Thank you very much-- couldn't get it to work, didn't find any customer support for Inkbird. You just saved my brand new freezer. Thanks a million! 👏 Very clear instructions and information.
This is great! What i'm actually trying to do is get a chest freezer to fridge temperatures, which annoyingly the built-in thermostat won't do. It's probably a single line of code in there that's causing me all this trouble... Regardless, this video is great for spelling out the cryptic indications on the display!
Great video. You just saved me a lot of time. Just sealed my new freezer and still had my Dap ultra clear sealer on the table when you mentioned the probe is not waterproof, so I placed a bead of seal around it as well. Thanks again for clear, precise instructions.
You're welcome- I appreciate your comment. DAP is not a recommended sealant unless you also use a removable liner. Check out the free articles on my website about liners and sealing your chest freezer for more info.
@@JohnRichterAustin so I just got home and my freezer water has only dropped 10°. It’s the cheap $300 freezer from Home Depot. (and it is on my back porch getting afternoon sun ). Since it’s already sealed I’m going to give it one more night before I label it as defective and go swap it out. How long does it usually take to drop the water temperature from 80° to 50, any idea?
@@jjcar99 - chest freezers are not fast. They can take days to chill the water. The best practice is to add ice to the initial chill down to save the compressor from working so hard. See the ice bath Calculator on my website to find out how much ice is needed.
If I noticed your mistakes do I get a shout out. Well I couldn't find none you actually did a very good video. I went through four videos till I found yours thank you so much.
Wish I had seen this before spending a few hours figuring it out! The instructions are abysmal - written for someone who knows about these things, certainly not for a new user. Mines is all up & running very well thanks to my patience & a few adjustments. As you say, set the high & low alarms way outside the limits of the application you are using it for or the alarm can be very intrusive. I'm using mine on an old fridge I'm using as a cheese maturing cave 😊
Hi John, I just purchased a freezer conversion from Andrew Lansley (Zenice Ice baths) here in Australia and he referred me to this UA-cam tutorial. Very professionally done, by the way John. I set my ink bird up as per your instructions and set my desired temp. The ink bird shuts off the freezer when it gets down to my set temp, however does not switch the freezer back on when it warms outside the set degree. Can you think of a reason it not switching the freezer back on? Thanks John Pete
Thanks for your comments. If you have have the correct Inkbird (the one with the silicone-covered tip) and everything set up correctly, it may be defective. I suggest that you exchange it with the retailer.
Awesome video. I have an extra INKBIRD for my aquarium, was hoping this would work but the temp difference doesn’t allow for the unit to work correctly. I’ll be getting this one… I’m excited and also not excited to start lol
Make sure your water is warmer than your desired temperature. My water was 48F°. I set my desired temp to 54F° and the device kicked on trying to heat the water.
Make sure you have the chest freezer plugged into the "cooling plug" on the controller. Nothing should turn on if your water is colder than the set temperature.
Would love a video on the marineland filter from your book. I have everything set up except for that. I can’t find anything about whether to use the 3 stage filtration or the polisher. Also can’t find how long to run each day.
I have shot video for setting up the MarineLand pump/filter and it is in my editing queue. Will probably be about another 10 - 14 days however. If you have my book, see Chapter 11 - it goes into detail about which filter to use!
I use the non-wifi inkbird 308 with my chest freezer. I put some blu tak on the back of the controller and stuck it to the side of the freezer 16 months ago and it is still hanging in there on the side of the freezer. The programming is a bit hazy due to the terrible instructions, but there are enough videos available that show how to use it.
Thanks for the comprehensive video. Bought a brand new Frigidaire freezer chest. I’ve got everything setup exactly like you do, but no matter what I do the freezer power will not come on when plugged into the ITC-308. Power source is fine as the freezer runs fine when plugged directly into the wall. Any help at all would be fantastic. Thanks
This is probably a rookie question, but does plugging the freezer directly into the Inkbird plug override the freezer's thermostat? I'm wanting to use a freezer as a kegerator with temperatures around 40 degrees.
I am focused on using chess freezers as cold plunges. That said, the temperature controller will override the chest freezers built in the thermostat as long as the low target temperature is higher than the chest freezers normal operation temperature range. I'm not a home brewer, but my understanding is that there are some super helpful homebrewing forums with people discussing the use of chest freezers.
Anyone know why my brand new freezer can’t cool down the water? It’s been plugged in for 8 hours and the water has went from 95 to 85 degrees. Anything on setting it up properly?
