PID or BBQ Guru Raptor and Competitor Pkg.

nodak · December 31, 2005, 02:52:56 AM

I've read many topics on this and think I'm convinced this is what I'm looking for. Need some assurance before I double the price of my BS.

Ok I've been reading up on these, But what is the difference and which is most price competitive and do I need anything else.

What I want is something to control my temp so I don't have to as I don't have the patience to wait around and babysit the BS. Is this really what I want or am I whacked??????

"If you're not living on the edge, You're taking up way too much room, so get the he-- out of my way."

JJC · December 31, 2005, 03:26:31 AM

You're not whacked, Nodak, your shockingly sane for a smoker . . . I yearn for a Guru-Raptor but don't have one. NSXBill and a few others are the major proponents and can really give you detailed advice so you get exactly what you want/need and don't pay for something extra.

Good luck, and let us know what you decide to get and how it works out for you . . . some of us lilke to live vicariously [:D]!

John
Newton MA

nsxbill · December 31, 2005, 04:30:59 AM

I wrote a review on the Procom4, and you can see it here: http://susan.rminor.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29. Haven't changed mind! It takes care of all the worries. Check out the rest of the site. We have all contributed something.

Happy Smoking!

Bill

There is room on earth for all God's creatures....on my plate next to the mashed potatoes.

nodak · December 31, 2005, 04:58:51 AM

Thanks nsxbill,

GREAT REVIEW, Unfortunately I couldn't get the pics to come up, but got the jist with your descriptions. I also can't get into the chatroom and I even turned the popup blocker off, I just get window with the little red X box. Any ideas why???

know anything about PID's???

"If you're not living on the edge, You're taking up way too much room, so get the he-- out of my way."

JJC · December 31, 2005, 02:34:22 PM

Nodak, did you register for Olds' site and get a username and p-word? Also, I found that I need to join the chat as a "float", whatever that means.

John
Newton MA

Oldman · December 31, 2005, 07:46:32 PM

Crap that was direct link to Sauce's web page... I forgot to copy and save those images.... I will try to call him Monday and find out what has happened.

Olds

nodak · December 31, 2005, 09:53:39 PM

thanks guys, is there an an advantage of an PID, and what will it do or not do that the raptor pkg, and cost, and what else I would need if anything???

Thanks all From the inexperienced.

"If you're not living on the edge, You're taking up way too much room, so get the he-- out of my way."

nsxbill · January 01, 2006, 12:38:10 AM

I think the Raptor/Guru combo is a PID unit, but the Procom4 model allows complete massaging of the temps remotely instead of lingering around and watching the temp at the smoker. As I said in my review, I can be up at the pool on a raft catching some rays, and with my remote in a waterproof case, watch and modify the temperature. It is pretty pricey, I know, but to me was worth every penny.

I can control the temp of two smokers that are loaded equally, and watch the temps of the meat in both smokers. The Raptor only controls the temp in one smoker, but as I said, if loaded equally will control both smokers. I am so spoiled, I don't think I would ever want to use anything else.

My next buy will be a knock down smoker from //www.thebbqguru.com, and by adding a fan controller can use the Procom on any BBQ, including a trailer mounted unit, Big Green Egg, or the Caldera http://www.thebbqguru.com/Caldera_01.htm that Shotgun Fred sells on the bbqguru website. It is a large volume charcoal smoker that will fit in the underneath bed of an RV if you are on the road and want to hit some of the BBQ contests and compete on a small scale.

Happy New Year!

Bill

There is room on earth for all God's creatures....on my plate next to the mashed potatoes.

JJC · January 02, 2006, 12:02:53 AM

Bill, you're the only guy I know that can make me drool when describing a machine . . . [;)]

John
Newton MA

drano38 · January 12, 2006, 03:15:33 AM

I'm sure the Raptor works great, but being the cheap skate I am, I got a Love model TS-13010 direct from the company for $50. It will run 16 amps.
http://www.dwyer-inst.com/htdocs/temperature/SeriesTSPrice.cfm
Their tech staff was great, and hook up is simple. They assured me the contacts are durable enough to handle the ~650 watts of the Bradley.
I can set the temp +/- range and the temp I want to maintian.
I need to mount mine in a plastic equipment box I got at Radio Shack w/ a hot and switched plugin mounted in the box--currently sits on the edge of the smoke generator and all the wires hang out the back.
I've only used it about 4 times, but it works great.
Good luck w/ whatever you choose.
Drano

nodak · January 12, 2006, 03:33:14 AM

I am normally cheap, but the commander told me to order it so I went with the Raptor/competitor. It just showed up today and figure I better use it this weekend or I'll send it back when the bill comes. Thanks guys for all the advice. I'll let you know how it works out and if I have any buyer remorse after I use it and after the credit card bill shows up. Hopefully that doesn't show up until after I leave for Mexico that way I may not notice it specifically.

