Temp controllers

lvigil · September 15, 2005, 09:03:31 PM

I have been reading quite a bit on this forum about Temp controllers and now want to invest in one. CAR54 mentioned this one.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Fahrenheit-999-Digital-Temperature-control-controler_W0QQitemZ7542164517QQcategoryZ50974QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

How does one install? It is much cheaper in cost than the BBQ Guru.

[B)]

Watch Out!! Hot and Spicy (<:}

car54 · September 15, 2005, 10:12:26 PM

Here is what my finished Cold Fusion looks like. You have to do a little wiring.

Brad

Oldman · September 15, 2005, 10:28:20 PM

Very nice!

Olds

Kamanodental · September 16, 2005, 05:21:21 AM

Aloha Brad..

Any chance you can email me a schematic of the wiring of your temp controller? I recently purchased one and dont know a thing about how to wire one up. It would sure be appreciated. I am new to the forum and really tired of making sawdust instead of sausage...lol. The temp controller will solve 99% of my problems...if I knew how to wire it up.. email: [email protected] or you can post it...

Thanks for your help
Kamano...da new guy

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by car54

Here is what my finished Cold Fusion looks like. You have to do a little wiring.

Brad
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Onipaa/Ku'oko'a
Steadfast Freedom

lvigil · September 16, 2005, 07:26:22 PM

Thanks very much. I will try to duplicate. I take it that the probe goes inside the smoker via the vent. and the temp controller is in between the smoker generator and smoker hooked up via the power.

If you have any pics on how the wiring is hooked up inside of the controller???? they would be greatly appreciated.

Muchas Gracias [:D]

Watch Out!! Hot and Spicy (<:}

car54 · September 16, 2005, 10:03:48 PM

Here is a sketch of the schematic. I also added an on off switch.

Brad

Kamanodental · September 18, 2005, 05:03:12 AM

Aloha Brad...

Thanks for the sketch...it was great and I have it all hooked up..But !!! Can you help me with another problem. All the instructions dont make a bit of sense to me..is there a way you can interpret them for me..I know that is asking alot..but you will be helping my sanity.

So= output target
shp= upper limit offset
sc= themocouple correction
soh= target value upper limit

I am playing with this thing and I dont want to mess it up being that my ignorance in electrical knowledge is very high...lol I took woodworking in HS so I wouldnt have to play with electricty....lol

Thanks
Kamano

Onipaa/Ku'oko'a
Steadfast Freedom

Kamanodental · September 18, 2005, 06:14:39 AM

OK.....I think I got it...so far the setting I used is 55c and so far it is holding at 55 -/+ 1 degree. If I am doing this correct, the temp will raise then fall to the target temp. and stay. Hopefully I have it correct. still kinda fuzzy on the word-ology.
Keep you posted. BTW My Bradley will be here monday and Im playing with the Sausage Maker smoker. So far so good...will keep you posted if something blows up.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Kamanodental
 Aloha Brad...

Thanks for the sketch...it was great and I have it all hooked up..But !!! Can you help me with another problem. All the instructions dont make a bit of sense to me..is there a way you can interpret them for me..I know that is asking alot..but you will be helping my sanity.

So= output target
shp= upper limit offset
sc= themocouple correction
soh= target value upper limit

I am playing with this thing and I dont want to mess it up being that my ignorance in electrical knowledge is very high...lol I took woodworking in HS so I wouldnt have to play with electricty....lol

Thanks
Kamano

Onipaa/Ku'oko'a
Steadfast Freedom
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Onipaa/Ku'oko'a
Steadfast Freedom

car54 · September 18, 2005, 03:48:35 PM

Komanodental,

So is the temp that you want to reach

Shp sets the temp offset between your target temp and when the alarm goes off. If you set it at 10 and your target temp is 200, the alarm will go off at 210.

Sc is for fine tuning the thermocouple. Put it in boiling water, if it reads 212 it is good. If not use this offset to correct it.

Soh target value upper limit I don't know what it means

Brad

car54 · September 18, 2005, 04:14:20 PM

Can some one explain the parameters of the controller in simple terms.

Thanks, Brad

Arcs_n_Sparks · September 18, 2005, 04:37:24 PM

Car54,

I do not have this unit, but the parameters are typical for a PID controller. I suspect SOH sets an upper target value that you cannot exceed in setting the temperature (a useful feature to avoid operator error). The P, I, and D parameters are used to set the Proportional, Integral, and Derivative values of the control loop. Basically, the P value is used in the calculation of the difference between current tempature and setpoint. The bigger the difference (and the bigger the value of P), the more the unit drives in the on or off direction.

A proportional controller cannot reach exact setpoint due to offsets, so the Integral temp is used to calculate residual error cycle to cycle. To much gain in the Integral term will make it oscillate around the setpoint. The derivative term is used to figure out how fast things are moving from cycle to cycle.

When properly set, the PID parameters give you the fastest, stable mechanism to reach a setpoint in a control system. The autotuning is vey useful if you have no clue about the P,I, and D parameters. The controller can learn, over time, those parameters based upon the system behavior.

The lock setting is just that. Prevents you from changing the values.

Arcs_n_Sparks

Kamanodental · September 18, 2005, 04:40:55 PM

Brad...A BIG THANKS..At least that clears up my questions alot. Phew............

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by car54
 Komanodental,

So is the temp that you want to reach

Shp sets the temp offset between your target temp and when the alarm goes off. If you set it at 10 and your target temp is 200, the alarm will go off at 210.

Sc is for fine tuning the thermocouple. Put it in boiling water, if it reads 212 it is good. If not use this offset to correct it.

Soh target value upper limit I don't know what it means

Brad
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Onipaa/Ku'oko'a
Steadfast Freedom

mrdennisg · September 18, 2005, 07:31:23 PM

Ihave been reading the post's here concerning PID's and it looks interesting how you plan on hooking up to your bradley.

I wanted to share some bookmarks I found while researching for my smoker I built. Hope you can gleen from these. Most are Espresso bussiness trying to get a perfect cup of Coffee by controling the temp on there machine, which are what we are doing here trying to get a perfect smoke (If it realy exist's)

The controler I am using now is iether on or off. The PID will gradualy lower the temp and learn for the next cycle which is where "Proportional, Derivative, Integral" come in.
Basicaly a smarter Smoker
[:)]
http://www.murphyslawonline.com/silvia/#shop
http://www.control.com/1026204978/index_html
http://my.execpc.com/%7En9zes/pepesilvia/pepesilvia.html
http://www.faqs.org/docs/electric/Digital/DIGI_5.html
http://www.digidive.com/coffee/index.html

car54 · September 18, 2005, 07:53:43 PM

Thanks mrdennisg, some good information to know.

Brad

bubbagump · September 20, 2005, 03:34:01 AM

car54,

I noticed the specs. for the temp. controller you are using list the output relay as having a 3 amp. rating. Is that correct? The BS on high would draw approx. 4.2 amps.

Bubbagump