Chest freezers are efficient but not fast. Add ice to speed up the initial cool down. If you want to ensure you have everything set up correctly, pick up a copy of my book! :)
Do you unplug the freezer from the controller before getting in or do you unplug both? If both is it necessary to reprogram the controller each time? Thank you
I unplug all electronics / equipment being used as part of my chest freezer cold plunge. My system has other components, all of which are plugged into a single power strip, which I unplug. The controller has a memory, so if it loses power it will keep your settings when the power comes back on.
Hi, John. I followed all your instructions for setting up my cold plunge but the red “heating” light is on instead of the green “cooling” light (the inkbird is plugged on the COOLING port). How do I fix it so that it shows the green “cooling” light? Appreciate your help. Thanks!😊
love this very helpful...but I m having an issue...have fan plugged in but when temp goes over set limit it doesn't t come on...the fan only has a 2 prong plug but main unit is 3 prong..could that be the problem? fan works in regular outlet...please help
Hi Lynda - I mainly support people who are building Chest Freezer Cold Plunges! That said, be sure the fan is plugged into the "cooling" plug on the controller. Two or three prongs should not make a difference. If you need more support than that I would contact InkBird. :)
@@lillianross5821 - I'm in the cold plunge space, not the aquarium space, so I can't advise on that. However, if you are only cooling your water, the heating outlet is not needed.
Hi. I’m in Ontario and the temps are getting low. I have my cold plunge freezer plugged into the cold plug. Now that it’s getting colder out, should I be switching my freezer plug into the heater plug port? Or. Do I need some sort of heater addition to plug into this port? To keep my water at my ideal temp?
I bought three of these. One is for brewing, one is for my workshop. How do i keep heater running when it's below 50 and an ac running when it's above 75 ?
So let me guess this straight. When a chest freezer plugs into this thing, the chest freezer turns on and chills (the water in this case) to your desired temperature using it’s built in chilling equipment?
John, have you ever had issues with the ink bird reading wrong temperature? Mine was saying my plunge was at 65 but I noticed it was frozen on the bottom.
Yes. If you do not have the one with a silicone covered tip, it could be damaged. Sometimes they just malfunction or stop working. Ice buildup can also happen if you don't have a circulation pump.
The Inkbird is not a timer, it is a temperature controller. :) Best practice for the initial cool down is to add 100+ lbs of ice. If you are in my free FB group there is a calculator in the files section to help you figure out how much ice is needed.
Can we program this Temperature Controller to start cooling at certain time and turn chiller off when not needed? Or I need additionally to get rogramable timer? Trying to be more cost effective and not to run chiller all day long.
My instructions here are for use with a chest freezer cold plunge. Chiller manufactures caution against using timers. If you have a chiller-based system, it is best to let the chiller do what it is designed to do: keep your water within a few degrees of your programmed temperature.
In most cases, nothing is plugged into the heating side. One exception to this is if you live in a very cold environment and want to have a heater come on to prevent your water from freezing. That would typically be done with a chiller system, not a chest freezer.
Answering forn the perspective of using it for a chest freezer cold plunge... It depends on your target water temperature. Typically anything above 38F/3 C will be ok with only a temperature controller. If you have a good pump to circulate the water, it can stay at 34F / 1.1 C without the water freezer or developing chunks of ice. You'll need other equipment / materials for an optimal setup.
Thanks for the vid, Im using the heating power point to run a pump. Can you have both cooling and heating sections working at the same time. What setting would you put for the heating one. Im cooling my chest freezer down to 3 degrees with a 1 degree variant.
I recommend running circulation pumps 24/7- except for when you are in the water and all equipment should be unplugged. I have not tried that setup, but generally, heating and cooling do not run at the same time.
The InkBird has a heating outlet on it. Plug a stock tank heater to come on when the water gets to around 33-34F. Here is an Amazon link for one that works: amzn.to/3I9uNUG The bigger potential problem is that below 40F, most chest freezers can start to have problems with the compressor working as intended because the viscosity in the fluids changes. You might need to get a small heat lamp (a 60-watt incandescent bulb will also work) and put it near the compressor area. That can also be set up on a separate temp controller to turn off and on when the temp drops below 40F.
Hi! Im a little confused. So this way is more efficient for power conservation im assuming? I have a time and was going to assign it to kick on from 1-3 but this seems way easier. Im just still wrapping my head around how it works. Does this inkbird unit shut off the freezer when its to temp? What does the power cycle look like in terms of hours of on/off ? Thanks for all your help!!!
This is way more efficient than a timer. Timers are arbitrary, and may not get get your water temperature to where you want based on heat gain variables such as ambient temperature changes, additional plunges, longer plunges etc. A temperature controller turns the chest freezer off and on based on what you want: your desired water temperature. The power cycle depends on your target temperature, the differential you have programmed, and all heat gain variables.
