I am going to be building a PID controller for a fridge smoker soon. I am going to be using a 1500 watt 120 volt burner. I'm electricaly challenged, what size SSR should I be using? Any suggestions, tips or concerns that I should worried about. FWIW I'll be using my smoke generator from my OBS. Thanks in advance for any help!
I would think the 25 amp SSR would be plenty big enough but I would make sure to have a heat sink because the SSR will get hot when higher amperages are involved. I bought my SSR from grainger.com and it came with the heat sink already mounted to the SSR.
It is made by Barber Coleman. I think they may be a close out because the price is really great. The one I bought was listed for about $58.00 in the book but online I got it for $38.73.
You probably would need a different SSR than I bought depending on the type of controller you plan to use. If you are using the Auber controller that many others here are using grainger has an SSR that should work with it also and it is rated for 40 amps. It requires DC input from the temperature controller and has AC output to your heating element.
Here are the specs: DC control, min input is 4VDC, max input is 32 VDC. Output is AC, min 24VAC and max 660VAC. Rated at 40 amps. Comes with an installed heat sink. Grainger part #5JJ34. Get this, the price for a 40 amp DC controlled SSR with heat sink is only $39.64. I think it is hard to find a SSR with heat sink installed for that kind of price, but maybe someone here found a better deal.
You need to find out what the output from the controller will be. My controller has a triac output and I will be using AC through the triac to the input of the SSR. That's why my SSR will most likely be different than most of the others on this site. I got the controller for free and so far the only money I have in it is for the SSR. I'm just starting to put it together and hopefully will have it wired soon.
Hopefully ARCS will see this and be able to give you more info. He's the electrical guru around here and can explain things much better than I can.
Good luck,
pensrock
15 amp would work, but a little close for me. I would go 20 amp, and you will definitely need a heat sink. A pensrock points out, need to match the PID drive output to the SSR input. If you have part numbers, I am sure we can get you across the finish line.
Arcs_n_Sparks
Auber sells a 25 amp SSR and a heat sink to fit it for $25. I can't comment on the correct size SSR. Hopefully Arcs will comment on that.
Here is the link
http://auberins.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2
Mike
I pretty much ordered everthing from the links on Old's site
http://auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=3
http://auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=9
http://auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=2
http://auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2&products_id=45
I hope these items will work. :-[
Add a box plus connections and you should be in business...
Arcs_n_Sparks