PID controllers on EBay

[Jamiwa]

Originally Posted by woodpelletsmoker

Please keep in mind my controller is MEAT probe dominated.
The meat temperature controls the fan's speed.
You set meat temperature at 0. When meat reaches to 0F, the fan will STOP running.
It runs occasionally is nothing but feature of P.I.D, a learning process.

I ordered the Golden Lion version (WIFI) and in setting it up on my network, it sure was a fickle process to get it working using WPA2 encryption. With that behind me, I am now ready to try it for the first time on my WSM. However, I really only want to use the 'pit' probe and not the 'meat' probe. According to Wang, the controller 'is MEAT probe dominated' and if the meat temp is set to 0, the fan will stop running. I'd really like to ignore the meat probe and would prefer to disconnect it altogether. Is that possible and if so, what 'P' settings should would you recommend?

[Jamiwa]

Originally Posted by ChrisH

I followed these steps and I was successfully able to connect the controller to the home network and access the controller through the home network. However, I was only able to do so with the security disabled. When I try to enable security, I lose the ability to connect to the controller. Help, please

Make sure you match the encryption types between the controller and your wireless router. I initially made the mistake of selecting WPA Personal/TKIP vs. WPA2 Personal/TKIP on the controller. Also, the default character type for the key on the controller is 'hex' and most passphrases that people use are in 'ASCII', so you may need to change that in the drop down menu on the controller.

[woodpelletsmoker]

When meat reaches to set value, the meat probe will take over control.
You can set P1 at a much higher value.This way the meat can never reach to set value, and the smoker is controlled by pit probe. This way the meat probe is just for monitoring.

[Jamiwa]

Originally Posted by woodpelletsmoker

When meat reaches to set value, the meat probe will take over control.
You can set P1 at a much higher value.This way the meat can never reach to set value, and the smoker is controlled by pit probe. This way the meat probe is just for monitoring.

I do not want to insert the meat probe in the smoker. So can I leave it at the outside air temperature (~80 degrees F)? What happens when the pit temp reaches my desired temperature of let's say 270F? If P1 is set for 400F and the probe temperature is at 80F, won't it attempt to raise the temperature by turning on the fan?

[Jamiwa]

Originally Posted by woodpelletsmoker

When meat reaches to set value, the meat probe will take over control.
You can set P1 at a much higher value.This way the meat can never reach to set value, and the smoker is controlled by pit probe. This way the meat probe is just for monitoring.

One other question. Is there a way to know how much time is left for a given cycle? For instance, if I set TC1 for 120 minutes and 40 minutes have passed since the start, is there a way to see that 80 minutes are left for TC1?

Thanks for your help.

[Jamiwa]

I bought this sealed 12V 5AH battery on Amazon for $15 delivered. I use a car charger in trickle mode to charge it. It works great.

http://www.amazon.com/Volt-Alarm-Battery-12v5ah-Hour/dp/B0010Z4MDK/ref=pd_sim_hpc_1

http://www.amazon.com/Volt-Alarm-Battery-12v5ah-Hour/dp/B0010Z4MDK/ref=pd_sim_hpc_1

[woodpelletsmoker]

Originally Posted by Jamiwa

I do not want to insert the meat probe in the smoker. So can I leave it at the outside air temperature (~80 degrees F)? What happens when the pit temp reaches my desired temperature of let's say 270F? If P1 is set for 400F and the probe temperature is at 80F, won't it attempt to raise the temperature by turning on the fan?

This is exactly my way.Before meat reaches to 400F, the fan is controlled by pit probe

[woodpelletsmoker]

Originally Posted by Jamiwa

One other question. Is there a way to know how much time is left for a given cycle? For instance, if I set TC1 for 120 minutes and 40 minutes have passed since the start, is there a way to see that 80 minutes are left for TC1?

Thanks for your help.

But please read my site. we have BEAR and FOX, which have window of time count down, or accumulated time. If you do not want to control meat temperature, you can buy FOX, and a AC/DC adapter for fan.FOX can also be used to upgrade an electric smoker, and do Sous Vide

[woodpelletsmoker]

Originally Posted by Jamiwa

I bought this sealed 12V 5AH battery on Amazon for $15 delivered. I use a car charger in trickle mode to charge it. It works great.

http://www.amazon.com/Volt-Alarm-Bat...f=pd_sim_hpc_1

Maybe in one year your 5 a.h capacity decreases to 1 a.h.
Personally I recommend Li-ion battery

[woodpelletsmoker]

to find best value of P.I.D is a trial and error process.
PID is a standard automatic control math. There are many talks on Internet.
But default settings work for most cases. In 10 to 20 minutes of "learning period" it will be stable.
Better PID value will shorten this "learning period", and less swing in "learning period".

[thegizzard]

I got WPA2 TKIP working perfectly. Was anyone able to get WPA2 AES working?

[Jamiwa]

I have a Golden Lion and when I open the lid on my WSM to turn my ribs, the smoker obviously and momentarily cools down. This causes the controller to turn on and it overshoots my temperture. Since there isn't an 'open lid' function on the controller, can anyone tell me if I can merely turn off the Golden Lion when I have the lid open and if so, will it pick up where I left off in auto mode when I turn it back on?

Wang - I noticed that the web interface for the Lion in auto mode does keep track of the runtime in minutes. I don't think it does on the controller itself, but it does on the web interface. Also, I did get my Lion to work over the web using the IP address on the public side of my modem. It is so nice to be able to control it from any device, anywhere on the web. This was merely a simple configuration change on my cable modem to allow inbound port 80 forwarding to the IP address of the Lion.

[Triple T BBQ]

Originally Posted by Jamiwa

I have a Golden Lion.

Wang - I noticed that the web interface for the Lion in auto mode does keep track of the runtime in minutes. I don't think it does on the controller itself, but it does on the web interface. Also, I did get my Lion to work over the web using the IP address on the public side of my modem.

Jamiwa,

What version of the lion firmware did you end up with? Version 4?

[woodpelletsmoker]

Originally Posted by Jamiwa

can anyone tell me if I can merely turn off the Golden Lion when I have the lid open and if so, will it pick up where I left off in auto mode when I turn it back on?

Before you open lid of smoker, turn off the power of controller.
After you close lid of smoker, turn on power again.
The controller will CONTINUE last program instead of start a new program from very beginning.

[woodpelletsmoker]

Indeed Graphing helps less.
You do not need to care how it works.
You need only to make sure the smoker temperature is STABLE
But some customers ask for this function and I add it on the web interface.
To add it on the controller itsself, it needs big LCD or LED, much more extra cost.