PID Cheap or auberins? Also, RTD question

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Kmcogar

Kmcogar

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So, theres the cheap PIDs......DO they work as good as the Auberin PID? I can buy a PID (Mypin TD6), 40A SSR, and Heatsink for $37. Or the AUberin PID for $55 (cost plus shipping). Then I have to buy the SSR and Heatsink. It adds up fast.

Does it matter? if so, how much?

My next question. RTD.....where to buy it? I want one with the disconnect option. The only place i found one is brausupply. $35 plus shipping. SO, $45.

http://brausupply.com/collections/plumbing/products/1-5-rtd-pt-100-sensor

Where else can I buy these disconnect RTD?

I am trying to make an "inexpensive" ebiab build, but, I am starting to doubt this venture
 
When I built my Kal clone control box I went cheap on a few items to save money. 3 brews into the control box and I was already replacing the cheap parts. You might safe money at the start but you'll end up spending more as time progresses.

I found out when it comes to electronics you definitely get what you pay for.
 
My 2 cents...I have three Auberin PIDs in my control panel. I purchased each through their website. I also purchased RTDs for my setup from Auberin. All transactions went smoothly and perfectly. When I sent an email asking certain questions about the PIDs, I received an answer quickly. When I broke the retaining plastic band from one of the PIDs when I was installing the unit, Auberin promptly sent me a new one.

You can purchase cheaper electronics but you are unlikely to find the same level of quality customer service like Auberin.
 
jeffmeh said:
Queue augiedoggy.... :)
Click to expand...

Yup the my pins have always worked great for me :) they have a much shorter cycle time than the auber units which in my opinion gives them more control against overshooting the element.

And let's not forget the auber units are also cheap Chinese made pids... you pay for support which you likely won't need anyway from auber...most auber customers still come here looking for answers to questions.
The contractors ,ssrs, switches, indicators and heatsinks that auber sells are rhe very same cheap chinese products sold on amazon or ebay for half the price or less... auber is a middleman distributor when it comes to this stuff
 
augiedoggy said:
Yup the my pins have always worked great for me :) they have a much shorter cycle time than the auber units which in my opinion gives them more control against overshooting the element.

And let's not forget the auber units are also cheap Chinese made pids... you pay for support which you likely won't need anyway from auber...most auber customers still come here looking for answers to questions.
The contractors ,ssrs, switches, indicators and heatsinks that auber sells are rhe very same cheap chinese products sold on amazon or ebay for half the price or less... auber is a middleman distributor when it comes to this stuff
Click to expand...

Everyone has very good points. But I'm all about the cost right now. Buying auberins is doubling my cost. Buying a premade controller is doubling my overall cost.

Thanks auggie. That pretty much settles it for me. I'm going cheap.

Is there a mypin PID you recommend? There's a couple of them out there. Also, do you have a wiring diagram thread for the mypins? All of the ones I find are auberins diagrams
 
The Sesots D1SR are pretty popular where I live and they do the job. I'm having one which is acting strangely, it starts at minus lots of degrees, but it seems like I'm the only one having this issue..

You can find them relatively cheap comparing to an Auberins, on Ebay or maybe aliexpress too. Just swap the thermocouple for a PT-100.

The instructions which follow it seems like a google translation from chinese to enligsh, but didn't have any problems understanding it. It so similar to one of those auberins that you can use the auberins manual if you need to.
 
Where is everyone buying their stainless steel elements. I only found 2000w SS at brewhardware
 
Kmcogar said:
Everyone has very good points. But I'm all about the cost right now. Buying auberins is doubling my cost. Buying a premade controller is doubling my overall cost.

Thanks auggie. That pretty much settles it for me. I'm going cheap.

