I can't count the number of times I have seen the warning tossed around that SSRs often fail in the closed state, allowing current to flow unchecked. But, I've never actually seen anyone claim that it has happened to them, even after asking those on this forum if they have seen it happen.
A little voice in the back of my mind was wondering if this was another brewing boogeyman.... one of those things one person said one time, and then it just got repeated by everyone until it just became assumed truth. (like hot side aeration).
Well..... BEHOLD! I have the sinister beast in my possession :
I was going to brew tonight, and was taking advantage of the luxuries of automated temp control. My water was heating while I was bathing my kids and getting them ready for bed, and I was comfortable in the knowledge that my water would be perfectly heated and waiting for me whenever I eventually made it out to the garage to get rolling.
I happened to peek my head out to look at things and saw that the temp was 4 degrees over my set point and still rising. The PID was not attmepting to drive the heat.
I shut it down and returned to muck with it after the kids were in bed. Sure enough... the SSR is busted. It's passing current through no matter what.
A little voice in the back of my mind was wondering if this was another brewing boogeyman.... one of those things one person said one time, and then it just got repeated by everyone until it just became assumed truth. (like hot side aeration).
Well..... BEHOLD! I have the sinister beast in my possession :
I was going to brew tonight, and was taking advantage of the luxuries of automated temp control. My water was heating while I was bathing my kids and getting them ready for bed, and I was comfortable in the knowledge that my water would be perfectly heated and waiting for me whenever I eventually made it out to the garage to get rolling.
I happened to peek my head out to look at things and saw that the temp was 4 degrees over my set point and still rising. The PID was not attmepting to drive the heat.
I shut it down and returned to muck with it after the kids were in bed. Sure enough... the SSR is busted. It's passing current through no matter what.