midnightbrewing

Recipes 

yes, both pilot and thermocouple connected. pilot is functioning, but I have not verified that the thermocouple is functioning properly. how would I do that? and yes, the knob is set to 'on' :-)

ShaKeyJ

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If the pilot flame stays on, then the t-couple is good. Is the gas valve yer using for the proper gas?

midnightbrewing

Recipes 

I think so... it's the same model as most folks on this thread have purchased. http://www.pexsupply.com/Honeywell-VR8200A2132-1-2-24-Vac-Standing-Pilot-Gas-Valve-11588000-p

midnightbrewing

Recipes 

upon further inspection, the gas valve is for 3.5"WC and my regulator is standard 11" WC. so it looks like I do have too much pressure at the valves and it's locking up. as I look closer, perhaps I need the LP conversion spring kit but I thought the valve was already situated for LP... if the spring conversion isn't the answer, would I just find some in-line 3.5" WC regulators?

ShaKeyJ

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Most gas valves can be converted from natural (3.5) to LP (10 or 11). Seems like that would take care of it.

ShaKeyJ

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Yes. Use the spring conversion kit. that's what I meant to say.

midnightbrewing

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yeaaaahhh... so about that whole "research" thing. I didn't do mine.

well I feel sheepish.

Thanks for the help getting me turned around and in the right direction. except for a couple of 304 stainless pieces; that was the last hang-up to the first brewday on my new stand! I'll get some more photos working in a little bit.

jsw585

Recipes 

Hey Josh or anyone else that can naswer,

I have completed the control panel for my brewing rig. Today when I connected it to the brewing rig (i.e. the gas valve solenoid) I over heated the tranformer and blew the fuse on the main load. I am using pretty much the same components as Landin's rig.

I did a control panel dry run Friday before connecting to the solenoid to check voltages at all the points. I indeed had 24V at the panel connectorsfor the solenoids when they were in both the AUTO (PID) mode and the MANUAL mode as selected by the 3-way switch. That 24V disappeared when switched to the OFF mode, as expected.

Today, I connected the cable from the panel connector to the solenoid on the gas valve to what I thought were the right connections, one being TH and the other TR (see wiring diagram for gas valve on page 7 of the above pdf link). When I powered on the control panel, I blew the fuse.

Upon opening the box, I noted the transformer to be VERY hot. I removed the cable from the panel connector so the solenoid was no longer connected, replaced the fuse and tried a dry run again. The fuse blew immediately. I suspect I have damaged the transformer and that is what led to the second fuse blowing.

Does anyone have a description for wiring the gas valve? I have the PDF that shows the wiring diagram for the gas valve, but I dont really understand how to modify it for this application. I suspect I have wired the gas valve incorrectly and thus blown the transformer.

Thanks for any help!!!!!

JW

Commonwealth

Recipes 

What is the volt amps rating of your transformer? I had bought one that wasnt rated high enough and could only power one solemoid at a time.

jsw585

Recipes 

40vA. Didn't think of looking at that. I don't know what the Honeywell 8200 requires, though.

Either way, I'm only powering one solenoid during the mash. I'm using a HERMS setup, so I only need to heat one tank.

Sorry. My dad kept all the electrical-skill genes to himself.....

Sure do appreciate the help!!!

JW