Just another control panel

I have been working on my control panel the last few weekends and am interested to know what you guys think. I still need a way to attach my Thermocouples and another piece of din rail.

 

looking good. now for the hard part

 

Looks good

 

You can use something like this for your thermocouples. Just buy the mini tc connectors


http://www.omega.com/pptst/UPJ.html

 

Thanks I have parts like them just did not like the look. I like the look of these better.

 

That looks great you get an (A). Now grasshopper, wire like the wind, (keep everything tight, because that is going to be a stuff job).

 

Yes it was tight next time one up on my box size.
Today's work.

 

Looks awesome!

What are those four black components to the right next to the relays and breakers?

 

they are maniacal relays

 

Do the let out an evil click when they close?
Seriously...no heat syncs? I'm about to build similar


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Heat Sinks are there just cant see them.

 

Ssrs aren't directly attached? Again...learning


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What is the benefit of mechanical and SSR?

 

SSR have a much higher switching speed, but requires a heatsink. Also SSR usually fail shorted.(that's not an advantage)

 

the mechanical kills all out power on both legs.
ssr can and will leak power not much but could be more than enough to kill you.
Just a bit of added safety.
here are my heat sinks.

 

Are you concerned that the heat sinks are inside the box? Where will the heat go - unless you are planning on putting in a fan? I'm just finishing up my own box and reading Kal's design made me design with an external heatsink. I have not brewed yet (soon) In the few tests I've run suggest that my 30A rig generates some serious heat.

Nice layout, neat wiring - neater than mine for sure.

Mike


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Those heat sinks are going to get pretty hot in that enclosure. You might want to think about a fan and a vent. And have some spare SSR's handy.

 

Spare PIDs too. Heat greatly reduces the lifespan of electrolytic capacitors (which are found in most electronic devices, including PIDs).

Kal

 

X2 on the venting. With no fresh air, the heat sinks won't function long term

 

It is important to be aware of heat buildup inside the panel.

But remember that panel is steel, and it will conduct heat away from the SSR's and radiate it into the room without fans

Were it mine, I would mount the SSR's to the box interior so the box becomes the heat sink.

 

yes a fan is in the works and have spares for almost all the electronic parts.

 

What size is the enclosure?

 

16x16x8

 

test run on just water. After the test run I Found needed to move my sight glasses. So the next test run will be a brew

 

I have a 50 amp, 240 vac system. I run two 4500 watt elements in both my HLT and BK. My heat sinks are mounted to the back panel. Granted my heat sinks are bigger and my enclosure is bigger (20X16X8), but I have no ventilation system and my SSRs barely get warm. I have had the same Crydom (40 amp) SSRs for 8 years with no failures. I have replaced one Omega PID but I purchased it used. The size of the heat sink and enclosure will make a significant difference so my situation is not universally applicable. YMMV.

 

I have 50 amp Teledyne ssrs with a decent sized external heatsink. The heat sink gets pretty freaking warm to the touch. Uncomfortablly warm. My power runs hot many day though so that could play a part? 245 volts under a load.

 

I also have two4500w elements but I use two cheapo SSR's (one fatek and one mypin. I use the $3 ebay heatsinks inside my small 12 x 12 x 6 enclosure and a 12v 60mm pc fan which blows through them.... mine stay fairly cool to the touch and have worked well for 10 months now and just over 30 brew sessions.
just added another fotek ssr for my small 1000w rims tube.

 

Shouldnt get so hot you cant touch the heatsink. I have (2)1500watt elements in my bk, each with a 10 amp ssr. I use a pair of pc cpu heatsinks with an 80mm fan on each. Barely gets warm

 

Would you mind posting a pic of your situation? Trying to make my mind up about which way to go.

 

I have a question about the mech relays. If the SSR's control the mech relays, and the SSR's fail hot, then won't they just energize the mech relays when they fail?

 

the mechanical relays are turned on and off manually by a switch in most cases..(I use a three way switch to prevent accidenatlly turning both elements on at once) . They are more a fail safe and also kill power to both hot legs of power to the element vs an ssr which only kills one half of the actual power going to the element. but because the srr kills one leg the circuit is not complete and the element turns off in normal use with the ssr.

 

augie, thx for the reply. I kinda get that, I was reffering to this particular use

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f170/just-another-control-panel-488304/#post6343511

 

The SSR dose not control the relay. Its just there the completely brake the circuit out to the element. Its on when the controller is on and off when the controller is off. Also I have a light that is on when the SSR is on if it fails on I will see the light stay on.

 

I see, thank you sir!

 

I put in an extra contactor that is controlled by the emergency button, so if anything in the panel starts to burn it kills power to everything inside. So I'm using 3 contactors. They are all controlled by low voltage.

 

Edit nevermind I misread.
mine is wired similarly except I have it so the controller stays on so I can monitor temps.
I also used relays that are controlled by low voltage 24 volts DC in my case

 

I was thinking of changing mine to that also. my contractors have a 120v coil.

 

I had a eureka moment (kinda) the other day when I f'ing around with soldering those tiny pins onto wires for the external probe connectors. I'm really annoyed I didn't think of it sooner - use RJ-45s. As an IT guy, I have all the crimps, terminators, sockets, everything Cat5. If I could undrill those holes ...

 

True dat. Or even RJ-11. Those audio connectors are a real pain.

 

I think this would work well for a rtd probe but don't know how well it would work for other types of temp probes.