@@JohnRichterAustin Wow! Thanks so much. I just cancelled my timer order and snatched an inkbird off ebay. I have 1 more for ya. Im following your advice and doing it right the first time with the jb waterweld.... but i didnt buy the putty, i bought 5 syringes of the marine grade epoxy. Will this work just as good? Im about to clean and apply my sealant as soon as i know im in the right zone to start. Thanks again!!
@@JohnRichterAustin i see. Yeah i was at home depot and saw the jb waterweld putty, and the jb marineweld syringes and they had more of the syringes than the putty so i went with that. But should i return them and go for the putty? Or do you think this will be just a good. Virtually the same stuff right?
@@SPARTANlabs - not the same stuff. Not the same application. Not the same method. Return the syringes. Use the putty. ChestFreezerColdPlunge.com/sealing And make sure you install a liner! chestfreezercoldplunge.com/4-liners/
You can join my FB group for free or check out my website if you'd like to hire me for a consultation (sign up on my website). Links are in the description section of the video.
I wonder if it would be good for making kombucha, especially in the winter when I need a warm spot or sauerkraut in the winter or the summer any comments are welcome
What other thermostat are you talking about? In 4 years of doing this I've never seen a chest freezer with a thermostat that kicks off at 60F. Chest freezers by design are supposed to drop the internal temperature to between 0 - 9 F. If is cutting off at 60F, something is wrong. What brand / model of chest freezer do you have? Is it new or used?
@@kevinhaynes8270 - I specialize in helping people use these controllers for a chest freezer cold plunge. I have zero experience with how you are using it. Your best bet for that application would be to contact the manufacturer or join the InkBird Facebook group.
Just in case I missed it, once it reaches the desired temperature the controller will shut off power to chest freezer making it stop cooling? Is that correct
I use mine to keep bait alive. I struggle because my pump/filter beats the water up quicker the the freezer can cool it. I am wondering if I can run my freezer and pump on just this one? Right now I have one of each a heating one and this one just using the cooling side but the temperature probes for each of them are never the same even if I change the calibration.
Because I need my water temp to stay around 10 degrees Celsius I can be +/- 2 degrees on each side. But my sump pump heats up the water 2 degrees say in 2 hours but my freezer then takes maybe 5 hours to cool back down to 10 degrees. So I am having trouble rigging it up because my pump is not running often enough
Hello, I bought one of these unit for my walk in cooler. My issue is that once it hits the desired temp it shuts my a/c unit and doesn't come back on. Is there a reason that you are aware of why this would be happening, thanks.
If you have followed all of the steps in the video correctly, either the temp controller is defective or it can't handle the power of a walk-in cooler.
My specialty is DIY cold plunges, but in answer to your question: no. A temp controller only turns a device off and on based on the sensor reading from the probe. It cannot make a piece of equipment do anything outside of its normal operating parameters, other than turn on and off.
@@BoNuS1013 - Bill- this is a design/build question that goes beyond just programing the controller. I offer consulting services as one way that I support my family. I usually charge $150 for an hour, but if you want to discuss the setup of a temperature controller with your wine cooler I'd be happy to do that for a $25 donation. chestfreezercoldplunge.com/product/donations/
I’d love to know the answer to this as well! Currently building my plunge outside in Colorado. Thanks for all the support, these videos have been extremely helpful!
The video gives you complete instructions. If it doesn't work after setting everything up correctly, contact InkBird or post your question in my Facebook group.
thanks , I will watch it again, but I don't remember seeing where you selected Cooling over to heating. Your video shows the device already set to cooling during your video
@g2D1 there is not a separate setting to switch between heating and cooling. If you have the device (chest freezer) plugged into the cooling outlet and have followed the directions exactly, it should cool. If not,the device is defective and should be returned or exchanged.
thank you kindly. I think I have a defective unit. Per the booklet when power is applied and a device is connected to the receptacle, the relevant led will light . My unit's red led for Heat is turned on with nothing connected to either receptacle.
@@g2D1 - Make sure you get the correct replacement- the one with the silicone tip that is meant for submersion. Here are Amazon affiliate links for options with and without wifi: amzn.to/3DF2A6h amzn.to/35tgbBR
I have my ts at 1 degrees C and Cd at 5.5 degrees C. I have my alarms set very high and low, so it never goes off. However, whenever the temperature is outside the cold range, it makes 2 beep noises. This happens several times a day. How do I prevent it from making the 2 beep noises?
