Show us your current brewing set-up !

[MitchellScott]

14 minutes ago, Otto Von Blotto said:

So, a question that I can't seem to find a definitive answer to online. 

The inkbird is out on the second ferment fridge, set temp is zero, and the heating and cooling differences are both 2 degrees. The only trouble is, the fridge doesn't appear to kick in when it rises to 2 degrees, it keeps going up to almost 5 degrees before it comes on again which I assume would be what it does just running as normal plugged straight into the mains. I changed the differences to 1 degree as well as dropped the compressor delay down to 2 minutes and it hasn't made any difference. What gives?

I looked at it about 15 minutes ago and it was at 4.9 and dropping, now down to 2. Obviously the fridge is fine, but it should start cooling when it hits 2 degrees, I could understand it warming a little bit more while the thing starts up but it should not be going as high as it is. The STC on the other fridge works properly on the same settings, that one is cycling between zero or maybe a little under and 2-2.2 or so. 

Mine works exactly as you say your should be.

There should be a little light that comes on when the Inkbird is heating/cooling, see below:

 

Can you confirm that light is turning on once the temp reaches 2C? If so, it sounds like your fridge thermostat is taking control. Is the fridge turned all the way to its coldest setting?

Edited November 18, 2019 by MitchellScott

[Aussiekraut]

2 minutes ago, MitchellScott said:

Mine works exactly as you say your should be.

There should be a little light that comes on when the Inkbird is heating/cooling, see below:

 

Can you confirm that light is turning on once the temp reaches 2C?

I have noticed that the InkBird comes on on my 2nd fridge (the little green light is on), the light is on when I open the fridge door, so it is powered but the compressor isn't working. The fridge is set to its coldest settings but it still sits there for minutes before the compressor finally kicks in. The other fridge is fine. As soon as the InkBird light comes on, the compressor kicks in.

[MitchellScott]

Just now, Aussiekraut said:

I have noticed that the InkBird comes on on my 2nd fridge (the little green light is on), the light is on when I open the fridge door, so it is powered but the compressor isn't working. The fridge is set to its coldest settings but it still sits there for minutes before the compressor finally kicks in. The other fridge is fine. As soon as the InkBird light comes on, the compressor kicks in.

Could be the design of the fridge. They may have a timer for some reason when power is applied before the compressor is finally kicked in (possibly an error check or startup check) if it is one of the newer more fancy fridges.

My fermentation fridge is an old Kelvinator - it's a beast. Will easily freeze a full FV if allowed to and compressor is on as soon as the inkbird applies power.

My Keg fridge on the other hand is set to its coldest settings and the beer is around 2-3C. Its one of the style fridges that uses a fan to blow air from the freezer into the fridge to cool it. So design definitely comes into play for these type of things. My keg fridge would be a bad fermentation fridge as it would struggle to cool a full FV down to CC temps (1-2C) I think.

Mitch.

[Aussiekraut]

1 minute ago, MitchellScott said:

Could be the design of the fridge. They may have a timer for some reason when power is applied before the compressor is finally kicked in (possibly an error check or startup check) if it is one of the newer more fancy fridges.

My fermentation fridge is an old Kelvinator - it's a beast. Will easily freeze a full FV if allowed to and compressor is on as soon as the inkbird applies power.

My Keg fridge on the other hand is set to its coldest settings and the beer is around 2-3C. Its one of the style fridges that uses a fan to blow air from the freezer into the fridge to cool it. So design definitely comes into play for these type of things. My keg fridge would be a bad fermentation fridge as it would struggle to cool a full FV down to CC temps (1-2C) I think.

Mitch.

Yeah that's what I thought. Even when I plug it into the power directly, there is a few minutes delay. I actually thought it was buggered the first time I powered it up. I think it is also connected to the freezer bit above. At least there are vents in both parts. The freezer bit is set to low as it isn't needed and to preserve power but even cranking it up doesn't make things start faster. It does keep the temp down though. Currently sitting on 13C and it's pretty stable.

[Otto Von Blotto]

1 hour ago, MitchellScott said:

Mine works exactly as you say your should be.

