I have been having trouble maintaining a constant temp in my built-in SBC490 kegerator. I have an 80mm recirc fan and a tower cooler blower going all the time. The kegerator door is rarely opened. I normally try to keep my beer pour temp at 36-38F, but sometimes - like last night - one of the kegs was frozen up (not the first time this has happened). I opened the door and the digital therm air temp was reading 25F. I unplugged the unit and let it sit a couple hours to thaw the kegs.
I am considering installing a Brewers Edge II/Johnson A419 digital temperature controller so I can be done with the temp swings. I have a few questions though:
1) Most posts mention immersing the probe in liquid. Others say probe isn't waterproof. I like the idea of insulating the probe against air temp changes when the door opens. Can I expect the probe to last if I immerse it in a test tube/cigar tube using a rubber stopper? For liquid, should I use plain water, alcohol that won't freeze, or a solution of soft-ice (stuff that goes in those freezer packs but stays soft)?
2) Where is the probe mounted in the kegerator? I assume with the recirc fan it shouldn't matter too much, but is it better to place at the top or bottom or middle of the unit?
3) What does a temperature controller do to the automatic defrost in the kegerator? As a built in unit I can't deal with manually defrosting it all the time. Is it as simple as plugging the temperature controller into a timer that turns the power off for say a half hour per day to let the cold plate defrost?
Thanks for any advice you can provide.
Regards
I am considering installing a Brewers Edge II/Johnson A419 digital temperature controller so I can be done with the temp swings. I have a few questions though:
1) Most posts mention immersing the probe in liquid. Others say probe isn't waterproof. I like the idea of insulating the probe against air temp changes when the door opens. Can I expect the probe to last if I immerse it in a test tube/cigar tube using a rubber stopper? For liquid, should I use plain water, alcohol that won't freeze, or a solution of soft-ice (stuff that goes in those freezer packs but stays soft)?
2) Where is the probe mounted in the kegerator? I assume with the recirc fan it shouldn't matter too much, but is it better to place at the top or bottom or middle of the unit?
3) What does a temperature controller do to the automatic defrost in the kegerator? As a built in unit I can't deal with manually defrosting it all the time. Is it as simple as plugging the temperature controller into a timer that turns the power off for say a half hour per day to let the cold plate defrost?
Thanks for any advice you can provide.
Regards
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