Is there a mypin PID you recommend? There's a couple of them out there. Also, do you have a wiring diagram thread for the mypins? All of the ones I find are auberins diagrams
Click to expand...

the mypin TD4 snr or ssn they have manual pwm mode which is usful to control the boil on the boilkettle... such as this one which comes with the ssr for $30 shipped...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dual-PID-Te...634?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20ff666efa

heres the rtd sensors I use..
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RTD-PT100-T...885?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item3aae8b15fd

check out my budget build thread below for links on everything else ..
 
I had a disgustingly awful customer service experience with auberins. I'd suggest avoiding them entirely.

I don't think their PID controllers are all that great either, although they are fairly cheap.
 
augiedoggy said:
the mypin TD4 snr or ssn they have manual pwm mode which is usful to control the boil on the boilkettle... such as this one which comes with the ssr for $30 shipped...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dual-PID-Te...634?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20ff666efa

heres the rtd sensors I use..
http://www.ebay.com/itm/RTD-PT100-T...885?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item3aae8b15fd

check out my budget build thread below for links on everything else ..
Click to expand...

One last question ague, what size wire gauge should i use for my 120v build?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Kmcogar said:
So, theres the cheap PIDs......DO they work as good as the Auberin PID? I can buy a PID (Mypin TD6), 40A SSR, and Heatsink for $37. Or the AUberin PID for $55 (cost plus shipping).
Click to expand...
The fact that you can get a working PID controller for $50 is, IMO, a miracle.


Kmcogar said:
My next question. RTD.....where to buy it? I want one with the disconnect option. The only place i found one is brausupply. $35 plus shipping. SO, $45.
Click to expand...
I've always gotten mine from Omega and again I say an RTD at $35 - $45 that works is miraculous. I paid much more for the controllers and RTDs I got from Omega but they have been in service for over 20 yrs.
 
Kmcogar said:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002HWRS7W/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

This 12g says its 15a and is good up to 1875w. Would this still work? Since im using a 2000w element....Am I over thinking this?

Would this be a better choice?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002G9TNFG/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Would it make a difference?

I would prefer the extra length of the first extension cord. But safety come first.
Click to expand...
12g romex is good for 20a ...12g so or sj is rated for 25a ..extension cords are log and have addtional connectors to deal with so they are usually rated for less power capacity. If you really want to have piece of mind buy different wire the insulation may not be as good on that wire but most free standing wires inside of a control panel are short runs and have a lot of open air for cooling so I think you will be fine.

I was under the impression you were looking for wire to build your panel not for an extension cord to run it off of... you will need to find a 20a extension cord which will have the 20a nema style plugs at each end to be safe... if your looking for actual power cord for your setup and element than the second choice is the way to go.
 
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ajdelange said:
The fact that you can get a working PID controller for $50 is, IMO, a miracle.



I've always gotten mine from Omega and again I say an RTD at $35 - $45 that works is miraculous. I paid much more for the controllers and RTDs I got from Omega but they have been in service for over 20 yrs.
Click to expand...

I have bought and used 8 different cheap RTD /pt100 sensors and they have all been within 2 degrees before any calibration was done... I also have analog thermometers placed throughout my setup for comparision and I find the rtd's are accurate within a degree/possibly 2 degrees so far... for brewing beer they work very well the ones I linked with quick disconnects are a nice improvement over the cheaper $6 ones I was using but they work just as well.

The exact rtds that auber sells from the same manufactuer can be found starting out at $25 a piece on aliexpress... they are available in either 304 or 316 stainless not that it matters much here...

The analog pids that auber sells can also be found on aliepress for about $25 with shipping... just look for the "XMT-612" pid...

Aubers ssrs are actually "Mager" brand units just rebranded for distribution (and 100% markup over mager reatail) They can be found on ebay sold with a heatsink for close to half of what auber charges for just the ssr alone... aubers $6 switches are $3 on ebay thier $11 heatsinks are $4 shipped on ebay... see the trend here? these are the same products mind you not comparable ones..

dispite all of the facts people still believe if the stuff is being sold by them for twice the price that its somehow a superior product... And that is the successful business model for many distributors today who rebrand and sell other peoples stuff. Nothing wrong with that but In my opinion the markups should be more along the lines of 30-35% not 100% pluss shipping over what the stuff sells for direct from china online shipped.
 
