Inkbird settings

[Thirsty Jim]

Dangling the probe wasn't intentional.  I had the FV out of the fridge before I crashed it and had disconnected the probe that was taped to it.   I put the FV back in the fridge and just let the probe dangle because I had everything set to as cold as possible and I didn't really care what temperature that was as I couldn't do anything more about it.   

 

[Otto Von Blotto]

It should just turn the fridge on and leave it on, not be fluctuating on and off. If you set the inkbird to zero or whatever and the fridge is at 20, it'll just turn it on. If the temperature goes up and down or the inkbird keeps kicking the fridge on and off then that's not normal. 

Also, the FV temperature will drop at the same rate regardless of the probe being on it or dangling. In the warmer weather I take the probe off because I find it struggles to get the brew to zero. The ambient fridge air has no problem getting down there though. At this time of year I just leave it in place, it usually gets down in a day and a half or so. Either way, it doesn't start turning on and off until it gets to the set temp, and if dangling I have the difference set to 2.

[Thirsty Jim]

Are you saying the compressor on your fridge runs constantly for 36 hours ?  You sure about that ?

 

[Titan]

I always dangle the probe when cc as its just a gentler way if crashing. You need the inkbird to catch up.

[Otto Von Blotto]

I'm not saying the compressor runs for 36 hours straight, but the fridge as a whole stays on. Obviously the air inside it reaches zero or whatever a lot sooner than the brew does. I'm saying that when it's cooling down it runs essentially as if the controller isn't even there. It doesn't really matter to the fridge whether the probe is taped to the fermenter or dangling, the air temperature will still cool and warm at the same rate and the fridge will cycle the compressor on and off the way it's been designed to. Once the air or the beer reaches the set temperature the controller will turn the fridge completely off, and back on again when it warms up to whatever the difference setting dictates, same as it does during fermentation. 

Edited May 6, 2020 by Otto Von Blotto

[VFrizz47]

Someone please help me, I know I am about 3-4 years late here but I just purchased the Inkbird-ITC308 NON WIFI model. It was super easy setting it up and all of my temperature settings are fine. However, I have set my compressor delay at 10 minutes, which works the first time after setting it to 10 minutes. Although, after that it ignores the compressor delay of 10 min and just turns on the compressor when the temperature is at its highest limit.

Thanks guys.

[Otto Von Blotto]

2 hours ago, VFrizz47 said:

Someone please help me, I know I am about 3-4 years late here but I just purchased the Inkbird-ITC308 NON WIFI model. It was super easy setting it up and all of my temperature settings are fine. However, I have set my compressor delay at 10 minutes, which works the first time after setting it to 10 minutes. Although, after that it ignores the compressor delay of 10 min and just turns on the compressor when the temperature is at its highest limit.

Thanks guys.

That's how it should work. The delay only kicks in if the temperature rises too quickly to the upper limit. 

[Shamus O'Sean]

2 hours ago, VFrizz47 said:

Someone please help me, I know I am about 3-4 years late here but I just purchased the Inkbird-ITC308 NON WIFI model. It was super easy setting it up and all of my temperature settings are fine. However, I have set my compressor delay at 10 minutes, which works the first time after setting it to 10 minutes. Although, after that it ignores the compressor delay of 10 min and just turns on the compressor when the temperature is at its highest limit.

Thanks guys.

@Otto Von Blotto is right.  The 10 minutes is from when the compressor last turned off.  For example, whether the temperature takes 15 minutes to rise to the upper limit naturally, or because your heating source kicked in if the temperature got too low, once your fermenter gets to the upper limit, it will start the compressor.

I am not sure the delay needs to be as long as 10 minutes.  I have the delay set to 3 minutes on my brewing freezer and brewing fridge.  I have been using them for around 5 years without compressor issues.

[VFrizz47]

@Otto Von Blotto @Shamus O'Sean Hey guys thank you SO much for the quick responses, you both really helped me out, so that is my fault then I must have been misunderstanding the compressor delay. The way I read the way it works is that, I have my temperature set at 40 degrees, then the cooling delay temp is set at +3 so that would be 43 degrees. Then I thought from there when the temp rises the delay kicks in for 10 minutes. Right now the compressor shuts off at 40 degrees and doesn't kick on until it reaches 43 degrees. I know the compressor delay light is supposed to blink during the delay, but its not doing that at all. The temp is just cooling to 40, then the compressor shuts off, then the temp rises over time to 43-44 and then the compressor immediately turns on again.

The only time I've seen the compressor delay kick on once when reaching 43 degrees is when i have first programed it or reset the inkbird. Right now I keep the kegerator in the basement which is currently around 70 degrees, that's pretty cool for the summertime, so it lengthens the time the compressor stays off. My only concern is everything I am reading only about the compressor's lifespan shortening, do to cycling too much. Please let me know your thoughts again, they are greatly appreciated!