There should be a little light that comes on when the Inkbird is heating/cooling, see below:

 

Can you confirm that light is turning on once the temp reaches 2C? If so, it sounds like your fridge thermostat is taking control. Is the fridge turned all the way to its coldest setting?

I'll have to have a look at it when I have time and see what it does. The light is certainly on while it's cooling so it's all plugged in properly at least. Fridge is on coldest setting too.

I'm not sure how old the fridge is so it's possible that it has some delay when the power is turned on. My old old one doesn't, just kicks in straight away. 

At least the temperature of the starter in there will be around 2 degrees with the current swing so it's not failing in that regard. 

Edited November 18, 2019 by Otto Von Blotto

[MitchellScott]

1 minute ago, Otto Von Blotto said:

I'll have to have a look at it when I have time and see what it does. The light is certainly on while it's cooling so it's all plugged in properly at least. Fridge is on coldest setting too.

I'm not sure how old the fridge is so it's possible that it has some delay when the power is turned on. My old old one doesn't, just kicks in straight away. 

At least the temperature of the starter in there will be around 2 degrees with the current swing so it's not failing in that regard. 

If the light is on, you will have power going to the fridge so seems like a fridge issue rather than an issue with the Inkbird.

See how you go, you should be able to hear the compressor kick in so you will be able to tell if there is a delay built into the fridge or not.

[Otto Von Blotto]

1 hour ago, MitchellScott said:

If the light is on, you will have power going to the fridge so seems like a fridge issue rather than an issue with the Inkbird.

See how you go, you should be able to hear the compressor kick in so you will be able to tell if there is a delay built into the fridge or not.

I think I've worked out what's happened, partly anyway. The fridge was staying on the whole time because it wasn't reaching the set point at all. It was fractions of a degree above it but not quite getting there.

I've changed the settings now, since I noticed the fridge getting below 0.5 degrees I've set the temperature at 0.5, difference at 2, delay at 10 minutes, exactly the same as the STC on the other fridge except for the set temperature itself. It's currently cooling down and is at 0.9. I'll have to look at the temperature diagram because being at work I can't just look at it constantly

[Otto Von Blotto]

So I've had a bit of time between trips, and just at the time it reached set point and turned the fridge off (changed it again, to 1 degree to make it easier), which it did (the "cooling" disappeared). It rose back to 3 in under 10 minutes which is pretty quick compared to the other fridge. At this point the "cooling" reappeared however the temperature is still rising. The ten minute compressor delay time has passed, so it's not that. Perhaps it's some start up procedure, or maybe it has an inbuilt memory or some setting that stops the compressor coming on until it reaches a certain temperature above whatever its coldest setting is, regardless of what the controller is set to do. 

 

[Otto Von Blotto]

Now I've put the cube of wort in to chill down for pitching tomorrow, and it's gone up over 10 I did expect this though. 

I've just put it back to zero. I know it's unlikely to get down there but this way the fridge just runs as if it was plugged into the wall. 

It will obviously be fine for its intended purpose of fermentation control, and it will still chill the beer down enough for the cold crash to work. I'll probably use it for lagers more as I "cold crash" them warmer at 3 degrees anyway. 

[Marvin]

My brew set up has suffered a set back.

I finished my brew season on 19 Sept so it was in storage.

The year supply of beer survived though, Bacchus be praised.

[Pezzza]

48 minutes ago, Marvin said:

My brew set up has suffered a set back.

I finished my brew season on 19 Sept so it was in storage.

The year supply of beer survived though, Bacchus be praised.

Phhhhhhaaarque. No Good.  House gone?

Edited November 19, 2019 by Bearded Burbler

[Otto Von Blotto]

Both fermenters full now. Not gonna be in full swing just yet as I can't really do a yeast starter until we get back and there's no cubes full but I'll get a brew day happening next Saturday and pitch on the Monday or Tuesday. 

Fridge and inkbird going well, brew has risen to ferment temp and is cycling between 12 and 12.3, everything working as it should be. 

Not long now until I won't have to be buying cartons of beer every week for a month or more

[ben 10]

1 hour ago, Marvin said:

My brew set up has suffered a set back.

CHUNT......................

 

 

You okay?

[Marvin]

22 hours ago, Bearded Burbler said:

Phhhhhhaaarque. No Good.  House gone?