I can show you how to program, but I'm do not offer tech support for this device. It's best to contact the retailer who sold you the device or get in touch with InkBird directly.
Hi Jimmy - thanks for pointing that out - excellent attention to detail. It actually *did* change to 55F (go to about 8:35 in the video). The problem (and my mistake) was when I was editing the video and audio together. I cut out some audio flubs and inadvertently ended up overylaying the video with a button press that did not show the 55 set temp. UA-cam does not let you go back and edit videos. I will add that note to the comments above.
@@JohnRichterAustinThanks for your answer John, but the issue is that the hardware has the heating light on instead of the cooling one although the temperature is set ofr it to get colder than the temperature in which it is in.
@SuperEliasc - There is no setting to switch between heating and cooling which is why it is not mentioned. If you have it set up correctly and it is not cooling, the unit is defective.
@SuperEliasc bro there's no switch it changes depending on your temp if ur temp ain't at your target and is below will turn on the heater if it reads to high it'll turn on the cooler
Describing the instructions that come with the device as "not really great" is the understatement of the century. Many thanks for the video
So grateful for this video. To say the instructions provided with the unit are "not great" is being very generous.🥴
I appreciate your comment. :)
used this to convert a chest freezer to a fridge,
very helpful! thank you for this video !
Thank you very much-- couldn't get it to work, didn't find any customer support for Inkbird. You just saved my brand new freezer. Thanks a million! 👏 Very clear instructions and information.
You're welcome!
Best video on inkbird so far.
Thanks!
You're welcome!
Great video well explained all other videos by other's on this controll were awful and confusing
I'm glad you found it helpful!
Best instructions/ information I have seen on inkbird. Thanks
You're welcome!
Thanks John … super useful, good info and to the point .. well done!
You're welcome. I appreciate your acknowledgment.
Great video. The info was so clear and it was well edited. Thank you
You're welcome. I appreciate your comment. :)
This is great! What i'm actually trying to do is get a chest freezer to fridge temperatures, which annoyingly the built-in thermostat won't do. It's probably a single line of code in there that's causing me all this trouble...
Regardless, this video is great for spelling out the cryptic indications on the display!
Thank you so much for sharing it and helping us with this device😍🤩🌈👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👊🏻
Great video. You just saved me a lot of time. Just sealed my new freezer and still had my Dap ultra clear sealer on the table when you mentioned the probe is not waterproof, so I placed a bead of seal around it as well. Thanks again for clear, precise instructions.
You're welcome- I appreciate your comment.
DAP is not a recommended sealant unless you also use a removable liner.
Check out the free articles on my website about liners and sealing your chest freezer for more info.
@@JohnRichterAustin so I just got home and my freezer water has only dropped 10°. It’s the cheap $300 freezer from Home Depot. (and it is on my back porch getting afternoon sun ). Since it’s already sealed I’m going to give it one more night before I label it as defective and go swap it out. How long does it usually take to drop the water temperature from 80° to 50, any idea?
@@jjcar99 - chest freezers are not fast. They can take days to chill the water. The best practice is to add ice to the initial chill down to save the compressor from working so hard.
See the ice bath Calculator on my website to find out how much ice is needed.
If I noticed your mistakes do I get a shout out. Well I couldn't find none you actually did a very good video. I went through four videos till I found yours thank you so much.
I'm always open suggestions on how to improve! Thanks for your comment. :)
Very helpful!
Thanks man that was really helpful.
You're welcome!
As usual, your explanations are clear and helpful! Thank you!
Janet - you're welcome. I appreciate your compliment.
Really great, super helpful. Thanks!!
You're welcome!
Wish I had seen this before spending a few hours figuring it out!
The instructions are abysmal - written for someone who knows about these things, certainly not for a new user.
Mines is all up & running very well thanks to my patience & a few adjustments. As you say, set the high & low alarms way outside the limits of the application you are using it for or the alarm can be very intrusive.
I'm using mine on an old fridge I'm using as a cheese maturing cave 😊
simply lovely great explanation greatings from holland!🥶🥶🥶
Thanks for your feedback!
this was super helpful, Thank you!!
You're' welcome!
Hey I appreciate this a lot! One thing I’m having trouble doing is knowing what to set my actual freezer to. It ranges from 1-7
You're welcome; Put it on the coldest setting. You'll have to read the manual to find out if 1 or 7 is the coldest.
Wonderful
Thank you 🙂 i appreciate it 🙏
You're welcome!
Great video 👌
Thank you!
Hi John, I just purchased a freezer conversion from Andrew Lansley (Zenice Ice baths) here in Australia and he referred me to this UA-cam tutorial. Very professionally done, by the way John.