[Otto Von Blotto]

It depends how it's set up as well. I don't use an inkbird on my keg fridge, only on the fermentation fridges. With those I have the probe taped to the side of the fermenter insulated under foam from the ambient fridge temp. It's set to cool when it reaches 0.3°C above the set temperature. In this scenario the fridge turns on/off a lot less often than if it was operating normally. If the probe was just dangling in the fridge the compressor delay would stop it from coming on and off too frequently, but I just change it to 2C above set temp if I'm doing that. Never had any issues with them. 

 

 

[Kegory]

1 hour ago, VFrizz47 said:

@Otto Von Blotto @Shamus O'Sean Hey guys thank you SO much for the quick responses, you both really helped me out, so that is my fault then I must have been misunderstanding the compressor delay. The way I read the way it works is that, I have my temperature set at 40 degrees, then the cooling delay temp is set at +3 so that would be 43 degrees. Then I thought from there when the temp rises the delay kicks in for 10 minutes. Right now the compressor shuts off at 40 degrees and doesn't kick on until it reaches 43 degrees. I know the compressor delay light is supposed to blink during the delay, but its not doing that at all. The temp is just cooling to 40, then the compressor shuts off, then the temp rises over time to 43-44 and then the compressor immediately turns on again.

The only time I've seen the compressor delay kick on once when reaching 43 degrees is when i have first programed it or reset the inkbird. Right now I keep the kegerator in the basement which is currently around 70 degrees, that's pretty cool for the summertime, so it lengthens the time the compressor stays off. My only concern is everything I am reading only about the compressor's lifespan shortening, do to cycling too much. Please let me know your thoughts again, they are greatly appreciated!

Yes, I believe you are misunderstanding what the compressor delay is and how it works.

I have an inkbird on my lagering fridge and it is set up similarly to yours, except, of course, in Celsius. So, your Target Temperature is 40F and your Cooling Differential is set to +3F (approx 1C). This is not a Cooling Delay, it is a Cooling Differential. The Inkbird switches power to the Cooling Circuit when the measured temperature reaches the Target Temperature + Cooling Differential (40F + 3F = 43F). When the measured temperature returns to the Target Temperature the Inkbird cuts the power to the Cooling Circuit.

The Compressor Delay is an override function designed to protect your fridge's compressor. It only kicks in if the Cooling Circuit is switched on in a smaller time interval than specified. It does not kick in every time the Cooling Circuit is switched on.

I have read everything I can find online about safe operating margins for fridge compressors and @Shamus O'Sean setting of 3 minutes seems to be the lowest safe setting for the Compressor Delay. In normal functions this range is more than sufficient. My Compressor Delay rarely kicks in only when I have opened the fridge shortly after it has finished a cooling cycle.

Edited August 30, 2023 by Kegory
word

[VFrizz47]

@Kegory @Shamus O'Sean @Otto Von Blotto You guys are awesome! Thanks so much, that makes me feel a lot better, I’m over here minorly freaking out like my compressors gonna go bad cause the compressor delay isn’t kicking on every time. The compressor seems to run, about every 20-30 minutes if the doors shut for awhile cause my basement is pretty cool to begin with. Plus once the fall and winter comes the temp down there will be even lower. You guys think my kegerator will be fine? I originally got the inkbird cause my thermostat on my kegerator was bad, which I replaced then it still wasn’t shutting off the compressor again, it just kept running and running. Thanks everyone!

[Kegory]

Your kegerator will be fine with a 10 minute Compressor Delay.

[Back Brewing]

Another question on this topic is what temperature setting do you put the fridge on?

The coldest setting or the warmest setting? 

Edited August 31, 2023 by Back Brewing

[Triple B Brewing]

Hey @Back Brewing I run a ink bird temp control unit on both my fermenter fridge and another unit for my Keezer.

I have the cold settings for both of these units set to as cold as they will go (I rely on the 3 minute delay I have set to protect my compressors) and haven’t had any issues with my units. 

My logic is, if the ink bird senses the current temperature inside the unit is above the parameters I have set on my ink bird, then I want the unit to get back down to the set temperature ASAP. Ie: to minimise the amount of temperature fluctuations during fermentation in my ferment fridge, and or serve temp at the tap from my Keezer.
This is also why I have fitted a small circulation fan in each of my units (ie: maintaining as consistent temperature as possible). 
Hope that helps.
Cheers Vince
 

[Classic Brewing Co]

1 hour ago, Triple B Brewing said:

Hey @Back Brewing I run a ink bird temp control unit on both my fermenter fridge and another unit for my Keezer.

I have the cold settings for both of these units set to as cold as they will go (I rely on the 3 minute delay I have set to protect my compressors) and haven’t had any issues with my units. 

