Step one is now complete. Hole for the unit is cut in project box, and the unit fits nicely.
Now off to lunch while I think about the fuse holders. :D
GL TT,
The very much missed TomG helped me out with my PID every step of the way or I might have burnt down my house. I love smoking using it, makes certain everything is right where it is supposed to be.
You'll really enjoy the PID, TT. After about six months of using mine I added an external relay to handle the switching load.
Tom
Thanks for the support, guys. Decided on fuse holders, and tried to order them, but our warehouse was out so I gotta have them try Kansas City or Des Moines monday. Going with a pair of single, fuse block type holders instead of inline (leads are too short on the inline) because I don't want to use wire connectors...just screw the wires on where they belong and be done with it.
QuoteThe very much missed TomG helped me out with my PID every step of the way or I might have burnt down my house. I love smoking using it, makes certain everything is right where it is supposed to be.
Brian and TomG helped me quite a bit with the plans for mine
Fuse holders arrived this morning, so I went to look at our fuse supply. Found some 10A 250V fuses that will work for the main, but only could find as low as 2A 250V for protecting the PID. Will this work? I'm assuming it will, as it's only an amp higher than recommended by others here.
I could be done with this thing by next weekend. :D :D :D
Once your PID is done and if you have photos of it you want to share then E-mail them to me and I will add them to the ones on the recipe site... now make sure your E-mail heading is clear about what this is about or it will get marked spam and dumped.
Olds
I'll do that. Got it about half wired last night after carefully drilling a bunch of holes. (I've seen things spin really fast on the end of a drill bit when it punches through, and the metal part of my box looked like it could hurt me bad if that happened. Also didn't want to break the plastic portions I drilled.)
Should finish it up tonight.
Well, I just finished it up. I'll have pics of the plate fully wired, but before making the connections to the controller itself, then of the completed unit. The thermocouple reads temps, and after reversing the wires, the temp climbs when I hold the probe over a burner on my stove. Gonna have to do a test in the smoker now, but need info before progressing.
First, I need to know how to set my target cooking temp, in idiots terms so I can understand it.
Next, I'd like the same language used to find the current P, I, and D settings.
Third, I'd like similar language telling me how to run Autotune.
and Fourth, also in the same langauage, how to "tweak" the P, I, and D settings.
Thank you everybody for the support and help thus far, and for the help I'm sure is coming in my operating of the unit.
Personally I never mess with the PID settings. I just let it auto tune and after that finishes, takes about 20 minutes, the temp stays rock solid where I set it, even if I change it to another temp.
Tom
Thanks Tom...now how about that first question? :D ;D
Here's the pics.
First we have the innards...note the airflow holes to cool the plate and the area over the SSR.
(http://www.geocities.com/tinytim23c/PIDGuts2.jpg)
Next we have the front view. Looks like the dremel got away from me a couple of times. :O
(http://www.geocities.com/tinytim23c/PIDFront.jpg)
Now the top view. Air outlet holes.
(http://www.geocities.com/tinytim23c/PIDTop.jpg)
And last we have the back view showing the cords and TC wire coming out as well as air inlet holes.
(http://www.geocities.com/tinytim23c/PIDBack.jpg)
Quote from: Oldman on June 28, 2007, 02:14:33 PM
Once your PID is done and if you have photos of it you want to share then E-mail them to me and I will add them to the ones on the recipe site... now make sure your E-mail heading is clear about what this is about or it will get marked spam and dumped.
Olds
Which address do you want them sent to? Or can you pluck them from the above post (you have my persmission if you want to do that)?
Good job Tim. I knew you could do it ;D
nepas
Looks great Tim. As to your first question, did the unit not come with operating instructions? Mine didn't but I found documentation on the web. Your model is different than mine. With mine what I do is power it up and then hold the lower left button in for about 1.5 seconds and that gets you into the set point mode. With the up and down arrows set the desired temp then pressing the button again gets you out of that mode. Then I hold the lower left button down for 5 seconds and the PID settings mode comes up. With the lower left button you can step thru the menu items until I get to an item that says Ar. Then with the up arrow I change the value from 00 to 01. Then another 5 seconds on the lower left button get you out of the setting mode and back to normal operation. The amber "learning" light flashes off and on and eventually goes out when the PID gets it's diploma. Your unit has one more button along the bottom than mine. So give the web a look see and let us know how you make out.
Tom
Thanks Tom. Unit came with instructions, but they look like they're made for an engineer to read and I don't have that kind of degree. :P :P I'll surf around and see what I can find.
Thanks NePa for the kind words. :D
Just thought I'd let ya'll know, I got it figured out. Don't need to press lower left button, just use up and down arrows to set desired temps, the LL button gets me through the rest of the settings, and I'll be running autotune when I have my brisket in there tomorrwo night. Have the preliminary numbers recorded right now.
A big thank you to everybody that had input in my building this unit, and those of you that gave me encouragement too.
TT your PID looks just like mine, and I love it, you will ask yourself how in the world did I ever get by without one Cajun ;) ;D ??? :P
Yep, that's about right, Cajun. BTW, where the heck have you been? Chat nights have been quiet without you there. Good to see ya though.
In stead of "Sherlock" I guess my name should be "Simple Simon".
The PID seems to be a complicated apparatus which simply controls the temperature. My feeble brain is saying that my DBS already does this. I must be missing something. Please explain this to me in simple laymans terminology.
DUH
???
Sherlock
Your more or less right. The DBS does control the temps however it does have a temp swing of around 20 degrees. Most of the time that's not an issue but for some, like me, want tighter control on the temps. The PID, properly tuned will give you a + or - 1 degree. Not really that important when doing a butt or ribs. How ever on other things like jerky & sausage it can be more important. At least that's the way I seam to see it anyway.
Mike
Thanks Mike.
How is it able to maintain such a temperature range?
nathan
Here is a definition that Arcs posted a while back....
"PID stands for Proportional, Integral, Derivative. It is a type of control scheme that does a bunch of math based upon the difference between what the temperature is, and where it should be. PID control schemes reach the setpoint fastest, with the least overshoot, and least error.
Having said all that, other control schemes work quite well. Your house thermostat is an on/off control that is very accurate (it helps that, to change the house temperature, it takes some time; there is a lot of thermal inertia)."
Needless to say... The inner workings of the PID is "over my head" but I do have one and it works good.
Mike
OK
:)