My self made external thermostat and tank insulation:)

[cairocks]

After a fustrating month of my chiller kicking in at random and also random running time. I decided that the built in thermostat is gone. Initially, I search the web for any ready made external thermostat, but has been met with much disappointment. Then I found a shop selling external thermostats but but decided it is too expensive for my budget and the thermostat's socket doesn't fit the standard 3 pin plugs that Singapore uses. In the end, I decided to built an external thermostat myself. My requirements are that the thermostat works, is properly grounded and has a standard socket for Singapore use.
So I went SLT to do the shopping. Got my self a thermostat, a black plastic casing, some wires, sockets, connectors and plugs.

Began my cutting up of the plastic casing last friday evening with my trusty RTX and electric drill set. In the end, managed to distroyed the casing by cutting the hole too big that the socket's screws have nothing to screw onto. Rushed down to SLT again to get another casing on Saturday. Then it's back to the RTX again. This time, manage to get the thermostat and the socket to fit into the casing nicely. After much head scratching, manage to figure out how the wires are suppose to run. I got the external thermostat completed.

The DIY external thermostat


On Sunday afternoon, while it was raining cats and dogs outside, I decided to bite the bullet and turn on the power. First I attached the thermostat to my room fan and it worked. Then after much figuring out how to set the thermostat correctly, I went on to test it on my chiller. It worked like magic

Setting my kicking in temperature at 27.5 and turning off time at 25.5, my chiller now kicked in around every 3.5 hours when lights are on and around every 5 hours when lights are off. (As I have pasted air con insulation sheets on all the non visible parts of the fish tank, filter and connecting hose, the warming up time is a bit longer).

The insulation sheet


Filter with insulation


Tank with insulation


Connection hose with insulation



The thermostat has now been running for over 48 hours and all has been working well.



P.S. Think that my external thermosat may also be use for aquarium fans, but not tested yet.

[BFG]

Cairocks, you did this by yourself? Great job! How much would it cost to build it?

There's a local one currently being sold in another forum. Here's the link http://www.absolutereef.com/forums/i...showtopic=1311

[cairocks]

Cairocks, you did this by yourself? Great job! How much would it cost to build it?

There's a local one currently being sold in another forum. Here's the link http://www.absolutereef.com/forums/i...showtopic=1311

Thanks for the compliments. Did it with some advice from a friend that had worked in a chiller company.

Think revealing the cost here is rather sensitive. Just say I do save a substantial amount compared to those I am aware being sold currently. But mine is a much simplier design catering for my 1/10hp chiller. Also, I did not get another probe but use the one that comes together with the thermostat. Another thing is that I do not have an additional fuse, other than the one at the plug but might add one to it for additional protection during the subsequence improvements to it.

[BFG]

Oops, you could pm me the cost. I was looking for an external temperature probe for my CL650. But it's better if you could improve yours for safety reason just in case a few aquarist wants to try it.

[spinex]

Wow very good DIY. Very useful for people who have expensive chiller and yet the thermostat is fautly at least we can fix the problem ourselves without spending a bomb.

Thanks for sharing !

[cairocks]

Wow very good DIY. Very useful for people who have expensive chiller and yet the thermostat is fautly at least we can fix the problem ourselves without spending a bomb.

Thanks for sharing !

Thanks for the compliments. It is useful if the thermostat had gone crazy like mine, where it keeps fluctuating between the 2 degrees between the 'on' and the 'off' temperatures, resulting in erratic kicking in and running time. As I have now set the chiller's thermostat all the way down to 20C. The chiller will be in the 'on' state whenever the external thermostat turns on the power.
If the chiler's thermostat permanently keeps the chiller at a 'off' state, then this external thermostat could not be used.