I set my ink bird up as per your instructions and set my desired temp. The ink bird shuts off the freezer when it gets down to my set temp, however does not switch the freezer back on when it warms outside the set degree. Can you think of a reason it not switching the freezer back on? Thanks John
Pete
Thanks for your comments.
If you have have the correct Inkbird (the one with the silicone-covered tip) and everything set up correctly, it may be defective.
I suggest that you exchange it with the retailer.
Thanks John, arranging that now.
Informative. Thanks, I subscribed.
You're welcome and thank you :)
Awesome video. I have an extra INKBIRD for my aquarium, was hoping this would work but the temp difference doesn’t allow for the unit to work correctly. I’ll be getting this one… I’m excited and also not excited to start lol
My inbird is set to heating although the temperature I set is colder than the temperature that it is set in. I the have the cable connected to cooling
Make sure your water is warmer than your desired temperature. My water was 48F°. I set my desired temp to 54F° and the device kicked on trying to heat the water.
Make sure you have the chest freezer plugged into the "cooling plug" on the controller. Nothing should turn on if your water is colder than the set temperature.
Would love a video on the marineland filter from your book. I have everything set up except for that. I can’t find anything about whether to use the 3 stage filtration or the polisher. Also can’t find how long to run each day.
I have shot video for setting up the MarineLand pump/filter and it is in my editing queue. Will probably be about another 10 - 14 days however.
If you have my book, see Chapter 11 - it goes into detail about which filter to use!
My unit is stuck on HEATING. How do I change it to COOLING
Do you have the right model? If yes, did you watch the video? ;)
Gret video! Thanks John.
My chest freezer has three differnt modes - low, medium and high. Does it matter what setting I use?
Not really, put it on the coldest setting, just in case. Refer to your owners manual to find out which is coldest.
@@JohnRichterAustin great, will do. Thanks!
I use the non-wifi inkbird 308 with my chest freezer. I put some blu tak on the back of the controller and stuck it to the side of the freezer 16 months ago and it is still hanging in there on the side of the freezer. The programming is a bit hazy due to the terrible instructions, but there are enough videos available that show how to use it.
I'm glad your blu tak is still working. Personally I wouldn't use that to hold any electronics.
Thanks for the comprehensive video. Bought a brand new Frigidaire freezer chest. I’ve got everything setup exactly like you do, but no matter what I do the freezer power will not come on when plugged into the ITC-308. Power source is fine as the freezer runs fine when plugged directly into the wall. Any help at all would be fantastic. Thanks
Sounds like a defective inbird. Send it back and get another one.
This is probably a rookie question, but does plugging the freezer directly into the Inkbird plug override the freezer's thermostat? I'm wanting to use a freezer as a kegerator with temperatures around 40 degrees.
I am focused on using chess freezers as cold plunges. That said, the temperature controller will override the chest freezers built in the thermostat as long as the low target temperature is higher than the chest freezers normal operation temperature range.
I'm not a home brewer, but my understanding is that there are some super helpful homebrewing forums with people discussing the use of chest freezers.
@@JohnRichterAustin Thank you so much, John.
Anyone know why my brand new freezer can’t cool down the water? It’s been plugged in for 8 hours and the water has went from 95 to 85 degrees. Anything on setting it up properly?
Chest freezers are efficient but not fast.
Add ice to speed up the initial cool down.
If you want to ensure you have everything set up correctly, pick up a copy of my book! :)
To save poeple having to look it up, 40 Fahrenheight is 4.5 degree Centigrade.
I do my best to use both F and C in my content, but sometimes I forget. Thanks for translating. :)
Do you unplug the freezer from the controller before getting in or do you unplug both? If both is it necessary to reprogram the controller each time? Thank you
I unplug all electronics / equipment being used as part of my chest freezer cold plunge.
My system has other components, all of which are plugged into a single power strip, which I unplug.
The controller has a memory, so if it loses power it will keep your settings when the power comes back on.
@@JohnRichterAustin Great! I appreciate all the info you share in your videos. Thanks for the quick reply
@@inhabitnashville23 - You're welcome!
How to switch Celcius to Fahrenheit?
