# Questions about digital temp and humidity wiring



## brandt (Apr 18, 2016)

I've been wanting to build a curing cabinet for a few years and have been reviewing as many builds as I could find online.

This thread by xutfuzzy was very informative and inspirational: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/135332/i-did-it-i-built-my-curing-chamber-massive-amounts-of-build-view

I finally broke down and bought a $50 craigslist fridge.

I'll post pics of the build in another thread. Meanwhile, I have wiring questions that I hope someone will be able to help with.

For the thermostatic controller, I bought the STC-1000. It's wired per other build examples.

For the hygrostatic controllers, I bought a pair of DHC-100's. The terminal layout I was expecting was this:













wiringhumid.jpg



__ brandt
__ Apr 18, 2016






However, when I went to wire it up, what I found was this layout:













DHC-100 Diagram.jpg



__ brandt
__ Apr 18, 2016






Do the wiring paths I've drawn here look right?













wiring_2.png



__ brandt
__ Apr 18, 2016






And, to further complicate it, I'm running the STC-1000 and two DHC-100s off of a single mains line, so my proposed wiring layout looks like this:













tumblr_o5ueoeAhy91slgto9o2_1280.png



__ brandt
__ Apr 18, 2016






The URL for a larger view is https://41.media.tumblr.com/9a8c971cccc236277463c1eb04234a82/tumblr_o5ueoeAhy91slgto9o2_1280.png

Before I power all of this up, I want to make sure I won't be destroying controllers or turning the fridge into a giant bug zapper.

Does anyone see problems with this layout?

Thanks!


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## daveomak (Apr 28, 2016)

I sure wish I knew enough to help you....  This will bump your thread for someone else to see......

Dave


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## brandt (Apr 29, 2016)

Thanks for the bump, Dave.

Today I bit the bullet and plugged it all in, fridge and all. The fridge came on and I didn't feel that crawling sensation of electricity. I'll call it success!!

Now it's a matter of dialing in the humidifier, dehumidifier, and drying action of the fridge.


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## daveomak (Apr 29, 2016)

Do you have a "delay" so the compressor won't start and stop without allowing for the refrigerant to "settle down"....  All I know is I have read that some controllers have an adjustable "restart" ,or whatever it is, so damage won't happen to the compressor....


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## brandt (Apr 29, 2016)

Yep, I have a 2 minute delay and 2 percent deviation set for the thermostat. Same for the hygrostats, except 2 percent rather than degrees.

Right now I'm working to calibrate a 5% variance between my two humidity sensors. They're on opposite walls of what will be The Meat Zone. Temp sensor probe will hang right in the middle.

I think that installing a couple desk fans...one in the top corner pointing down and the other in the opposite bottom corner pointing up...will help normalize the humidity. I want to keep the build as simple and clean as possible.


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## daveomak (Apr 29, 2016)

I assume you are aware of "air velocity" and how it relates to "case hardening" of your products...    I read somewhere, but can't recall, so many feet per minute or miles per hour air flow recommendations to avoid case hardening...    (old age 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






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## brandt (Apr 29, 2016)

I wasn't aware of a specific measurement of air velocity that people have found to work, but, yeah, I'm aware of the impact on case hardening. I was thinking about putting two fans on a dimmer and running them just fast enough to maintain a consistent environment throughout the chamber. Some builders have used computer fans, some have used desk fans.

If I am able to balance the "dumping of vapor" aspect of my humidity tube with keeping a consistent humidity level, fans may not be required at all.


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