Thinking about going electric...

[Bobby_M]

I now have the Auber and Mypin in my hands, but it would be a while before I'm able to install them side by side.

 

[iijakii]

Does the MyPin come with a decent manual? I've heard users here post that documentation is less than stellar. See https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f170/pid-calabration-462050/ for an example of a simple problem fixed with Auber manual.

 

[augiedoggy]

I now have the Auber and Mypin in my hands, but it would be a while before I'm able to install them side by side.

awesome! I'll be interested to see if the auber in fact does have some advantage over the mypin in functionality.

 

[augiedoggy]

Does the MyPin come with a decent manual? I've heard users here post that documentation is less than stellar. See https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f170/pid-calabration-462050/ for an example of a simple problem fixed with Auber manual.

The documentation does leave a bit to be desired... That said for what we use these for once its wired the documentation is really not needed....
The documentation Does mention homebrewing and I was surprised to see that.

 

[kenh]

Please let us know. I'm using MyPIN and I like my controllers and I'd like to know how they stack up? I'd also like to see pictures of the insides to see how similar or different they are from each other. A buddy of mine claims to have taken a few Chinese PIDs apart at work and he says the ones he took apart were the same inside and that they were the same parts only with different names on the outside.

 

[iijakii]

The documentation does leave a bit to be desired... That said for what we use these for once its wired the documentation is really not needed....
The documentation Does mention homebrewing and I was surprised to see that.

Is it simple enough to setup parameters like that temp-offset and change the alarms? Is the menu easily navigable?

 

[kenh]

Please let us know. I'm using MyPIN and I like my controllers and I'd like to know how they stack up? I'd also like to see pictures of the insides to see how similar or different they are from each other. A buddy of mine claims to have taken a few Chinese PIDs apart at work and he says the ones he took apart were the same inside and that they were the same parts only with different names on the outside.

I found a scanned manual for my MyPIN controller on-line - I use the TA4-SNR controllers.
http://www.kegkits.com/TA4.pdf

 

[augiedoggy]

Is it simple enough to setup parameters like that temp-offset and change the alarms? Is the menu easily navigable?

well the alarms are easy to change and I have the memorized but I have never altered the temp offset. I use mine to heat HLT to a specific temp and hold it there for mash and then raise to another for sparge...
the BK pid just brings wort to a boil whether its in manual or auto mode...
I probaly should read up more on the other options as I found my pid has to keep relearning bcause of the element kill switch, when I turn off the element with the switch the pid logic runs away trying to still control temp and then when I turn it back on it overcompensates..

 

[Brumateur]

I probaly should read up more on the other options as I found my pid has to keep relearning bcause of the element kill switch, when I turn off the element with the switch the pid logic runs away trying to still control temp and then when I turn it back on it overcompensates..

Try to set your "I" parameter to 0. Or smallest possible value (I think it 0.1)

 

[iijakii]

Try to set your "I" parameter to 0. Or smallest possible value (I think it 0.1)

Could you explain what that does?

Also Auggie, I think in manual mode they're not supposed to learn. I know that's a pain to switch to manual everytime you want to turn the element off though.

 

[Brumateur]

From wikipedia :

"The PID controller algorithm involves three separate constant parameters, and is accordingly sometimes called three-term control: the proportional, the integral and derivative values, denoted P, I, and D. Simply put, these values can be interpreted in terms of time: P depends on the present error, I on the accumulation of past errors, and D is a prediction of future errors, based on current rate of change.[1] The weighted sum of these three actions is used to adjust the process via a control element such as the position of a control valve, a damper, or the power supplied to a heating element."

When you kill an element temperature error starts accumulating and it cause an overshoots when you switch it On. Setting I parameter to 0 prevents accumulation.

 

[iijakii]

Ok cool, thank you. I see in that TA4 manual linked above you can set I = OFF.

Edit: Also see in the menu there's the PVF value for temperature offset. Figured it had it, just wanted to make sure. I'll definitely be buying three of these and saving ~$65. And yeah I was thinking of the TD4 all along. I figure the menu basics are the same through them though.

 

[augiedoggy]

Ok cool, thank you. I see in that TA4 manual linked above you can set I = OFF.

Edit: Also see in the menu there's the PVF value for temperature offset. Figured it had it, just wanted to make sure. I'll definitely be buying three of these and saving ~$65.

Td4 is a better choice (manual mode) and only about 22 bucks shipped from a NY seller on eBay...

 

[augiedoggy]

From wikipedia :

"The PID controller algorithm involves three separate constant parameters, and is accordingly sometimes called three-term control: the proportional, the integral and derivative values, denoted P, I, and D. Simply put, these values can be interpreted in terms of time: P depends on the present error, I on the accumulation of past errors, and D is a prediction of future errors, based on current rate of change.[1] The weighted sum of these three actions is used to adjust the process via a control element such as the position of a control valve, a damper, or the power supplied to a heating element."

When you kill an element temperature error starts accumulating and it cause an overshoots when you switch it On. Setting I parameter to 0 prevents accumulation.

Thanks for this information.