My strategy is basically to get the cheap parts now and IF they fail I'll consider upgrading them. I don't brew as a business, and I don't want to spend all my money on it. I don't put much stock in the whole "you get what you pay for" cliche. If you're in a situation where a PID or a probe failing costs you customers or is a physical danger, then spend money for peace of mind. I take a bit of pride in doing things well for really cheap. :)
 
ok, the only thing I need to buy is the wiring. Its a pretty simple concept. But, there is other articles that lead me to believe otherwise. So...im gonna need this broken down barney style for me. As of right now, I have several power cords that are 14g. I figure this should work for most of the interior wire. I am worried most about the exterior wire.

~The cable from the controller to the element.
1st question: This cable should be able to handle at least 20a...correct?

- I say this because some of the 12g cables i see online are only good up to 15a.
~The following article states it uses this (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002HWRS6S/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20)
*https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=381476&page=5


Maybe I am missing something but this cable is only rated for 15a. but it still seems to work for this guy.

2nd question: The cable from the Controller to the outlet. Does this cable need to be 20a?

I would like to have at least 15ft of cable for this portion. more is better though. 25 feet would be better. I am having trouble finding a 20a cable that works with the outlet I have outside. Most of the cables i find are only rated for 15a. The cables are 12g but state that it can only support up to 1875watts. (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002HWRS7W/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20)

3rd question: would the cable in this link work for both my element and cable from controller to outlet?

4th question: does anyone know of a good "inexpensive" (not cheap) cable that will suit my needs? i would like one that would work for both the element and cord for the controller to the "regular outlet"

5th question: What should I buy? Easy enough. Just tell me whats best. I would rather not leave this to chance.

Also,IF I need to buy a end for the cable or a special outlet, list that as well. Thanks all. :drunk::confused::tank:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Kmcogar said:
ok, the only thing I need to buy is the wiring. Its a pretty simple concept. But, there is other articles that lead me to believe otherwise. So...im gonna need this broken down barney style for me. As of right now, I have several power cords that are 14g. I figure this should work for most of the interior wire. I am worried most about the exterior wire.

~The cable from the controller to the element.
1st question: This cable should be able to handle at least 20a...correct?

- I say this because some of the 12g cables i see online are only good up to 15a.
~The following article states it uses this (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002HWRS6S/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20)
*https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=381476&page=5


Maybe I am missing something but this cable is only rated for 15a. but it still seems to work for this guy.

2nd question: The cable from the Controller to the outlet. Does this cable need to be 20a?

I would like to have at least 15ft of cable for this portion. more is better though. 25 feet would be better. I am having trouble finding a 20a cable that works with the outlet I have outside. Most of the cables i find are only rated for 15a. The cables are 12g but state that it can only support up to 1875watts. (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002HWRS7W/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20)

3rd question: would the cable in this link work for both my element and cable from controller to outlet?

4th question: does anyone know of a good "inexpensive" (not cheap) cable that will suit my needs? i would like one that would work for both the element and cord for the controller to the "regular outlet"

5th question: What should I buy? Easy enough. Just tell me whats best. I would rather not leave this to chance.

Also,IF I need to buy a end for the cable or a special outlet, list that as well. Thanks all. :drunk::confused::tank:
Click to expand...
yes you need a 20a 120v outlet... you can google that.. as far as the wiring the insulation is made of different materials some is better and holds up to higher current/temps without failure and others are not rated for this... in some cases the insulation is fine but the manufacturer did not want to pay the exorbitant amount of money for testing and certification if it was mainly being marketed for something else like automotive use.
The 12/3 used by that guy you linked was cut up into shorter lengths making it safer for higher amp loads... at 50ft in length there is more resistance and heat generated by that...
 
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