StillSmart

Aidan,

"U" on the Diagram is your Heater. Terminal 3 is for something you don't have - ignore it.

So a more realistic diagram for you would be



I am not an Electrical Engineer so convince yourself I am giving you the correct information - check this link.

http://www.avforums.com/forums/home-automation-lighting-security-climate-control/821524-replacing-faulty-room-thermostat.html

When you are checking the wiring - use a light bulb in lieu of the heater to make sure everything switches on and off when it should.

Also what wattage is the heater - needs to be something the thermostat can handle or it will likely fuse closed in the on mode - I guess you'll be using a low wat greenhouse heater or the likes so shouldn't be a problem.

If using a larger heater, a simple relay can handle the switching.

Sorry never finished the post - my wife needed the computer



I havn't shown the earth wires as you said you understood those bits

According to the label the thermostat can handle 2500w therefore it should be able to handle your heater - BUT!!!!

I think the heater is a bit oversized - It's probably more powerfull than you will be running your still at once you have got it up to temperature. If the thermostat fails that box is going to get seriously hot.

I have seen many of these boxes keeping the quantity of liquid that you are talking about warm using light bulbs as the heat source.

If the insulation is well fitted you should not need that much power to keep it warm - 2KW will cause large temperature fluctuations which is not recomended. Try a your box with water in the containers first and experiment with a couple of old fashioned bulbs, the modern ones are too effeicient and don't heat up.

These are good as well, I use them in the poly tunnel - spray resistant too as an added benefit.

http://www.alertelectrical.com/prod/1541/2ft-80w-tubular-ip55-greenhouse-heater-green-hyth4525g-?utm_source=google-base&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=google-base-feed

I use a fridge with a tube heater in the bottom wired up to an ATC800+ temperature controller to ferment my all grain ales.It works fantastically as I can set it for what ever temp required and set the parameters to +-1c,and the heater or fridge cuts in whenever needed.

Two things, that I am sure you have thought of (I am just writting them down so I will remember them when I build mine);

One) Install a small wattage bulb in parallel with the heating circuit, but position it on the outsite of the warm box so that you can see when the thermostat kicks in.

Two) Terminate the live cable from from the thermostat that goes to the heater with a a socket outlet. That will let you simply plug in a Light Bulb, Vivarium heater, Tubular Greenhouse Heater, Fish Tank Heater or Brew Belt as you want, until you find the one that gives the most consistent temperature.

I had a look at a standard "Brew Belt". For the UK 25 litre fermenter I see that they are rated at 25W. multiply that by 4 for your capactity then divide it by a factor of ?? for your superior insulation and you should be somewhere near the heating required.

I wish I lived somewhere where I had to worry about cooling the fermenters down

Don't plan on plugging a fan in the same socket - the fan will only work when the wash gets cold, not what we want.

When I read your post I felt that I sent you on a wild goose chase, but then I started to wonder about a heater that did not have a fan and a fan that only comes on for three times for 20 seconds in three hours - there does not seem to be much of a difference!

How you got there does not matter, you got there in the end- well done that man.

I asked my wife for a Kiss.

I was told to leave her alone as I did not understand.

I am Stupid, it was not Simple, and she would Indeed Kill me if I try it again.

Ah well.

That's good to know Aiden! I've only been doing rum over the winter, as it ferments warm to the touch, and is done in a few days, so a little insulation on the barrel, pick to ferment when the weather forecast isn't looking ridiculous temp wise, and I've had no problems.

you're column will produce a very tasty white rum - much more flavoursome than Bacardi if that's her thing.

No probs mate - I've never made a bad rum, IMHO its one of the most forgiving things to run on the column or pot - I realise I'm dragging this off topic - so will maybe split out to another rum thread.

Hmm.

So what is she missing when she tastes your good neutral that she picks up in her Absolut Aidan?