I need a cheap temp controller.

[HenryTran]

group buy

 

[gho]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8005816#post8005816 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cooltank
Oh you want one of them fancy controllers!!!

Here's a Ranco for $60, is that cheap enough?

http://www.honeyrunapiaries.com/store/ranco-etc111000000-digital-temperature-controller-p-86.html

That's the one I was thinking of! Perfect. It's not all that fancy as the ACII I had before on my main tank, but, yeah, that's it.

Group buy on 8+ for $58 each. Any volunteers? I'm in if anyone wants to do a group buy.

 

[gho]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8005809#post8005809 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gtrestoration
Yes. The problem is getting the heater set with any accuracy.
Mine seem to go on or off just by looking at them. Controllers that come with heaters have the wrong type switch for cooling. If you swap that out you can use it for fans.

SteveU

That's exactly right. I usually use the heater's setting as a fail-safe. Otherwise, it's back to fighting.

Seems kinda pointless to be heating a tank and cooling it at the same time.

 

[s2k]

how does the controller work?

My tank got pretty hot yesterday. Close to 90. Maybe it's the new skimmer that I added or my heater is working correctly. it's set to 78.

 

[®eefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8010215#post8010215 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by s2k
how does the controller work?

My tank got pretty hot yesterday. Close to 90. Maybe it's the new skimmer that I added or my heater is working correctly. it's set to 78.

90??? Is anything alive in it? If anything is left, get some fans on that thing immediately. Maybe put your skimmer on a timer just for evening skimming.

 

[gho]

A temp controller is not going to cool your tank. All a temp controller does is sense the temperature and activate/deactivate outlets.

If it's too hot, it will activate a chiller, if it's too cool, it will activate the heater and switch off the chiller (dual stage controller).

A single stage controller will only switch on/off a single device wether it be a heater or chiller.

If you have a cooling problem, you try fans over the sump, works great for me - on my main tank I use twin 12cm computer fans. Over my garage tank I have an 8cm computer fan. The only thing is you need to watch the water level as it's the evaporation of water that cools the tank, and too much evaporation will change your salinity. It's best to have a top off device (I have a float valve).

You can also try the frozen 2L bottle trick, though I haven't really tried that so I can't speak for it. It might be good for an emergency type situation, but I'm sure I wouldn't want to be doing it long term.

 

[gho]

Here's a pic, you can see the temp controller on the door (the gray box), and the fans on the left side of the sump.

 

[GTR]

I'm running two box fans and two 10" round body fans over the top all on the controller. When they come on it's real loud. :lol:

SteveU

 

[gho]

Yowsa! That's a crazy system. My dinky little fans are on the controller as well. The setpoint on the chiller is set higher so if the fans don't cool enough, the chiller kicks in to suppliment. It rarely comes on ever.

The 12cm fans are for those silent running PC's so you can't hear them when they're on.

 

[GTR]

I think I could get rich just selling all the copper in the wires as scrap. :lol:

SteveU