I cover that in the video. :)
Hi, John. I followed all your instructions for setting up my cold plunge but the red “heating” light is on instead of the green “cooling” light (the inkbird is plugged on the COOLING port). How do I fix it so that it shows the green “cooling” light? Appreciate your help. Thanks!😊
I'm not a technician for InkBird. Best to call the retailer or manufacturer.
love this very helpful...but I m having an issue...have fan plugged in but when temp goes over set limit it doesn't t come on...the fan only has a 2 prong plug but main unit is 3 prong..could that be the problem? fan works in regular outlet...please help
Hi Lynda - I mainly support people who are building Chest Freezer Cold Plunges! That said, be sure the fan is plugged into the "cooling" plug on the controller. Two or three prongs should not make a difference. If you need more support than that I would contact InkBird. :)
i’m very confused about what the extra outlet plugs are for, i’m putting it in a fish tank so do i need them?
@@lillianross5821 - I'm in the cold plunge space, not the aquarium space, so I can't advise on that.
However, if you are only cooling your water, the heating outlet is not needed.
Hi. I’m in Ontario and the temps are getting low. I have my cold plunge freezer plugged into the cold plug. Now that it’s getting colder out, should I be switching my freezer plug into the heater plug port? Or. Do I need some sort of heater addition to plug into this port? To keep my water at my ideal temp?
How did u get it to go on cooling ?
@@Gary-iy4oh that is explained in the video. Please watch it again. :)
I bought three of these. One is for brewing, one is for my workshop. How do i keep heater running when it's below 50 and an ac running when it's above 75 ?
I support using this controller for a chest freezer cold plunge. Your best bet is to find a specific brewing or workshop forum to ask your question.
if the power were to go out? would it start up the same setting or would you come home to ice beer ? guess if you catch it in time
?
It keeps the settings if the power goes out.
So let me guess this straight. When a chest freezer plugs into this thing, the chest freezer turns on and chills (the water in this case) to your desired temperature using it’s built in chilling equipment?
Yes!
@@JohnRichterAustin if the freezer is off, but still plugged in to the ink bird, do i need to unplug the ink it’s before getting in or no?
@libaybi - yes, all equipment must be unplugged before you get into the water.
John, have you ever had issues with the ink bird reading wrong temperature?
Mine was saying my plunge was at 65 but I noticed it was frozen on the bottom.
Yes. If you do not have the one with a silicone covered tip, it could be damaged. Sometimes they just malfunction or stop working.
Ice buildup can also happen if you don't have a circulation pump.
Hey john i got mine all set up and filled. How long do you think itll take to cool to 55° if its at 83° ? Got it all fiberglassed up and sealed tight!
Does this timer protect the freezer compressor from burning? Is it ok to run from 75 degree water to 40 degree straight?
The Inkbird is not a timer, it is a temperature controller. :)
Best practice for the initial cool down is to add 100+ lbs of ice. If you are in my free FB group there is a calculator in the files section to help you figure out how much ice is needed.
Can we program this Temperature Controller to start cooling at certain time and turn chiller off when not needed? Or I need additionally to get rogramable timer? Trying to be more cost effective and not to run chiller all day long.
My instructions here are for use with a chest freezer cold plunge.
Chiller manufactures caution against using timers.
If you have a chiller-based system, it is best to let the chiller do what it is designed to do: keep your water within a few degrees of your programmed temperature.
What do you use for the heat side, or is it all just done with the freezer, and this device just kicks in the freezer when it needs to be cooled?
In most cases, nothing is plugged into the heating side.
One exception to this is if you live in a very cold environment and want to have a heater come on to prevent your water from freezing. That would typically be done with a chiller system, not a chest freezer.
You don’t need any other equipment to keep the freezer above freezing temps? Just this device?
Answering forn the perspective of using it for a chest freezer cold plunge...
It depends on your target water temperature. Typically anything above 38F/3 C will be ok with only a temperature controller.
If you have a good pump to circulate the water, it can stay at 34F / 1.1 C without the water freezer or developing chunks of ice.
You'll need other equipment / materials for an optimal setup.
Just got one and the instructions give no indication of how to change from Celsius to Fahrenheit.
@@wef0711 Watch my video again. I go over every single setting, including how to change from Celsius to Fahrenheit. :)
Are you related to Andy Richter, Conan's swedish-german sidekick?
Not that I'm aware of..
Thanks for the vid,
Im using the heating power point to run a pump. Can you have both cooling and heating sections working at the same time. What setting would you put for the heating one. Im cooling my chest freezer down to 3 degrees with a 1 degree variant.
I recommend running circulation pumps 24/7- except for when you are in the water and all equipment should be unplugged.
I have not tried that setup, but generally, heating and cooling do not run at the same time.
So I love in idaho and my freezer is in garage if temp gets below 44°f how do I prevent it from freezing into a block?
