Test running homebrew temp controller

[righteousdog]

my drums run great, but i like toys. there, i said it...

it's a 12vdc system with a 10.6cfm blower



^ i believe this fails in feng shui



^ i don't have a flapper, just choked the intake to about 25%. i usually run at about 60-70



^ its been holding 225-230 for about 2.5 hours



^ the victims (plus a few of them big eckrich sausages)

we'll see how she rolls...

[martyleach]

That's great! You ought to see my home built cheese smoker with a computer fan driving the smoke.

[righteousdog]

Originally Posted by martyleach

That's great! You ought to see my home built cheese smoker with a computer fan driving the smoke.

please share. it's already out there i like toys

[Nickos]

Info on fan? I'm looking into building one of these myself

[righteousdog]

Originally Posted by Nickos

Info on fan? I'm looking into building one of these myself

the particular one i picked is



http://www.newark.com/jsp/search/pro...sp?SKU=68K1090

all 12vdc series filter: tornado

you can also check http://www.digikey.com/

...so many choices

[TIMMAY]

I made a PID controlled electric kiln for my knifemaking so I can do heat treat in house. Pretty much all of the parts outside of the heating element are the same for making a homemade temp controller. Only difference is having a fan hooked up instead of a heating element.

After doing the research and you know what parts you need and what they do it is MEGA easy to make a temp controller with fan. Granted you still need something like a Mav 732 if you want to sit in the house and be able to monitor temps.

Hey Righteousdog where do you have your SSR for the fan speed control? I can't see it in any of the pictures.

[righteousdog]

Originally Posted by gixxer

After doing the research and you know what parts you need and what they do it is MEGA easy to make a temp controller with fan. Granted you still need something like a Mav 732 if you want to sit in the house and be able to monitor temps.

^ true all dat

Originally Posted by gixxer

Hey Righteousdog where do you have your SSR for the fan speed control? I can't see it in any of the pictures.

since this was just for fun and on a whim i didn't use one for a couple reasons:

*load current. the relay in the unit is rated for 3A my fan is <0.25 (i'm the unofficial tester for the MTBF cycle rating )

*cost - even tho it's only $7.20 for the 5a i'd use, if the $35 controller craps out it will just be it is what it is. if i end up really liking/using this setup (haven't had the opportunity for a long cook yet) i'll prolly add it - if i can fit it in the case. even with small size that 1/32nd DIN enclosure is pretty tight.



here's the instruction manual if anyone's interested. it specifically uses 2 BBQ smoker examples - 1 with and 1 without the SSR

[Nickos]

i really like the size of the 1/4 DIN but whoa, the manual is a bit over my head

http://auberins.com/images/Manual/Ma...3X2%20v3.2.pdf

[btcg]

Originally Posted by righteousdog

^ true all dat



since this was just for fun and on a whim i didn't use one for a couple reasons:

*load current. the relay in the unit is rated for 3A my fan is <0.25 (i'm the unofficial tester for the MTBF cycle rating )

*cost - even tho it's only $7.20 for the 5a i'd use, if the $35 controller craps out it will just be it is what it is. if i end up really liking/using this setup (haven't had the opportunity for a long cook yet) i'll prolly add it - if i can fit it in the case. even with small size that 1/32nd DIN enclosure is pretty tight.



here's the instruction manual if anyone's interested. it specifically uses 2 BBQ smoker examples - 1 with and 1 without the SSR

The 5 amp rating is for its switching rating, not load.

[TIMMAY]

I am a hair confused. How is the PID controlling the current going to the blower if it is not going through the relay? Is that a feature of the PID itself? My PID is an Auber too...

--EDIT-- I need to read the instruction manual you posted...

[BRBBQ]

I like the Pid controller and the fan, where did you get the thermomstat for sensing the temps?

[Nickos]

Originally Posted by BRBBQ

I like the Pid controller and the fan, where did you get the thermomstat for sensing the temps?

you can get them from Auber Instrument also

[TIMMAY]

Wow, not having to use a SSR cuts down on the wires. After your rig settled down how often did the blower cycle on and off?

[righteousdog]

Originally Posted by btcg

The 5 amp rating is for its switching rating, not load.

No, the 5 Amps is the rating for the Load. If you want to look at it from the aspect that it is an SCR and is therefore switching, then fine, but the switch is still the load. FWIW I'm a Journey Industrial Maintenance Electrician, so I'm probably more familiar with PID's / SCR's and such than the average joe. We literally have 100's of them in our plant.

Originally Posted by gixxer

Wow, not having to use a SSR cuts down on the wires. After your rig settled down how often did the blower cycle on and off?

All I can say is it was snowing, cold, and I didn't take notes on that this run. I was more concerned in it maintaining a good temp VS what could be expected out of battery power. I'm just testing with a wal-wart for now.

[btcg]

Originally Posted by righteousdog

No, the 5 Amps is the rating for the Load.



All I can say is it was snowing, cold, and I didn't take notes on that this run. I was more concerned in it maintaining a good temp VS what could be expected out of battery power. I'm just testing with a wal-wart for now.

A solid state relay @ 5 ampheres load? I don't think so. Ain't privy to the schematic, but that's a lot of current.