No house remains, contents of free standing metal garage are mostly gone, garage isn't in good shape.

The pink bits in the picture used to be one of these

[PaddyBrew2]

Sorry to hear that mate.  $hit like that can really put things in perspective. Anything we can do to help ?

[Aussiekraut]

1 hour ago, Marvin said:

No house remains, contents of free standing metal garage are mostly gone, garage isn't in good shape.

That really sucks. As Paddy said, is there anything er can do to help? Glad the house is ok!

[Journeyman]

On 11/19/2019 at 6:54 PM, Marvin said:

My brew set up has suffered a set back.

I finished my brew season on 19 Sept so it was in storage.

The year supply of beer survived though, Bacchus be praised.

Bloody hell! My best wishes for getting back to where you were. 

I presume you're in a wild fire region? 

[MitchellScott]

14 hours ago, Marvin said:

No house remains, contents of free standing metal garage are mostly gone, garage isn't in good shape.

The pink bits in the picture used to be one of these

Glad to hear the house and you are okay.

As the other have said, let us know if there is anything we can do to help! These fires are crazy in NSW at the moment. I like in Kiama, NSW which is around 5-6 hours south of the fires and we are blanketed in smoke today from them.... Shows the size they are!

[karlos_1984]

Sorry to hear about the fire, that's awful.

With bub #2 due in January, I did a bit of a tidy up in the garage. Didn't realise how much space my brew stuff was taking up. Went to Bunnings and snapped up the last of these shelves. Was the display one so got it for a neat $100, saved myself $70. Now it's all stored neat and tidy.

[Journeyman]

On 11/18/2019 at 5:57 PM, Otto Von Blotto said:

So I've had a bit of time between trips, and just at the time it reached set point and turned the fridge off (changed it again, to 1 degree to make it easier), which it did (the "cooling" disappeared). It rose back to 3 in under 10 minutes which is pretty quick compared to the other fridge. At this point the "cooling" reappeared however the temperature is still rising. The ten minute compressor delay time has passed, so it's not that. Perhaps it's some start up procedure, or maybe it has an inbuilt memory or some setting that stops the compressor coming on until it reaches a certain temperature above whatever its coldest setting is, regardless of what the controller is set to do. 

 

Probably not a thing but I wonder if your fridge with the issue has the thermostat turned all the way up? As in, maybe the Inkbird is saying 'Go' but the fridge differential is way higher because the thermo is turned down so it waits around unti IT'S range is breached?

[Otto Von Blotto]

26 minutes ago, Journeyman said:

Probably not a thing but I wonder if your fridge with the issue has the thermostat turned all the way up? As in, maybe the Inkbird is saying 'Go' but the fridge differential is way higher because the thermo is turned down so it waits around unti IT'S range is breached?

That's pretty much what I said in my post. I don't know if it's that or not because it goes up above 12.3 before it starts cooling down again now that the beer is in there. Seems more like a start up procedure/check it goes through before the compressor starts up. 

I'll have to stand next to the setup on Tuesday when we are home again, and see what happens when the kick in temperature is reached. Either way it's keeping it where I want it so it's working as intended. 

[Journeyman]

2 minutes ago, Otto Von Blotto said:

That's pretty much what I said in my post.

Yep, but what I was asking was about the thermo setting, or maybe if it is working properly at all? i.e. if the membrane thing is gummed up or stiff maybe the 'pressure' to move it has to go extra high before there's a change?

[Otto Von Blotto]

Not sure, but since it is doing it with the temperature already higher than usual fridge temps I'd suspect not.

Other fridges inside have a similar temperature range they operate at under normal use. The freezer in the kitchen cycles  between about -14 and -23 air temperature, but the food in it would be stable at around -18. The kegerator has about a 3-4 degree swing up and down as well. 

Whatever the case, it does what it's intended to so that's the main thing. 

[Marvin]

21 hours ago, Aussiekraut said:

That really sucks. As Paddy said, is there anything er can do to help?

Raise a glass for fireys.

[Pezzza]

On 11/20/2019 at 6:37 PM, Marvin said:

No house remains, contents of free standing metal garage are mostly gone, garage isn't in good shape.

The pink bits in the picture used to be one of these

Insurance hopefully Marvin?