WH1436A 10A Temperature Controller 110V Digital Thermostat Switch Sous Vide Controller NTC 10K Sensor Improved Version

I purchased this controller back in 2018 to keep some new chicks warm. I have used it several times since then for that purpose. I am setting it up again for the same job and realized I never gave a review. Positive Features: * It allows you to set a low and high threshold allowing one to keep the temperature in the desired range. * It has both a high and low alarm feature, which alerts you if the temperature goes below or exceeds the desired temperature range. * It allows the temperature probe to be calibrated with an offset. I found my probe was accurate enough over the desired range, not requiring an offset be entered. * It can be used with both heat devices, a heat lamp in my case, and cool things. The maximum controlled power is limited (1100 w), so it would not work with a high power refrigeration unit without an additional relay. Not a problem in my case. * For cooling, it allows you to set a compressor on time to prevent rapid cycling which could be bad. * The manual, if one ignores a few typos, is detailed enough to make setting up fairly easy. Just don’t lose the manual. * It does not require wifi, does not phone home, so it does not clog up your internet connection. A very positive feature. Negative Issues: The case is yellowing slightly, which happens with this type plastic. Not a deal stopper. Would I buy it again, yes.

I bought this to control the temperature of a water bath for making kefir, which ferments at 75 degrees. I use it to cycle an old slow cooker and use an old aquarium air pump for water circulation (see photo) to approximate a sous vide immersion circulator. The probe is sealed and waterproof, which allows me to submerge it in the bath to monitor temperature. I also plan to use it to cycle a space heater in an oven to proof dough, though I haven't tried this yet. Using the controller to cycle a slow cooker works for this application but isn't ideal. Because slow cookers work by heating a ceramic insert which then heats the water, the insert tends to be heated to a higher temperature then the water and continues to heat the water when power to the cooker is shut off. This causes the controller to overshoot the target temperature. If the water is already at about the target temperature it only overshoots by a small amount (for my application about a degree), but if the water is being brought up to temperature it can overshoot the target temperature by at least 5-10 degrees. So if you are using this as a sous vide cooker for food which demands accurate temperature control, I would recommend letting the temperature stabilize before adding your food to the water bath. Or use this controller to power a small immersion water heater of the sort used for heating water in a coffee cup (make sure to select one which uses less power than the controller's maximum power output rating). Since an immersion heater heats the water instead of the insert and does not "store" as much heat as a slow cooker ceramic insert, it will not continue to heat the water when it's turned off. This is what commercial sous vide circulators use to heat water, and they circulate the water to prevent a "hot spot" immediately around the heating element. Beyond that, the temperature measured by the controller is accurate to within a degree of what's measured by my kitchen thermometers, the controller is easy to set up, and the instruction sheet is adequate. The on/off temperatures can be adjusted in increments of a tenth of a degree, so even though it's not a PID controller it can still accurately control temperature under the right circumstances. This is a nice tool, but to get good results from it you have to have an understanding of the environment in which it's being used.

If you're even considering an AC relay temperature controller, don't even think twice. Just buy the WH1436. You will not regret the purchase. I promise. Review updated 2017/05 to account for model revision (older WH1436 vs newer WH1436A). + Heating and cooling mode (i.e. power supplied if temperature is below or above a threshold) + Waterproof thermocouple included! (this is pretty hard to find on the cheap) + regulates down to 0.1 degree window (high/low bounds for on/off) + F and C units + TONS of advanced options: e.g. temperature alarms and compressor safety timeouts + 1.1kW continuous power rating (up from the 880W in the 2015 model that I bought) +/- mechanical relay click sound when device toggles state (the A model likely now uses a silent solid state relay) - Not a PID controller (more details below on why this could matter) - Upside down power connector (the A revision now uses a NEMA 15-5, which is great, but the plug is still upside down) There are a lot of temperature controllers and sous-vide devices on the market. Some have more or less features than others. Some require other parts, like thermocouples. Heck, at one point I was even considering building my own with a microcontroller, relay, and temp probe (and hours of testing and frustration). The WH1436 is what I've been waiting for and I'm so glad I held out! It's a compact, simple little device and has all the pieces you need for under $30! That's way cheaper than even I could have built one for. Other devices sell for many times this price, up to hundreds of dollars, and aren't nearly as flexible. See the Anova , Dorkfoods , or Johnson for excellent overpriced examples. My target is sous-vide, but the WH1436 could also be used for cooling applications as well. Yes, the instruction manual is a bit overwhelming, but it is detailed and accurate. There are so many features if you really want to fiddle with things, but I found the defaults intelligently chosen and usable. One change I'd suggest is to lower the d parameter from 1.0 to 0.1 (the offset between the target temperature and the relay turning on). If you need help, search youtube for the videos from Bayite and you'll see detailed video instructions on how to use the device. If all else fails, just send the guy an email and he'll get back to you, or just post a question here, as others have done, and you'll see he replies quickly. Note, this paragraph was written based on the old software, the newer software seems to be even easier: set heating vs cooling mode, lower bound, and upper bound. The only legitimate complaint that you could make about this device is that it's not a PID controller. What this means is that it works only on instantaneous temperature measurements. A PID controller uses not just the current temperature, but also tracks the total power delivered (The I in PID), and the rate of change of the temperature (the D in PID), so that it can turn the heat/cooling on and off to keep the temperature exactly at the desired setpoint. This would manifest in behavior like the heat turning off prior to the desired setpoint because the PID controller knows that the temperature will continue to rise to hit the target. It's a more intelligent approach for control (and based on over hundred year old mathematical principles). The WH1436 doesn't have a PID controller, it's just instantaneous on/off based on the setpoint, so it's not as intelligent, but for slow moving temperature settings (like a big crock pot), it can still achieve excellent tight temperature control (my window sits with 1.5C). For the price, it's unbeatable. A PID controller would be a bit more expensive, as the logic is more complicated. What amazer me is that WILLHI did release a "PID" version last year that I bought (WHI1436PID). It wasn't actually a PID controller, but it did have some really neat parameters that would permit very tight temperature control (I got it down to 0.1-0.2C from my target). However, it seems like that model isn't sold anymore. I haven't purchased the updated model (WH1436A) yet, so I can't comment on how smart the newer software is, but if it permits bounding down to 0.1C/F, then that's about as tight as you can reliably get things with a consumer product. It is incredibly versatile because it just regulates an AC socket based on a temperature. I've used it for sous-vide with a crock pot, a rice cooker, and even a portable electric stove with a dutch oven on top. They all work perfectly and deliver fantastic results. At under $30, you can even buy a few of these and set them up to have multiple baths and temperatures going at the same time. Do beef in one, potatoes in another, and vegetables in a third. Things could always be cheaper, but this is a fair price point. These temperature controllers are not particularly expensive pieces of electronics, and I'm glad we finally have an inexpensive option that gets it all right. So long as what you're trying to power is under 1kW, buy this, you'll love it. Combined with an equally affordably priced vacuum sealer and manual slow cooker , you can sous-vide like a pro for under $100.

