Installing a DIY Temperature Controller in my Bushman 85L Fridge

[@garywinkworth3380]

this is absolutlely brilliant. this should keep the fridge temp the whole fridge at constant temp all over

[@davidmoore7303]

Considering the price of these fridges this should be in them.

[@louiskudlak2256]

Absolutely, maybe they'll put them, still cheap with these upgrades

[@jasonwilson7692]

Sad. Even kings have a digital thermostat.

[@damo.77]

Mate, this vid was exactly what i needed. Recently bought the same controller and had no idea how i was going to wire it until i came across your vid. Extremely helpful especially with the wiring diagram you put up. Well done.

[@tyrausfarrelly6257]

I have done the same mod with my kings upright 85L. It is a little different as it has a digital temperature control and runs an LED light with 5v feed. I used a 5v fan and temp relay wired from the circuit board of the light and works great. I also adjusted the variance to 1deg but the fridge compressor cut out must be more like 2-3 deg variance from what I can tell. The great thing about the temperature relay is that it also gives you a digital temp display of the fridge temperature. Thanks for sharing!

[@fatmanoverlanding]

A worthwhile upgrade to your DIY setup. Brilliant work.

[@jackturtle131]

Nice one guys. Did not even know that you can get something like that. Never to old to learn something. Thanks for sharing

[@jamiecartledge6891]

I watched the first video, when you said other people were wiring to the thermostat wiring so it comes on when it kicks in ,

[@HammerRocks]

Great work. Comprehensive DIY tutorial as always. 👍👍

[@fyiaustralia9686]

Excellent demo - really well explained and better than a user manual!

[@explorebound]

Thanks mate!

[@andrewdurbidge1283]

Thanks Daniel...i just installed the fan on Sunday and checked your comments again on your last video saying you were going to install this...perfect timing...this is now on my list. Thanks Again.

[@explorebound]

No worries - good luck with the install!

[@-sandman4605]

Awesome, way to go mate. 😎

[@mattwarry1894]

brilliant video bud, i followed on from your fan install vid. appreciate the way you presented it all mate, well done. definately motivational.

[@explorebound]

Thanks mate really appreciate that, and glad the vid was helpful!

[@garygroen7426]

I just copied your fan & thermo controller install and it works a treat. A great cheap and fun to do fix. Thanks

[@TheJanope13]

Well done mate looks tidy. if you want to ditch that rotary dial to adjust the switch, what you can actually do is use your tempreture controller to also connect to the compressor. the 'C' and 'T' terminals on the control box mounted on the compressor is shorted out to make the compressor run and circuit is broken to cut it off. alternatively you can just use those brown and blue wired that connected up to the existing thermostat as to not need another penetration. the fan terminals on the side of the compressor are also a regulated 12v supply. This is done as the compressor can run on 12/24v, but the fan comes from a PC which is only designed to run a regulated 12v supply. It might be worthwhile to switch it over as the higher voltages its being fed during lithium charging or its higher resting voltage could damage it over time. But tbh i don't think it matters too much and the fans are cheap enough to replace anyway.

[@micktobin5667]

love your work mate im going to do it cheers

[@robbiecryer]

Thanks for sharing 👍😎

[@tommisgraham]

Epic video mate. It’s been on my list of jobs, although I’ve wondered if there was a way to replace the thermostat 0-7 with the digital one entirely with the fan in that system… I was gutted when the Kings one came out with it.

[@93Petey]

If the fan was wired to turn on when the compressor kicks in, then the factory dial would work as it should. There wouldn’t need to be an aftermarket controller, Just a bit of trial and error to correspond the factory numbers on the dial to the desired temperature.

[@MiniLuv-1984]

True, but this is now like a dual zone fridge. The lower half can be set to +4 or less (i.e at or under 5oC) to satisfy Australian food standards, and the freezer can be set to keep frozen foods at -18oC or colder.

[@BenWithnell]

How's the temp controller holding up? Thoughts on it living inside the fridge with moisture = corrosion etc? Keen to do the mod but contemplating mounting the controller on the outside and feeding wires through where the others come through 🤔

[@paulclarke4431]

Guess it doesn't matter on such a low draw item as that little fan, but it seems odd to put the switch on the earth side of the circuit. The fan is live constantly. It could short with all those corrugations.

[@louiskudlak2256]

One day they might upgrade & put these in

[@craigtomkinson2837]

Cool Ep well done

[@RobertsAdventure]

How is the fan and controller working after a year? Looks like the controller is still available so I'm keen to do this if it's been going well?

