know how it works. So simple that even I was able to do it last week. ;)

1> Crank your fridge down to it's coldest setting.
2> Hang the unit outside the fridge.
3> Put the probe in the frig (through the door seal or the hole for you gas lines).
4> Plug the unit into the wall and the fridge into the unit's receptacle.
5> Set the unit control to the desired temp.

It should cycle within a 3 or 4 degree range so the compressor runs less. I think the temp range on mine is is 20-85F

Had my first beer from my converted kegerator Sunday night. It was a beautiful thing.

[fretlessman71]

So no rewiring or pulling apart power cords and such? Nice. Is this the exact unit? I couldn't see from the pics if it had a standard outlet for the plug from the fridge.

Gas lines? I couldn't find gas lines on a fridge! Only the ones I see when I'm filling up my car... ;)

[hooky]

Mine's an A19 with a plug in the plug. I didn't have to mess with any wiring, which was my biggest worry.

Here is a picture of the model I have. linky (http://www.williamsbrewing.com/CONTROLLER_P762C100.cfm)

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by hooky
Mine's an A19 with a plug in the plug. I didn't have to mess with any wiring, which was my biggest worry.

Here is a picture of the model I have. linky (http://www.williamsbrewing.com/CONTROLLER_P762C100.cfm)

fret - this is a decent price for one with the wire attached - also william's is a very good shop

[hooky]

I've never bought anything from Williams via the web, but I've gone into the store when we've been out visiting my in-laws. They seem like a good bunch of people.

I paid $52 plus tax for mine at my LHBS.

[fretlessman71]

I'm seeing the same one on eBay right now for ONE DOLLAR. :D

[hooky]

Good luck with that. :p

I poked around on ebay for a week or so and decided to just buy one. I was too impatient. It was the last piece of equipment between me and my first kegged homebrew.

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by fretlessman71
I'm seeing the same one on eBay right now for ONE DOLLAR. :D

how much time is left in the auction - it'll probably jump from $1 to $50 in the last hour. I usually don't enter a bid with more than 30 seconds left in an auction

[HarkJohnny]

Originally posted by fretlessman71
eBay # 160094257437 might be what you're talking about... any idea how it works?

yep, that'll do ya!

I got mine on eBay about two years ago for ~ $35.00 shipped

[fretlessman71]

Got it! Paid less than $24 in total. :D

[hooky]

right on!

nice score.

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by fretlessman71
Got it! Paid less than $24 in total. :D

good job!!!

[fretlessman71]

Okay, got it... but there seems to be something missing... like a place to plug in the fridge, and a cord running from the unit to plug into the wall... what am I not getting here (other than what I thought was a complete unit)?

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by fretlessman71
Okay, got it... but there seems to be something missing... like a place to plug in the fridge, and a cord running from the unit to plug into the wall... what am I not getting here (other than what I thought was a complete unit)?

can you post pictures?

maybe also a pic with the cover off (should only be one screw

[fretlessman71]

Man, I'm lousy with that stuff... BUT... I have a very good description for you:

You're right; only one screw and the top came off. There's a cover with a hole or two in one side where I can see the temperature adjustment (at least that is what I assume it is).

On the inside of the unit are what I believe to be 3 terminals; one with a red dot, a blue dot, and a gold dot. (Red and gold are at opposite sides of the unit, blue is in between on a somewhat raised platform by comparison to the others.)

I'm thinking that if I took a short extension cord, cut it in half, and ran those wires into the terminals I'd be good to go. However, I am not sure which dot means what, and it'd be a 5 to 1 shot of getting it right the first time. This seem familiar?

[HogieWan]

here's a pic of my controller with the cover off.

when the temp get to the set mark from below, it connects the yellow to red. I used an extension cord and left the black (common) intact and cut the white (hot) connecting both sides to the red and yellow. I also stripped a bit of the ground wire and connected to the green screw at the bottom.

there's a thread here that explained it well for when I wired it, but I can't seem to find it.

[fretlessman71]

Hogie, the terminals look identical. However, my temp adjustments go from 25 to 225. Interesting.

SO... if I could figure out if the red or the yellow should be connected to the wall side, I could get this going...

[HogieWan]

either way is fine - when the temp get above what you set, it's just adding a connection between the two. It doesn't care which direction the electrons are flowing

[fretlessman71]

SNAP. Got it. Thanks! :D

Any idea what the center terminal is for?

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by fretlessman71
SNAP. Got it. Thanks! :D

Any idea what the center terminal is for?

that's for connecting a heater - the circuit is completed between that terminal and (i think) the top terminal when the temp gets below your setting

[fretlessman71]

I see... makes sense. For those of us brewing ales in Barrow, Alaska. ;) Thanks Hogie!

[fretlessman71]

I think I got it working. I guess I'll know in a few hours, eh? Thanks for all the help! :cool:

[HarkJohnny]

good on ya fret!

I picked up a chest freezer last night so I'll be hooking up my A19 tonight. too excited!

haven't had a beer fridge since mine busted in Sept. (refrigeration was free courtesy of my cellar over fall/winter months :) )

I was more PO'd about losing all of the beer stickers I had on the door than the darn fridge though. So I took the door off and kept it. will be attempting to remove the stickers with a heat gun at some point. This time... all stickers will go on magnet material!

[fretlessman71]

IT'S WORKING! IT'S WORKING!!! :D

Forgive me... I'm easily excitable when it comes to beer temperature! THANKS Hogie!

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by fretlessman71
IT'S WORKING! IT'S WORKING!!! :D

Forgive me... I'm easily excitable when it comes to beer temperature! THANKS Hogie!

glad to hear it fret

[hooky]

Congrats Fret!