I bought four of these to use with heat lamps for turkey brooders. I've used them non-stop for about two months with no problems. I intend to use them with fans for temperature control during the summer in the turkey runs and chicken coops. And for frost control of citrus plants during the winter and early spring. The alarm sound is loud with a high pitch that it is recognizable and can be heard from a couple rooms away (dependent upon current noise level of environment). I have not used all of the advance features, though it is excellent that the temperature can be calibrated if necessary. It would be nice if there was a timer, and/or photovoltaic sensor parameters for powering the controller on and off. However, it might be possible to attached the controller to one of these because the controller remembers the last used settings, it is just a question of if the controller automatically powers on when power is supplied. CON (Specific to my use of the controller): The length of the power cord needs to be doubled, however I can see how the shorter size cord would be better in a kitchen setting. For my use it's too short, making it difficult to place the units where I need them for easy access and grouped near each other. I can buy a longer power cord to solve this issue. INSTRUCTIONS: I can see how the instructions might seem confusing because of all of the parameters that can be set, however it's the multiple parameters that make this very useful. TIP — It helps to follow along with one of the given examples for controlling either heat or cold making it a lot easier to learn and use. It may take going through the example more than twice to start to get a good handle on set up and adjusting of the parameters. UPDATE March 2019 - FOUR STARS: I've used multiple units for over three years and they are great. However, I'm reducing my ranking by 1 star to 4 stars because the sensor cable is what goes out first. As far as I know you have to order a new unit, ordering just the sensor cable is not possible.

We purchased this controller along with a 110 VAC, 3/4" Brass Electric Solenoid Valve to control water flow to our outdoor water misting systems. It was super easy to hook up and program to do what we wanted it to do. The instruction sheet we received with the product was fairly comprehensive and adequate for us to get the controller to work like we wanted. But in addition, the manufacturer took the time to send us an email giving additional instructions and explanations on how to set up the controller. We didn't ask for this, they just did it on their own to try to provide the best customer service (I suppose some people weren't as comfortable with the instruction sheet that comes with the unit). The controller works perfectly and we are very happy with our purchase. We highly recommend it for those needing to have a thermostatically controlled AC outlet. A couple of things we learned in the process of using this controller in an outdoor environment: First, if you are using the product outdoors, you don't want the temperature sensor to be near the ground or in direct sunlight. Ideally, you want the sensor (that's the 10-foot white cable that plugs into the side of the controller) to be a minimum of 6 feet above the ground, or even higher if over pavement or concrete that radiates heat. The reason for this is that the sensor will register anywhere from 5-10 degrees too high on a sunny day and stay high even after the sun goes down because of the heat radiation from the ground. This is not a problem with the controller sensor, it is only responding to the environment you place it in and we checked its accuracy and it is very accurate. You also want the sensor to be shaded from direct sunlight. If in direct sunlight, the sensor will read about 2-3 degrees too high because of the sun's radiation. We placed the controller in a waterproof bag and both the controller and electric valve in a waterproof container with a sealed lid to protect it from rain and the elements. The sensor extends outside the container and is about 7-8 feet above the ground suspended on a pole. It's now been operating satisfactorily for 2 weeks and has survived a couple of aggressive rainstorms out here in the Midwest. The unit also has internal memory and remembers its settings in case of a power failure so that when you restore the power, the unit resumes normal operation. Also, our water valve is a "normally closed" valve so if there is a power failure, the solenoid valve automatically shuts the water off. The valve does not come with this product, you have to purchase it separately and is available here on Amazon. This controller is a great product and we're glad we bought it!