My logic is, if the ink bird senses the current temperature inside the unit is above the parameters I have set on my ink bird, then I want the unit to get back down to the set temperature ASAP. Ie: to minimise the amount of temperature fluctuations during fermentation in my ferment fridge, and or serve temp at the tap from my Keezer.
This is also why I have fitted a small circulation fan in each of my units (ie: maintaining as consistent temperature as possible). 
Hope that helps.
Cheers Vince
 

I have only ever used the Mangrove Jacks STC-1000, I have had it for years & it has never let me down, I was always going to buy a Wi-Fi Ink Bird, but so far, no need.

The only thing I have ever replaced is a het belt, $11.00 from eBay.

[Triple B Brewing]

Hi All,

For those that have an ink bird temperature control unit, I found this YouTube video very helpful in the different settings available and how to set your controller up.

[Shamus O'Sean]

11 hours ago, VFrizz47 said:

@Kegory @Shamus O'Sean @Otto Von Blotto You guys are awesome! Thanks so much, that makes me feel a lot better, I’m over here minorly freaking out like my compressors gonna go bad cause the compressor delay isn’t kicking on every time. The compressor seems to run, about every 20-30 minutes if the doors shut for awhile cause my basement is pretty cool to begin with. Plus once the fall and winter comes the temp down there will be even lower. You guys think my kegerator will be fine? I originally got the inkbird cause my thermostat on my kegerator was bad, which I replaced then it still wasn’t shutting off the compressor again, it just kept running and running. Thanks everyone!

I agree with @Kegory, your kegerator will be fine

[Shamus O'Sean]

6 hours ago, Back Brewing said:

Another question on this topic is what temperature setting do you put the fridge on?

The coldest setting or the warmest setting? 

I have my fermentation fridge set on its coldest setting.  When I am fermenting at 18°C for ales and 12°C for lagers, it makes no difference, because the fridge is capable of getting much lower anyway.  The temperature controller does all the work.  The only advantage is that when I want to cold crash, I can set the temperature controller to zero and just let the fridge go to the coldest it can (which for my fridge is around -0.5).

My fermentation freezer is set on its mid-range setting because it obviously has no trouble keeping things cool.  The only risk is making beer slushies. 

[Otto Von Blotto]

7 hours ago, Back Brewing said:

Another question on this topic is what temperature setting do you put the fridge on?

The coldest setting or the warmest setting? 

Coldest. One of my fermentation fridges is an old kegerator, it only gets the brew down to about 2 degrees. The other one is a 60+ year old unit that I discovered has no trouble making 20 litre beer slushies if the cold crash isn't done with the temp controller. I might set it crazy low one day just to see how low it actually gets. 

During fermentation it's no problem was it's obviously only on for short periods of time to keep it at whatever I'm fermenting at. 

[Back Brewing]

Thanks for the reply guys I've just scored a second hand fridge that's why I was asking

I'm off to the the Gold Coast in a week so will have to wait until I get back to do my first brew in it

[VFrizz47]

@Kegory @Shamus O'Sean @Otto Von Blotto So one last question, where do you guys have your temperature probe? I just have mine taped sitting on the bottom floor of the kegerator right next to my quarter keg. I have found that the bottom is the coldest part of the kegerator other than the back of the unit, and obviously cause heat rises to the top of the kegerator. With that said, I have a freezer/fridge thermometer sitting on the floor of the kegerator as well right next to the temperature probe and both temps are the same every time I check on them. 

Edited August 31, 2023 by VFrizz47

[Otto Von Blotto]

29 minutes ago, VFrizz47 said:

@Kegory @Shamus O'Sean @Otto Von Blotto So one last question, where do you guys have your temperature probe? I just have mine taped sitting on the bottom floor of the kegerator right next to my quarter keg. I have found that the bottom is the coldest part of the kegerator other than the back of the unit, and obviously cause heat rises to the top of the kegerator. With that said, I have a freezer/fridge thermometer sitting on the floor of the kegerator as well right next to the temperature probe and both temps are the same every time I check on them. 

Since I only use them for fermentation, I have it taped to the fermenter about halfway up the level of the brew. It's insulated under foam to prevent it being skewed by the temp of the fridge itself. 

The kegerator I pour beers from just runs on its own thermostat, I have no need to use temp control on it. 

[VFrizz47]

Thank you @Otto Von Blotto

[Aussiekraut]

36 minutes ago, VFrizz47 said:

@Kegory @Shamus O'Sean @Otto Von Blotto So one last question, where do you guys have your temperature probe? I just have mine taped sitting on the bottom floor of the kegerator right next to my quarter keg. I have found that the bottom is the coldest part of the kegerator other than the back of the unit, and obviously cause heat rises to the top of the kegerator. With that said, I have a freezer/fridge thermometer sitting on the floor of the kegerator as well right next to the temperature probe and both temps are the same every time I check on them. 

I have a keezer I use for lagering or when there is no room in the kegerator. The temp probe on the Inkbird I use for that one came with a suction cup, so I put it on top of the compressor step, next to the gas bottle.