ssr trials and tribulations

[chewse]

I just finished my control panel over this past weekend - pictures to come later. I can't tell you how many hours I spent on this forum researching and learning the proper way to build a control panel; and hopefully I did it correctly. One thing I noticed in many of the electric brewing threads is the quick burn out or unreliability of several "cheaper" type SSRs. I really didn't understand why, or for that matter, why not buy the least expensive SSR because they are all the same, right?

I purchased a couple cheap Futek SSRs for the HLT and RIMS tube heater elements that met the requirements of my panel wiring setup. Well, went testing my control panel, one of the 220v lead wires came lose. At the time, the element was on. I heard a electrical pop and the interior breaker in line with the element, tripped.

I turned off the control panel, found the lose wire and reattached it and turned the control panel on again. Everything seemed to be OK; pids on, heaters on, no burning smell...

At the time of the problem, I was auto tuning the HLT pid. So I when back and started auto tuning again. The element kicked on and the pid started doing its magic. I noticed, after passing the target temp, the element didn't turn off and it just kept going.

After letting AT run for 20 or so minutes and the element not automatically clicking off, I powered down the panel and traced all my wiring to make sure I did screw it up. It looked OK. I turned on the panel and went through all the pid setting (for the zillionth time). Everything OK with the settings.

I started auto tuning once more with the element on. Same thing again, the element would not turn off automatically after exceeding the target temp. I did give AT about an hour to run this time and my HLT reached a boil before I turned everything off once again.

Well, I remembered others on the forum had issues with various SSRs so I replaced the HLT element SSR with an older one (electric brewing supply) I picked up used on the internet. Well, I fired up the panel and started AT over and lo and behold it worked perfectly.

Not sure if there is a lesson here but more like another learning opportunity as I move down the electric brewing trail. I think if I have to replace the second Futek anytime soon, I'll purchase a tried and true SSR.

 

[TungstenBeer]

I think generally it's important for people to remember that if you're using a cheaper SSR, you should always be thinking about whether it failed when you have issues, especially if it's an element that won't shut off. The Futek (or Fotek?) units almost always fail closed, meaning the element will stay on.

 

[augiedoggy]

yeah the $3 foteks are a gamble...I used 3 for a year with no issues but have read about a lot of failures.. One thing to note is many buy them because they are cheap... many also skip out on using thermal paste and heatsinks to save money as well... This and improper wiring can and does account for SOME of these failures but not all...

That said there are plenty of great quality ssrs online for under $20... The MAGER brand ones sold on ebay for about $11 with included heaksinks is a great value. These are the same brand ssrs (and heatsinks) as bought and rebranded by aubrins and sold for almost 3 times the price with shipping for the pair.

Another great value is the teledyne dual ssrs sold for $15 including shipping sold on ebay...these retail over $100 a piece! many members here including myself have bought and used them with no problems.

 

[branman]

My fotek worked great until I threw a breaker due to poor design on the one of the "hot pods" (when you screw it shut the ground post may come in contact with one of the hots) and then it always stayed on too. I use ebrewsupply ssr's now with no probes.

 

[thomasjr16]

I had an Auber SSR to start but mis-wired a switch and blew the ssr on the maiden voyage. I replaced the auber with a similarly rated Fotek (2 for 18.50 deal) and had the exact same experience as the OP during my HLT water test. The heat sink got very hot and the ssr never kicked off. After shutting down the system, cooling for 20 mins, then firing it back up, the auto tune worked perfect.

My solution was to have a small 4" desk fan blow air across the heat sink during the brew session. The Fotek works well, just a little more heat sensitive than other brands and the long heat session for the strike water just seemed to be too much heat without a means to help dissipate it from the sink faster

 

[stevehaun]

I have used crydoms for 7 or 8 years without a problem. If you are patient, you can buy them for less than $10-15 on Ebay.

 

[processhead]

I have used crydoms for 7 or 8 years without a problem. If you are patient, you can buy them for less than $10-15 on Ebay.

+1

I would choose a used, working Crydom or Opto-22 SSRs over some of the questionable new junk that are selling on the market so cheap right now.

Running these used units in my panel now for 7 years with zero issues.