I used this in a greenhouse for starting heat lamps and mats. It worked 10 years before I had to get another one, so I got two. One controls greenhohse temperature and one at a different setting controls heat mats and soil temperature to start seed. They are reliable and easy to set and read.

I bought this for a small greenhouse heater control, but I'm testing it out with an oil-filled radiator in the house. Setup was easy. Construction seems solid. Temperature control has been great. It is designed to control either a heater or an air conditioner. I have it set to come on at 66 degrees and go off at 70 degrees. I also have a nearby thermometer at about the same height. Temperature readout is closely consistent with my AccuRite thermometer/humidity sensor, and the heater is appropriately turned on and off. The built-in temperature control on the heater was never accurate and always made an annoying click. At night, that click would wake me up. But, with this temperature controller, the heater makes no sound at all. It's great. It is also possible to adjust the controller thermometer reading if you find it to be off. I haven't had to do that. I love the sensor wire as it allows me to put the thermometer sensor at person height or plant height, unlike other options where the sensor is attached directly to the controller. I've only been using it for a couple of days, so I don't know about durability, but so far, it's great. I might get a couple more for other locations. Recommended! Nov 29, 2020: Still using this in my study and am delighted with it. It reliably turns a small oil-filled radiator on and off to maintain an even temperature. The unit is rated for up to 1100 watts so it is important to stay within that range. I had intended to use this in my small greenhouse but it works so well in my study that I have kept it there and bought a second one for the greenhouse. It is also working great there. To not exceed the power rating in the greenhouse, I have 2 heaters: one 400 watt heater set on a timer to come on in the evening, and another 1000 watt heater hooked up to this temperature controller. Even in the low 30's my greenhouse stays within the desired range. Both of my units have worked flawlessly. One improvement would be the option to turn off the display. At night in a dark room it can be quite prominent. I can always cover it with a heavy cloth or small cardboard box, but it would be nice if I didn't need to. That is the only thing holding me back from getting a third unit for my bedroom, which I might get anyway and just deal with it. 3/2/2021: I now have 3 of these units. All have worked flawlessly. The unit in the greenhouse would occasionally trip. This seemed to be due to a small 1000 watt ceramic heater which does have a higher current draw on startup. I turned that heater down to the 500 watt setting and no further issues. I also put one of these in my small bedroom. It seemed that I could never get the temperature in the room right, and I would find myself either too cold or too hot at night. I got one of these controllers, put the sensor at bed height and plugged in a small oil-filled heater. After some experimentation I found the perfect temperature for sleeping, and the controller silently keeps the temperature consistently even. It's great! I did need to lay a cloth over the display to block the light, but that was all. I marvel at how perfectly comfortable my rooms are now.

I think this works. If you are the type of person who loves to remember cryptic instructions, this will be great. If you love codebreaking games, this is for you. I have read the instructions, and watched multiple videos and have gotten it work once. This should be great to keep something at a certain temperature--a cheap sou vide. I intended to use it for making yogurt in a slow cooker--don't go above 108. We all use thermostats--we expect to select a temperature and be done with it. This one takes multiple steps where you are selecting HC or H or LP (is that a long playing record). Even after checking everything I have no idea what they mean. If you're old enough to remember typing letters on a phone where you had to press each number 1, 2, or 3 times to get the right letter plus the pound afterwards to move to the next, this is for you. Setting this should mean setting a start and a stop temperature, perhaps a number to allow for wiggle room.) It just turns the power on and off for another device. But it has so many variables to enter, none of which are clear. It shouldn't matter if it's a cooler or a heater--turn on at one temp and off at another to keep within a certain range, but this one has different instructions for each. Even so, a simple table could show you the instructions for each possibility you needed, showing what button to press and what you will see in sequence for each possibility. I am trying to write one just for my one "on until you reach x degrees f" and that's going to take me more time as I'm not certain it is doing that or not and I'm not a code breaker. I'd even give it to the manufacturer as a template for them to include.

I purchased this unit to assist me in operating a home built smoker. I operate two 400 watt heating elements with it. I've found the directions to be concise although somewhat confusing but once the high and low temperatures are set and the temperature probe is in place the unit operates perfectly.

I am using this item to control the temperature in a confined space for brewing, spore growth and seed starting and it works very well indeed. It comes with good instructions and there is access to a video on u-tube if they are inadequate. I have been able to maintain a good solid temperature range and am very pleased with this product.

I use it to convert my 3.8 cf chest freezer into a fridge. Allows me to set the power on at 4c and off at -1c. Works flawlessly

very good product , I was able to convert my freezer to a fridge, this was done to chill my chickens for 5 days before freezing them

Excellent