How to wire a thermostat for cooling to a regular house hold outlet.

[t33to]

Hey guys, I'm hoping to create a thermostat that I can plug into an existing power outlet, that will activate another outlet when a certain temperature is reached. Much like a thermostat in your house, but I want to be able to plug anything I want into it, be it a fan, a/c, light w/e. I went and purchased a Honeywell CT31A and I'm already lost in setting this kind of thing up. It is a 4 wire system and the wires are labelled Y,G,R and W...

This thermostat does heating or cooling (controlled via a switch), and it has a Fan (Auto/On) switch which I'm not positive what it's purpose is.

Any tips in the right direction are muchly appreciated.

 

[NOYB]

Can't help you there but next time look at a Johnson Controls A419. It's a SPDT 15A commercial grade unit for 120/240VAC and they have a 24VDC also. I wire em up to a 4x 120 outlet box so 2 plugs on above Set Point and the other 2 are on below Set Point. They use em in stuff like commercial refrigeration units. Digital control, set the differential, etc. Only like $65 +ship at a place like mcmaster-carr.com.

http://cgproducts.johnsoncontrols.com/MET_PDF/125188.PDF

 

[t33to]

Well for $65 I could order an Ranco ETC Digital Thermostat with a probe on it to a bank of outlets. I actually have two already, but I didn't want to go through the paces or ordering them again, I wanted to just run to Walmart and build something.

http://www.climatedoctors.com/items/item.aspx?itemid=429705

 

[geopolitical]

I'd second the A419. I've used one before. There are numerous other brands of 120/240v (depending on where you are in the world) 10-15A thermostats out there. Most can be wired to heat or cool or both.

Bad news, that CT31A is a 24v thermostat. That's going to be a bit of a pain to wire to control a standard outlet. Return it if you can and get a "line voltage" (120/240 depending on country) thermostat.

 

[t33to]

I'd second the A419. I've used one before. There are numerous other brands of 120/240v (depending on where you are in the world) 10-15A thermostats out there. Most can be wired to heat or cool or both.

Bad news, that CT31A is a 24v thermostat. That's going to be a bit of a pain to wire to control a standard outlet. Return it if you can and get a "line voltage" (120/240 depending on country) thermostat.

Ahh crap. Ok, I'll return it.
So I'm looking for a themostat that does 120v from 120v input?

 

[NOYB]

So I'm looking for a themostat that does 120v from 120v input?

Yup...and that Ranco looks a lot like the A419 functionality wise.

 

[petemoss]

Columbus Electric makes a line voltage thermostat for heating or cooling. They have a whole line of thermostats. Here's one:
http://www.newthermostat.com/scart/product_details.asp?ItemNum=ETD5SS
Only $20.

 

[geopolitical]

That's a winner pete, very nice specs. Personal experience with it?

 

[petemoss]

Geo,
No, I've never hooked it up. Someone had a thermostatically controlled exhaust fan in his
grow room and recommended that. It turned on the fan if the temp hit 85F. Below 85, it could turn on a heater, for example.

 

[NOYB]

I know units like that are cheap but I like the digital control of a more expensive unit like the A419. The A319 was analog but you could change the NTC thermistor, the A419 has a PTC, and you get basically an immediate acting thermostat to control swings better. There are some A319's still around but almost twice the cost of a 419.