5 refrigeration or heating controllers compare

5 Refrigeration or Heating Controllers Compare

This post break out the differences of 5 heating/refrigeration temperature controllers from function, sensors, contronable range, and more.


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?

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?

5 Refrigeration or Heating Thermostats comparing-01

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

FunctionAL8010FAL8010HSTC-100ASTC-200+STC-2301
Refrigeration or HeatingHCHCHCN/AF14
Refrigeration or Heating or AlarmN/AN/AN/AF4N/A
Temperature Return DifferenceDDDF0N/A
Lower Limit for SP SettingLSLSLSF2N/A
Upper Limit for SP SettingHSHSHSF3N/A
Temperature CalibrationCACACAF5F13
Protection Delay Time for RefrigeratorPTPTPTF1F9
Alarm Delay time
(count time from the controller power on)
N/AN/AN/AN/AF10
Alarm Delay time after F10
(count time from the F10 over moment)
N/AN/AN/AN/AF12
Alarm Over-Temperature ValueN/AN/AN/AN/AF11

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

  1. STC-200+ support external alarm;
  2. STC-2301 owns touch-sensitive keys, offers the editable alarm delay time and over-temperature value setting;
  3. AL8010H max control 300 °C, without a buzzer;
  4. STC-100A owns a colorful front panel; without a buzzer; just remind it will quit from the setting interface in 4s if without operation.
  5. AL8010F is the best-selling one, without a buzzer.