PID for electric build

skarude · 02-09-2010, 12:50 PM

I am wondering if anyone has used this PID to control a 4500W240v element. It looks like this would do the trick and the whole setup is cheaper than the auber pid.

The Pol · 02-09-2010, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skarude

I am wondering if anyone has used this PID to control a 4500W240v element. It looks like this would do the trick and the whole setup is cheaper than the auber pid.

Are you using it for boiling? If so, I dont think that will work, no. I have seen these before, and they are generally cheaper because they do NOT have a manual mode

Are you using it for temp. control? If so, yes, should be fine. No manual mode necessary.

skarude · 02-09-2010, 02:19 PM

Yeah that was my concern...I guess the Auber ones are probably the cheapest with manual mode, but by the time I buy 2 of those it is almost worth going the extra mile for one of the BCS-460s.

Grimster · 02-09-2010, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Pol

Are you using it for boiling? If so, I dont think that will work, no. I have seen these before, and they are generally cheaper because they do NOT have a manual mode

Are you using it for temp. control? If so, yes, should be fine. No manual mode necessary.

For boiling couldn't you just set the temperature to say, 213F maybe higher and let it run? Or not?

skarude · 02-09-2010, 03:17 PM

I have seen this discussed before and I think the basic reasoning why this wouldn't work is that above 212 the liquid becomes a gas. So the PID will always keep the element on trying to reach 213 and just keep boiling harder and harder. Then if you set it to 212 it will hit boiling then shut off until the boil stops and then cycle back on, but I have not tried it so I am only going off of some other threads.

Grimster · 02-09-2010, 03:23 PM

http://cgi.ebay.com/PID-Temperature-Controller-Kiln-Probe-SSR-Relay-40A-HS_W0QQitemZ110481389573QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_Defa ultDomain_0?hash=item19b9343805

Ok what about this one? It mentions manual control in the description. Or are we now paying as much as for the Auber stuff that we #1 know works and #2 know will show up in a timely fashion?

**CodeRage** · 02-09-2010, 08:47 PM

For those prices just buy one from Auber and get a cheap chinese SSR and type K thermocouple.

The Pol · 02-09-2010, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CodeRage

For those prices just buy one from Auber and get a cheap chinese SSR and type K thermocouple.

Agreed...

Yah, beat to death the 213F temp. controlled boil is.

Photopilot · 02-09-2010, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CodeRage

For those prices just buy one from Auber and get a cheap chinese SSR and type K thermocouple.

Just to let you know the Auber SSR is chinese also.

skarude · 02-09-2010, 11:58 PM

+1 on the Auber PID and Ebay SSR being a better deal than the Ebay PIDs with manual mode. Oh well...At least I didn't pull the trigger on one of the one without manual mode. Thinking I might go brewtroller or bcs-460 so I can eventually control pumps and valves with it.