"If you're not living on the edge, You're taking up way too much room, so get the he-- out of my way."

Phone Guy · January 12, 2006, 08:29:00 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by drano38
 I'm sure the Raptor works great, but being the cheap skate I am, I got a Love model TS-13010 direct from the company for $50. It will run 16 amps.
http://www.dwyer-inst.com/htdocs/temperature/SeriesTSPrice.cfm
Their tech staff was great, and hook up is simple. They assured me the contacts are durable enough to handle the ~650 watts of the Bradley.
I can set the temp +/- range and the temp I want to maintian.
I need to mount mine in a plastic equipment box I got at Radio Shack w/ a hot and switched plugin mounted in the box--currently sits on the edge of the smoke generator and all the wires hang out the back.
I've only used it about 4 times, but it works great.
Good luck w/ whatever you choose.
Drano

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

What is required to wire this PID and connect it to the Bradley? I would like to order one but wondering what else is required.

iceman · January 12, 2006, 09:00:13 PM

Hey there drano; is there any way you can get me a couple of shots of the back and side of that baby so I can see the hook up. My big smoker draws 20 amps but if I get 2 of those I can split the heating elements and control them seperatly. I'm using a Johnson remote bulb control right now but the colder it gets oputside the more differental I get. Thanks.<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by drano38
 I'm sure the Raptor works great, but being the cheap skate I am, I got a Love model TS-13010 direct from the company for $50. It will run 16 amps.
http://www.dwyer-inst.com/htdocs/temperature/SeriesTSPrice.cfm
Their tech staff was great, and hook up is simple. They assured me the contacts are durable enough to handle the ~650 watts of the Bradley.
I can set the temp +/- range and the temp I want to maintian.
I need to mount mine in a plastic equipment box I got at Radio Shack w/ a hot and switched plugin mounted in the box--currently sits on the edge of the smoke generator and all the wires hang out the back.
I've only used it about 4 times, but it works great.
Good luck w/ whatever you choose.
Drano

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

Big or small you can smoke'm all!!!

TomG · January 13, 2006, 02:01:42 AM

Iceman, you might be better off using a single TS to control a 25-40A solid state relay. That setup would probably be more efficient, require less wiring and depending on the cost of the SSR, would be $20-40 cheaper.

drano38 · January 13, 2006, 04:45:42 AM

Another advantage of the Love TS13010 is it comes w/ the temp probe for the $49.
I'll try to take picturs and post them this weekend.
Look at the 16 AMP wiring diagram here:
http://www.dwyer-inst.com/htdocs/PDFFILES/iom/temperature/DTS_iom.pdf
It is a slightly different model, but shows the correct wiring for the 16 amp SPST model. 8 amps are SPDT.
Here is how I wired it:
(standard lawyer comment, call manufacturer or see an electrician for proper wiring. I'm a pilot w/ an MBA. Shop class in high school many years ago does not make me a certified electrician).
-- the wiring slots are close together, so ensure the insulation is fairly close to the slot/clamp so you don't get bare wires next to touching.
1. Cut an 8' extension cord in half (or make your own w/ a male and female plugin w/ each end attached to about a 4' piece of 14 or 12 ga 3 wire cord)
2. Trim the outer insulation back so you have about 1-1.5" of the inner wires free.
3. Strip insulation off each wire so it fits into the binding slots
Provide power to the controller w/ wires to slots 10 & 11
1. White from male and female ends of cord into slot 11 (2 14ga wires is a tight fit, even when twisted together good)
2. Black from male end into slot 10
Provide power to and thru the switch or "Output"
1. Black jumper from slot 10 to slot 9 (provides power to the "switch")--you now have 2 black wires on slot 10
2. Black wire out of slot 8 to the female end of the cord
3. Wire nut the 2 green ground wires together
4. Put the ends from the temp probe on slots 1 and 2.
Big picture:
Black and white into 10 and 11 give power to the temp controller.
Running a black wire into 9 and out of 8 is the on/off switch. When the temp switch turns On, power goes to your female end of the cord the Bradley is pluged into.
Plug male into a house outlet, the Bradley heater plugs into the female end w/ temp selector on hi, the biscut cord plugs into a wall outlet. Program the controller, set it and forget it.
Got a little long, but anyone who understands basic wiring should be able to follow what I did.
TomG, I'd concur w/ nodak to get a relay so you can use one controller for the relay which can handle a larger load.
Drano