Element Heat Control

For those that want a knob to control heat on your BK element: You're making this too complicated. Just use one of these: http://www.uxcell.com/solid-state-r...ulator-ssr-40a-25380v-heat-sink-p-230797.html with a 500 kΩ linear-taper pot. I use one for my BK, and my HLT is controlled via standard SSR and PID. Easy peasy.

themicahmachine said:

For those that want a knob to control heat on your BK element: You're making this too complicated. Just use one of these: http://www.uxcell.com/solid-state-r...ulator-ssr-40a-25380v-heat-sink-p-230797.html with a 500 kΩ linear-taper pot. I use one for my BK, and my HLT is controlled via standard SSR and PID. Easy peasy.

Click to expand...

Are you saying that the above device - which really looks like nothing more than a SSR with heat sink attached - would function much like a PWM? I would appreciate a little more elaboration on this. Could you please post a photo of your controller or, at least, post a diagram of the connections. I was considering the purchase of the electric kettle controller from highgravity.

BTW, I could not get your link to work - I would reach a page that said "Forbidden". If I went to the www.uxcell.com main page and searched for solid state relay, I could find it.

Thanks,
Keith

Cant open the link either but a search on "kyotto" on ebay will give you a number of phase angle controllers, which are just like powerful light dimmers for use on heating elements. They come at least in 25, 40 and 75A versions.

Example: http://www.ebay.com/itm/140553987088?redirect=mobile

They look like the SSR's but are more corectly called silicone controled rectifiers (SCR). They control power by letting an adjustable portion of each half cycle through to the element. As opposed to PWM (or slow PWM as one might call it) that in our application will let a number of full cycles trough to the element (full on) for a period of time, and then fully off for a periode of time. Adjusting the on and off time in relation to each other will adjust the average power delivered to the element.

PWM will pulse the power and phase angle will be smother, although phase angle can introduse som RF-noise due to it's on-switching when powersetting is in between fully on and fully off.

Hope that makes sense

Click on the link posted. Youll get the forbidden page. Then click on your url bar and hit enter. They prevent hot linking from site to site.

People have been using a pwm for a long time to control the boil. Just ebay for dc motor speed controller. Or DIY pwms.

if you copy the link, remove the garbage that the forum inserts into ever link up to the ".....&url=", then the link will work.

btw these are PWM, not phase angle controllers. not a bad price considering it comes with a good heatsink.

How large an element can this safely control? 5000w,110, 220?

40 amps (max- so if you pull 40 full amps this thing is going to get damn hot).

watts = amps x volts
so
40A x 120v = 4800w
40A x 240v = 9600w

though you should really shoot for 20-25 amps to keep heat down and extend the life of the device. this is a very 'budget' (read: cheap, low quality) product at $11.
so
25A x120= 3000w
25A x240= 6000w

usually when you are talking 120v, the breaker size is going to be your limit (usually 15 or 20a). a 40A SSR is probably the best size to use on a 20A 120v breaker. it gives yourself plenty of margin to keep heat down and lifetime up.

I'm looking to use this on a 30amp 220v circuit with a 4500w element. Maybe add a
heatsink or use one of these
http://www.aliexpress.com/store/pro...ostat-Voltage-Regulator/610943_557766931.html

Any one try the phase angle ssr with a pid? Could use a relay output pid to create a short or open circuit to the potentiometer. I like the idea of controlling the power to element and temp control.

I just finished building one of these, and am happy to say it works great. I'm going to try to put together a list of components with links (the hardest thing to find/most expensive part was the box!)

cpankonien said:

I just finished building one of these, and am happy to say it works great. I'm going to try to put together a list of components with links (the hardest thing to find/most expensive part was the box!)

Click to expand...

I'd be interested in the list if you put it together.

Me too and I don't care how many kittens have to pay


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

Just buy a kit from still dragon and make life easy.

Bensiff said:

Just buy a kit from still dragon and make life easy.

Click to expand...

+1

The StillDragon site had some ordering issues but I think they are sorted out now. I picked up a DIY kit and it is working beautifully to control the output on one of my kettle elements. I was initially concerned about the heat in the plastic box but it is perfectly fine.

mswebb said:

+1

The StillDragon site had some ordering issues but I think they are sorted out now. I picked up a DIY kit and it is working beautifully to control the output on one of my kettle elements. I was initially concerned about the heat in the plastic box but it is perfectly fine.

Click to expand...

So what is needed besides the kit?

aside from the element

humann_brewing said:

So what is needed besides the kit?

aside from the element

Click to expand...

Depends where you're starting from. When I added my stilldragon kit, I already had an electrical system wired. The stilldragon kit was to allow fine tuning of my boil. I originally started with propane and converted to electric.

Tell us where you are at and we can try to point you in the right direction.