The InkBird has a heating outlet on it. Plug a stock tank heater to come on when the water gets to around 33-34F. Here is an Amazon link for one that works:
amzn.to/3I9uNUG
The bigger potential problem is that below 40F, most chest freezers can start to have problems with the compressor working as intended because the viscosity in the fluids changes. You might need to get a small heat lamp (a 60-watt incandescent bulb will also work) and put it near the compressor area. That can also be set up on a separate temp controller to turn off and on when the temp drops below 40F.
@@JohnRichterAustin thank you very much for your help man much appreciated
@@loj5368 You're welcome!
Hi! Im a little confused. So this way is more efficient for power conservation im assuming? I have a time and was going to assign it to kick on from 1-3 but this seems way easier. Im just still wrapping my head around how it works. Does this inkbird unit shut off the freezer when its to temp? What does the power cycle look like in terms of hours of on/off ? Thanks for all your help!!!
This is way more efficient than a timer. Timers are arbitrary, and may not get get your water temperature to where you want based on heat gain variables such as ambient temperature changes, additional plunges, longer plunges etc.
A temperature controller turns the chest freezer off and on based on what you want: your desired water temperature.
The power cycle depends on your target temperature, the differential you have programmed, and all heat gain variables.
@@JohnRichterAustin Wow! Thanks so much. I just cancelled my timer order and snatched an inkbird off ebay. I have 1 more for ya. Im following your advice and doing it right the first time with the jb waterweld.... but i didnt buy the putty, i bought 5 syringes of the marine grade epoxy. Will this work just as good? Im about to clean and apply my sealant as soon as i know im in the right zone to start. Thanks again!!
@@SPARTANlabs "JB Water Weld = epoxy putty = doing it right the first time.
Syringes of Marine Epoxy = doing it right the second time.
@@JohnRichterAustin i see. Yeah i was at home depot and saw the jb waterweld putty, and the jb marineweld syringes and they had more of the syringes than the putty so i went with that. But should i return them and go for the putty? Or do you think this will be just a good. Virtually the same stuff right?
@@SPARTANlabs - not the same stuff. Not the same application. Not the same method. Return the syringes. Use the putty.
ChestFreezerColdPlunge.com/sealing
And make sure you install a liner!
chestfreezercoldplunge.com/4-liners/
I need your help Sir 😃
You can join my FB group for free or check out my website if you'd like to hire me for a consultation (sign up on my website).
Links are in the description section of the video.
I wonder if it would be good for making kombucha, especially in the winter when I need a warm spot or sauerkraut in the winter or the summer any comments are welcome
I specialize in cold plunges. Best to find a s kombucha or fermenting group.
How do you use if it's got another thermostat and it kicks off at 60 and you need to be 35
What other thermostat are you talking about?
In 4 years of doing this I've never seen a chest freezer with a thermostat that kicks off at 60F. Chest freezers by design are supposed to drop the internal temperature to between 0 - 9 F. If is cutting off at 60F, something is wrong.
What brand / model of chest freezer do you have? Is it new or used?
Trying to use a window unit ac to cool a walk in cooler
@@kevinhaynes8270 - I specialize in helping people use these controllers for a chest freezer cold plunge.
I have zero experience with how you are using it.
Your best bet for that application would be to contact the manufacturer or join the InkBird Facebook group.
Thanks
Hi why is my inkbird display keeps flashing? Can you please teach me how to turn into normal display 😁
I do not offer techl support for this product. Call the retailer you bought it from or contact the manufacturer.
What is the lowest temp this can be set to?
-50 - 120 °C / -58 - 248 ° F
Just in case I missed it, once it reaches the desired temperature the controller will shut off power to chest freezer making it stop cooling? Is that correct
Im wondering the same
I use mine to keep bait alive. I struggle because my pump/filter beats the water up quicker the the freezer can cool it. I am wondering if I can run my freezer and pump on just this one? Right now I have one of each a heating one and this one just using the cooling side but the temperature probes for each of them are never the same even if I change the calibration.
Because I need my water temp to stay around 10 degrees Celsius I can be +/- 2 degrees on each side. But my sump pump heats up the water 2 degrees say in 2 hours but my freezer then takes maybe 5 hours to cool back down to 10 degrees. So I am having trouble rigging it up because my pump is not running often enough
@@8brandoonie I'm not a specialist with regard to bait freezers. However, it sounds like you need a stronger chest freezer or a smaller pump.
Hello, I bought one of these unit for my walk in cooler. My issue is that once it hits the desired temp it shuts my a/c unit and doesn't come back on. Is there a reason that you are aware of why this would be happening, thanks.
If you have followed all of the steps in the video correctly, either the temp controller is defective or it can't handle the power of a walk-in cooler.
