Walker

Recipes 

16 gauge is fine. it'll be rated for 13A, and that is PLENTY.

__________________
Ground Fault Brewing Co.

ekjohns

Recipes 

i bought a 16 gauge wired everything up then got worried and re-wired with a 14 gauge. I talked to my dad who is an electrical engineer and he said 16 would be fine except if something shorted and started drawing more current it could start pulling full power from the wall which could cause the wires to overheat and catch fire (keep in mind at this point the controller would already be fried). Its more of a safety 1:10000000 chance kinda thing

Walker

Recipes 

Right. this is the only reason to use large cord. I'm willing to bet that 99% of the things plugged into the wall in your house are using a cord that isn't capable of handling the max amps that can come out of the wall. I opted to make this thing like the other 99% of the things I plug in.

__________________
Ground Fault Brewing Co.

Bjornbrewer

Recipes 

short circuits aren't the problem. A 16g wire can carry HUGE amounts of current for a short amount of time (enough time for the circuit breaker to open). It's overloads that are an issue. If the compressor seizes (for example) and draws higher, but not huge currents, the breaker won't open right away and the wire could fry. This is why protection should be used that is sized properly to the conductor size.

But like you father said, it's a rare chance and for our applications isn't really an issue.

__________________
Sand Viking Brewery

“Happiness? A good cigar, a good meal, a good cigar and a good woman - or a bad woman; it depends on how much happiness you can handle.” ~George Burns

d_ozz68

Recipes 

cool, sounds like I will be safe enough with using the 16 gauge. My temp. controller and project box should be waiting for me when I get back into town on friday........I can't wait to get this thing put together!

big_al_in_k-zoo

Recipes 

Just got my controller in today.

question with wiring the probe in. Does it matter which wire goes where? Doesn't seem to be any marking differentiating them.

Thanks!

Alan

Hermit

Recipes 

No.

Well, I should add as long as you put them on the thermistor lugs.

big_al_in_k-zoo

Recipes 

Thanks! Literally waiting here for a reply before I secure everything up!

big_al_in_k-zoo

Recipes 

OK. Here's mine! It seems to work. Hooray

Thanks to the O.P. This was a fun little build to keep me occupied for a while. =)

Planning on printing out Ubermike's C to F conversion chart and slapping it right under the display.

bkov

Recipes 

would one of these work? only $3 shipped

http://cgi.ebay.com/Digital-Thermometer-Temperature-Sensor-LCD-Display_W0QQitemZ250499538070QQcategoryZ50926QQcmd ZViewItemQQ_trksidZp4340.m8QQ_trkparmsZalgo%3DMW%2 6its%3DC%26itu%3DUCC%26otn%3D5%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3 D6350785044939776698