New TS (temperature switch) installed on OBS. Works great!

[Stickbowcrafter]

Well I took IKnowWood's & drano38's advice and installed a TS on my OBS. I bought the TS-13010 by Love Controls from Dwyer http://www.dwyer-inst.com/htdocs/temperature/SeriesTSPrice.cfm for $54. I had some extra wire and wire nuts on hand and the unit came with a temp probe so I only invested in the TS with no other money out of pocket.

Installation was simple but took a few hours because I wanted to mount it on board the OBS instead of in a separate box. I also drilled and mounted the temp probe inside the unit to keep everything on board and clean. The TS is wired between the plug on the smoking cabinet and the slider control so the smoke generator can be used independently, which I like to relocate for cold smoking.

The unit works excellent and after familiarizing myself with it, it can be programmed with many features, so simply. I'm gonna like this very much. No more babysitting the smoker. Set the temp you want and the TS regulates the smoker. No more out of whack fluctuations. I took some pictures along the way and I hope to do a detailed "how-to" real soon.

-Brian

  

[Stickbowcrafter]

Here's a test run. I programmed the set point (desired temp) to 150 degrees. You can see both power lights illuminated on the smoke generator and the cabinet.



-Brian

[Stickbowcrafter]

Once the temperature inside the cabinet reached 150, the TS turned off the heating element. You can see only the smoke generator power light illuminated. Once the temp hits 149, the heating element will turn on again.

-Brian

[Stickbowcrafter]

Here's a look at the probe mounted inside the cabinet (black probe in the center of the top half).

-Brian

[Arcs_n_Sparks]

Stickbowcrafter,

Nice integration job. My experience with my home-grown PID is that the LEDs wash out in sunlight, even though I drive them pretty hard. My next adventure will use a LCD diplay.

Arcs_n_Sparks

[West Coast Kansan]

VERY nice clean installation  8) Time to add some more seasoning residue to the inside of that tower  ;D You have a great tool to do it with now  8)

[NePaSmoKer]

That is a great job there stickbowcrafter.

nepas

[hillbillysmoker]

Nice neat professional looking install.  Congrats on your success.

[acords]

What type of connection did the TC have?  Plug, or bare wires.....  Is there a specific TC for these models?  I ask because I am under the impression that the wiring needs to be the same gauge in order to get accurate temp readings.  Your set-up looks great btw. 

[owrstrich]

i have the same temperature switch... but mine is in a plastic box instead of mounted so eloquently to the obs...

it is set and release... the temp swing gets greater as the beast gets hotter... i got it down to a 8 dergee differential from over temp after cut out to temp climb after cut in recovery from temp fall...

good luck... now eat the beast...

the temp sensor is very robust... its a cable encased in thick rubberized plastic stuff... wish i could find a photo but i dont have one... here is the documentation...

http://www.dwyer-inst.com/htdocs/PDFFILES/iom/temperature/TS_iom.pdf

here are some of dranos photos... the thick black cord is the temp sensor...

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=2574.30









you gotta eat...

owrstrich

[danresqman]

What is the basic difference between your guys' setup with a TS and using a PID?


Sorry to double post my question in two boards, but wondering from the TS side as well as the PID side.

Thanks
Dan

PS...amazing work guys...inspiring!

[whitetailfan]

Very nice job indeed.
You might have to change handles from stickbowcrafter to OBSintoDBScrafter   ;D

[Stickbowcrafter]

Thanks everyone. Acords, the above photo is the exact TS that I have. The connections are just open wire slots secured with a screw clamp. It comes with a probe but you'll need to supply some short lengths of wire. I think the wire in the Bradley is a 14-gauge and I think I used 12 for the short pieces I needed just because that is what I had available. You want the TS-13010, the one I have linked to in the first post.

Danresqman, the TS is just a temperature switch. It switches the heating element off and on when it reaches a set temp. I'm not exactly sure about the PID but I believe the PID offers more control over maintaining the temp beyond just shutting the heating element off and on. One of the PID users will be along to explain soon I bet.

-Brian

[Arcs_n_Sparks]

danresqman,

As mentioned, the TS is just a thermostat like that in your house: full on or full off. The PID operates more like a light dimmer, smoothly varying the power to the heating element to maintain setpoint.

Arcs_n_Sparks

[danresqman]

thanks... that is basic enough to understand