[@evil17]

Good job, hopefully the manufacturers will incorporate some of these mods into there newer iterations. Have you done a comparison of power consumption before and after ur latest mods? You can still do a before test by dialling down the new thermostat to mimic it’s old habits (plus a few watts extra for the new thermostat maybe). Thanks for keeping us updated. Cheers

[@explorebound]

Thanks mate! I'm still yet to do a proper test (although hard to keep all variables the same including how often door opened etc). I have taken it on a few trips since the install and haven't noticed much of a difference at all in power consumption but will share results once I've had a chance to test properly. 🙂

[@4x4Overlanding247]

Great job mate 👍 just a thought wouldnt you be better off just connecting the fan up to the compressor power so it only goes on when the compressor is running? Would that remove the need for a temperature controller? Im about to install the fan and thinking this might be a better way to go . . . .

[@explorebound]

Thanks mate! Yeah I have heard of a few people running the fan off the compressor instead and have heard that this works well.

[@scottrupil]

I Like it going to test it out in my 190L bushman. How do you find the controller holding up in the fridge? Not too much moisture for it?

[@explorebound]

Hey mate, so far so good with the controller, hasn't missed a beat.

[@Accolades70]

I installd one from Karls on our 130lt Bushman

[@jaredwilson1283]

hey mate. Good video mate. I have the same issue in my 65L where the fridge seems to run constantly. Looking to do this too. What setting did you set the fridge to? 2 or 3?

[@explorebound]

Thanks mate! Since the temp controller install I've left the fridge on setting 2 and the internal temp has sat exactly between 1-2 degrees.

[@saddle1940]

I'm a little confused by the low temp of your fridge when the fan is on. I think your normal fridge temperature probe (that controls the fridge compressor) needs to be moved. The compressor should be off well before those temps are realised and should run less not more. If anything, the controller you put in would be better running the compressor not the fan to do the same job.

[@gabrielavalduga2506]

Do you think is necessary to have the on/off switch? Or would be ok if I connect the switch on the outside of the fridge after the thermostat (not in between the fan and thermostat ) I will be connecting on the outside terminals not with the lights wiring. I hope my question is not too confusing 😅😂😂 Great video thanks 🙏🏼

[@explorebound]

No need for the on/off switch really, I had the switch there from before I installed the temp controller (the temp controller has it's own on/off switch). Yep you could connect to the thermostat power supply instead of the light and that would turn the system on/off as the fridge kicks in and out. 🙂

[@tonycocomazzo8500]

Hey mate love the video wanna do this as well, just wondering did you get how much power it uses per hr?

[@explorebound]

Hey mate, the fan itself only draws 0.08A, however will cause the compressor to be active more frequently than before and am yet to to thorough testing on this. I will mention that I haven't noticed any significant power consumption difference since installing the fan though!

[@Farmer2492]

Iwas told Kings are bringing out a fan and temperature controller in there new upright fridges as standard my mate had a bushman couldnt get the temperature right

[@MrEvolutionist]

Neg switching is a new one

[@4kays160]

New 😂, if you havent looked at half the car headlights since the 80s 😂

[@macaccess1884]

Hi Daniel. I have just installed one of these temp controllers and a fan in my Bushman's fridge based on your good work. It seems to be going well so far. However is it correct that it will not turn off when the fridge is turned off at the temp (0-7) dial? Is a manual switch a solution for this?

[@explorebound]

Hi mate, yes that is correct as it acts independantly from the fridge compressor - with the temperature controller I used here in this video, I just hold the little button at the bottom right to turn the fan system off when not in use. 🙂

[@MiniLuv-1984]

I'd be tempted to replace the main thermostat with one of those Chinese thermostats. Also, check the aliexpress prices...1/3 of what you paid. Might have to wait a bit longer.

[@micktaylorwolfcreekmechanical]

I have a bushman original sc35/52 with a faulty led/lcd screen instead off paying over $150 for a new control panel plus shipping is there a way to use this to control the temp settings,

[@4kays160]

How many watts does the fridge burn per day now? And how many watts did it burn a day prior? Because now the fridge motor is turning on not just to cool the freeze compartment but to replace the cooling the fan takes away from the freeze compartment.. so with the fridge turning on and off much more frequently now, what is the power increase?

[@Farmer2492]

i went to Jaycar with my mate who has the bushmans upright fridge he was going to do the same thing they said would chew to much of your power so my mate is not going to do it now

[@explorebound]

I'm yet to do proper testing so will share results when I can, however in the handfull of trips I've done since finishing this install I haven't noticed any difference in power consumption (I'm sure there is a minor change, but not noticible). I think the key with the temp controller is that it only fires the fan up long enough to circulate the cool air down low in the fridge before shutting off again to not cause too much affect on the freezer. 👍

[@JamesAzzopardi-t7g]

Hi mate where did you put your temp sensor for your fridge temperature

[@explorebound]

Hey mate, I stuck it about 2/3 of the way down the rear wall of the fridge. 🙂

[@chevygordo]

Be interested to see how its been going long term

[@explorebound]

Still going great! It's been used on a pretty much weekly basis since install, and gets bashed around quite a bit on our travels too.

[@chevygordo]

@@explorebound awesome mate I just did the same in mine but put the thermostat out side if that makes sense I can see the exact temp at anytime