Could I use this to force cool a wine cooler below 57 degrees without destroying the compressor?
My specialty is DIY cold plunges, but in answer to your question: no. A temp controller only turns a device off and on based on the sensor reading from the probe. It cannot make a piece of equipment do anything outside of its normal operating parameters, other than turn on and off.
If it’s using the probe provided and I program it to a lower temperature, why wouldn’t it reduce?
Would I have to remove the units temperature sensor so the only sensor it would utilize would be the Inkbird’s probe?
@@BoNuS1013 - what is the temperature range on your wine cooler?
@@BoNuS1013 - Bill- this is a design/build question that goes beyond just programing the controller. I offer consulting services as one way that I support my family. I usually charge $150 for an hour, but if you want to discuss the setup of a temperature controller with your wine cooler I'd be happy to do that for a $25 donation.
chestfreezercoldplunge.com/product/donations/
Can I use this keep my freezer from turning off in the winter in the garage because it gets below freezing?
I’d love to know the answer to this as well! Currently building my plunge outside in Colorado. Thanks for all the support, these videos have been extremely helpful!
my inkbird is set to heating, how do I switch to cooling?
The video gives you complete instructions. If it doesn't work after setting everything up correctly, contact InkBird or post your question in my Facebook group.
thanks , I will watch it again, but I don't remember seeing where you selected Cooling over to heating. Your video shows the device already set to cooling during your video
@g2D1 there is not a separate setting to switch between heating and cooling. If you have the device (chest freezer) plugged into the cooling outlet and have followed the directions exactly, it should cool.
If not,the device is defective and should be returned or exchanged.
thank you kindly. I think I have a defective unit. Per the booklet when power is applied and a device is connected to the receptacle, the relevant led will light . My unit's red led for Heat is turned on with nothing connected to either receptacle.
@@g2D1 - Make sure you get the correct replacement- the one with the silicone tip that is meant for submersion. Here are Amazon affiliate links for options with and without wifi:
amzn.to/3DF2A6h
amzn.to/35tgbBR
I have my ts at 1 degrees C and Cd at 5.5 degrees C. I have my alarms set very high and low, so it never goes off. However, whenever the temperature is outside the cold range, it makes 2 beep noises. This happens several times a day. How do I prevent it from making the 2 beep noises?
I can show you how to program, but I'm do not offer tech support for this device.
It's best to contact the retailer who sold you the device or get in touch with InkBird directly.
If you don't care about the alarm and it annoys you, maybe just open it and disconnect the speaker. Should be fairly simple.
Hi, how do u reset if it says error?
I don't have that info. Contact their customer service.
@@JohnRichterAustin awe man. Ok thx
I followed the directions a few times and the controller seems to be stuck in heating mode… any advice on this?
If your settings are all correct ot could be a defective unit. Return or exchange it.
@@JohnRichterAustin thanks! I actually got it figured out - I guess 4th time was the charm 🙏
@@vajrainsights im having the same issue, can you provide how you got yours working properly?
@@jjohn56 hi, I just kept repeating the process till it worked -
@@vajrainsights i keep holding the set button and resetting it but it always goes back to heat
You do realize your desired temp did not set to 55.
Hi Jimmy - thanks for pointing that out - excellent attention to detail.
It actually *did* change to 55F (go to about 8:35 in the video).
The problem (and my mistake) was when I was editing the video and audio together. I cut out some audio flubs and inadvertently ended up overylaying the video with a button press that did not show the 55 set temp.
UA-cam does not let you go back and edit videos. I will add that note to the comments above.
Thank you, the directions are not very good.
he lost me when pointing out the power cord
@1:30
I've created educational content long enought if I didn't point it out, I would have countless comments asking what the other cord is. :)
Soooooo sloooowwww. Talk faster buddy
Playback speed control is your friend. :)
You didn’t cover how to switch it to heat to cooling
This video is about how to use it with a chest freezer cold plunge... so cooling! Lol
@@JohnRichterAustinThanks for your answer John, but the issue is that the hardware has the heating light on instead of the cooling one although the temperature is set ofr it to get colder than the temperature in which it is in.
@SuperEliasc -
There is no setting to switch between heating and cooling which is why it is not mentioned.
If you have it set up correctly and it is not cooling, the unit is defective.
@@JohnRichterAustin Thank you John. It is highly appreciated
@SuperEliasc bro there's no switch it changes depending on your temp if ur temp ain't at your target and is below will turn on the heater if it reads to high it'll turn on the cooler
always appreciate your guidance. thanks, john.
You're welcome!