Controlling the Flame with a PID or Thermostat

JVD_X · Jan 9, 2008

NOOB Question:

Not that I am considering it but I am curious, when using a thermostat or PID with a probe how does the thermostat "turn-off" and "turn-on" a flame to an MLT/HLT? Can it do this automatically like a gas oven?

5 Is Not Enough · Jan 9, 2008

You'd need a solenoid valve with a pilot light or a direct spark ignition setup.

Yuri_Rage · Jan 9, 2008

You can get surplus furnace valves rated for NG or propane on eBay. They're pretty cheap. You'll need a 20VAC power supply to operate most of them, but those aren't hard to come by on eBay, either.

kladue · Jan 9, 2008

Simple way is to use a continous pilot light and solenoid valve to control burner gas flow, safer method is to use a direct spark ignition module that controls the solenoid valve. Here is typical direct spark ignition module on Ebay that uses the spark probe for flame sensing http://cgi.ebay.com/Honeywell-Direct-Spark-Ignition-Modules-S87J1034_W0QQitemZ260200757464QQihZ016QQcategoryZ20598QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

JVD_X · Jan 9, 2008

So where exactly does one of these valves sit in physical relation to the flame and legs of the turkey fryer? I would assume that the pilot light has a tube that sits near the output of the fryers jets but where would an electronic one sit?

kladue · Jan 9, 2008

The valve can be mounted on the legs of the burner stand, the ignitor for the electronic ignition needs to spark to the burner jets and have at least 1/2" of the metal rod in the flame. Might be easier to use a pilot burner with ignitor than try to build your own, here is an example http://cgi.ebay.com/HONEYWELL-PILOT-BURNER-NATURAL-GAS-ORIFICE-Q345A1313_W0QQitemZ200183793590QQihZ010QQcategoryZ41987QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p1638.m118

JVD_X · Jan 9, 2008

kladue said:
The valve can be mounted on the legs of the burner stand, the ignitor for the electronic ignition needs to spark to the burner jets and have at least 1/2" of the metal rod in the flame. Might be easier to use a pilot burner with ignitor than try to build your own, here is an example http://cgi.ebay.com/HONEYWELL-PILOT-BURNER-NATURAL-GAS-ORIFICE-Q345A1313_W0QQitemZ200183793590QQihZ010QQcategoryZ41987QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p1638.m118

Thank all of your for your responses. I have a very clear image of what would need to happen. I don't think I need to go down that road (for now) but it's nice that it can be done.

Controlling the Flame with a PID or Thermostat

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Controlling the Flame with a PID or Thermostat

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