Last updated on January 24th, 2023 at 07:42 am
Every digital thermostat here only offers one output relay to connect just one load, which could be a heating or refrigeration unit.
The heating unit could be a hot water boiler/tank, heat mat/pad, heating tape, or heat lamp, and the refrigeration unit usually is the compressor.
You have to select the heating or the refrigeration mode from the menu list manually before letting it works, they are not auto-switch thermostat like STC-1000. But you can use the heat-controlling mode in winter, and switch to the cooling mode in summer.
What temperature controllers we are going to compare?
- STS-1211 Refrigeration or Heating Power Strip Thermostat
- AL8010F Refrigeration or Heating Digital Thermostat
- AL8010H Electronic High Temperature Controller Max 300 Degree
- STC-100A Refrigeration or Heating Digital Thermostat
- STC-200+ Electric Temperature Controller (Refrigeration / Heating / Alarm)
- STC-2301 Refrigeration or Heating Digital Thermostat
Products Attributes Compares
All the below digital temperature controllers to manage the power supply status of Refrigeration equipment or Heating device, what is the difference, and how to find the most suitable one?
Functions
- All of them provide the option of delay time for the compressor;
- Only STC-2301 offers the delay time for alarm, others do not;
- Only STC-2301 offers the alarm temperature setting option, others do not, but just use the measurable range as the line;
Temp Sensor
Regarding the sensor, the AL8010H high-temperature thermostat adopts a different sensor from the other 4 models.
Temperature range
Next is the measurable and controllable temperature range, AL8010H max reaches 300 ℃, and others are usually lower than 120 degrees.
Other Aspects
Also exists differences in the aspect of resolution, button / key types, and the front panel size.
Products Functions Menu Compares
Tips:
- Slide left and right to see more columns if more than 5 Products.
- or download the PDF; or view it on Google Sheet
| Function | AL8010F | AL8010H | STC-100A | STC-200+ | STC-2301 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Refrigeration or Heating | HC | HC | HC | N/A | F14 |
| Refrigeration or Heating or Alarm | N/A | N/A | N/A | F4 | N/A |
| Temperature Return Difference | D | D | D | F0 | N/A |
| Lower Limit for SP Setting | LS | LS | LS | F2 | N/A |
| Upper Limit for SP Setting | HS | HS | HS | F3 | N/A |
| Temperature Calibration | CA | CA | CA | F5 | F13 |
| Protection Delay Time for Refrigerator | PT | PT | PT | F1 | F9 |
| Alarm Delay time (count time from the controller power on) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | F10 |
| Alarm Delay time after F10 (count time from the F10 over moment) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | F12 |
| Alarm Over-Temperature Value | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | F11 |
From the above table, we find
- AL8010F/H and the STC-100A own the same English abbreviate menu, there are some differences among them, which we will see later;
- STC-200+ and the STC-2301 adopt F code;
- Only the STC-200+ could be taken just as a temperature monitor, to connect an external alarm;
- Only the STC-2301 offers the editable alarm delay time and it even supplies an additional time count mode for delay time;
- Except for the STC-2301 thermostat, all of the other controllers offer the options to limit the set-point range.
Two Special differences
The Hysteresis
The arithmetic of the ideal temperature range is different, especially encountering the Hysteresis value,
- Controllers like AL8010H/F take [SP + Hysteresis] as the upper limits, [SP – Hysteresis] as the lower line;
- But STC-100A and STC-200+ use the setpoint as the bottom line, meanwhile [SP + Hysteresis] as the upper limits;
- In STC-2301 user can set the low and high limits directly, and need not calculate;
You may read this article to learn more about the target temperature-setting methods.
The Alarm Methods
All controllers alarming by visible error code on the display, and some of them alarming by the audible methods, like STC-2301 and STC-200+ embedded a buzzer, however STC-100A, and AL8010F/H without it.
You will find more differences by reading each other’s PDF manuals.
Conclusion
For the functionality offered, all of them can satisfy the basic refrigeration and heating controlling requirements, the significant features of them as below
- STC-200+ support external alarm;
- STC-2301 owns touch-sensitive keys, offers the editable alarm delay time and over-temperature value setting;
- AL8010H max control 300 °C, without a buzzer;
- STC-100A owns a colorful front panel; without a buzzer; just remind it will quit from the setting interface in 4s if without operation.
- AL8010F is the best-selling one, without a buzzer.
