Anyone dual-purposing a PID for RIMS and a BBQ blower fan?

[JetSmooth]

One of my other hobbies is BBQ. In fact, it's a bit more than a hobby; we roast a chicken in the Big Green Egg about once a week. I've often thought about getting a pitminder to control temps and allow me to do some lower and slower cooking.

Meanwhile, I'm thinking I need to step up my brewing and probably add some better mash temperature controls.

While I'm still in my early phases, I was looking at putting a PID in a toolbox to control a RIMS tube for my mash temps and then it hit me, could I also use the same box to control a blower fan for my grill?

I don't know the difference between cycling a heater element on and off and a blower fan. Could a PID do both? I'm assuming I could get an accessory blower from something like a BBQ Guru.

This would also go a long way in convincing SWMBO that I need to lay out some money on a new project.

The first step will be using the PID for simple monitoring of temperatures (boil and mash). Then, probably controlling the BBQ. Ultimately, I'd build the RIMS tube and mount to the toolbox as well.

Thoughts?

 

[IslandLizard]

I was just looking for the "Golden Rhino" PID and stumbled upon this BBQ/smoker blower setup:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ATC-Automat...258?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item20d08ba572

Now he used to sell those kits for $118 + $30 for shipping before...

Anyway still a good source of inspiration. Mind you, this is a DC controller, not AC, and has 2 probes.

 

[blaster_54738]

I'd like to hear answers to this as well, just got my smoker and would be need to use my RIMS box to control a fan

 

[JetSmooth]

Not bad!

I just found this, right after I posted my thread.

http://www.ice8420.com/blog/2012/01/diy-pid-control-for-bbq-sous-vide-mash-tun-whatever/

Looks like it should work. I'm just wondering if there's something different about the output. My link, he doesn't go into how he uses it for homebrewing, just the BBQ. But if it's coming off the SSR, it should be simply plug and play.

 

[IPA-Hole]

I use my PID temp controller for beer, BBQ, sous vide - love multi-taskers.

 

[JetSmooth]

I use my PID temp controller for beer, BBQ, sous vide - love multi-taskers.

Then I demand a tour and a how-to!

 

[sethga]

Not bad!

I just found this, right after I posted my thread.

http://www.ice8420.com/blog/2012/01/diy-pid-control-for-bbq-sous-vide-mash-tun-whatever/

Looks like it should work. I'm just wondering if there's something different about the output. My link, he doesn't go into how he uses it for homebrewing, just the BBQ. But if it's coming off the SSR, it should be simply plug and play.

That's my site

I'm a bad homebrewer cause I haven't brewed in 1 year +. Life Got married though, that counts? Never took pics of when I used it for mashing, it was only once.

It is just plug and play - depending on what I'm doing (sous vide, bbq) - just hook up a thermocouple, and output device, whether that be fan or heater.. and that's it. That is the reason that I made the box with all of the ports on the side, so I could change the thermocouple and output device easily.

For sous vide (electric heating element) this thing is VERY accurate, never see it sway more than ~.1 degree. Mashing, the same.

On the UDS or chargriller, usually within 1-2 degree unless I go doing stupid things like opening the lid for some reason - it'll eventually level out. On my chargriller, it would level out easier - on the UDS though, just by the nature of what it is, opening the lid for any period of time lets a ton of air in and will spike the temp.

 

[IPA-Hole]

When I built my temp controller, it was with the intention of using it for a variety of needs - RIMS, BBQ (both electric and wood/charcoal), sous vide (with a mini water recirculating pump), fermentation temp control, chicken coop temp control; the uses are endless. :rockin:

 

[JetSmooth]

sethga, awesome! So, does it have to "learn" every time you change what's on the output side? Or is that pretty quick?

I've brewed maybe twice in the past three years. Same issue; life. We've got a three-and-a-half-year-old boy. Last time, I brewed (MLK day), I fell off a ladder onto a stone patio HARD. So I started looking at ways to improve and make a solo brew day easier. First, I'll have to get a second pump (to eliminate the need to have my mash up on a ladder). But then I figured if I was going to put together a central control toolbox, I might as well make sure I can fit some temp control in there.

Funny how these things snowball, ain't it?

 

[sethga]

sethga, awesome! So, does it have to "learn" every time you change what's on the output side? Or is that pretty quick?

I've brewed maybe twice in the past three years. Same issue; life. We've got a three-and-a-half-year-old boy. Last time, I brewed (MLK day), I fell off a ladder onto a stone patio HARD. So I started looking at ways to improve and make a solo brew day easier. First, I'll have to get a second pump (to eliminate the need to have my mash up on a ladder). But then I figured if I was going to put together a central control toolbox, I might as well make sure I can fit some temp control in there.

Funny how these things snowball, ain't it?

I am injury prone.. my wife is cool with all my dangerous hobbies now that she is my beneficiary

Whenever I switch between BBQ or sous vide, yes, I'll put it in learn mode.

The learn function on that PID is really fast on anything like sous vide or mash - most PIDs will be - even the instructions state, anything with electric control in a closed system will increase accuracy and decrease learning time.

On the UDS or smoker.. I'll hit the relearn at the beginning of the smoke most of the time, because the outside air temperature is different and it does affect things. It'll take a little bit longer on the BBQ to lock in, I never watched but usually it's under an hour - it has to take the time to figure out the overshoot parameter properly which is what I have gathered from reading.

Like IPA-hole.. love this thing as a multitasker. The one I built, I just shared, and hopefully people find it useful and sparks an idea in their head - the build and use possibilities are really endless.

 

[IPA-Hole]

I added a DPST switch on mine so I could use both TC and RTD probes. Works great!

Smoked a brisket with the temp controller for Memorial Day - everyone loved it.

 

[JetSmooth]

I added a DPST switch on mine so I could use both TC and RTD probes. Works great!

Smoked a brisket with the temp controller for Memorial Day - everyone loved it.

'Splain this.

Sounds complicated.

 

[IPA-Hole]

'Splain this.

Sounds complicated.

No problem. Most PID's can use a variety of probes. Most common are TC and RTD's. TC (thermocouple) probes usually have 2 wires and connect direct to the PID. They're cheap and easy. RTD (resistance thermometer detectors) are more accurate, cost just a little more, but require jumpers on the PID. That's why I have a switch so I can "activate" the jumpers for RTD's or not for the TC's.

 

[JetSmooth]

No problem. Most PID's can use a variety of probes. Most common are TC and RTD's. TC (thermocouple) probes usually have 2 wires and connect direct to the PID. They're cheap and easy. RTD (resistance thermometer detectors) are more accurate, cost just a little more, but require jumpers on the PID. That's why I have a switch so I can "activate" the jumpers for RTD's or not for the TC's.

Ahhh. Gotcha. I was trying to decide between TCs and RTDs. Especially since I'll be using this for multiple applications (high heat for the grill, immersed for the mash, etc). Might have to look into this. I assume there's a guide out there.

 

[HootervilleHops]

Any thoughts on using a 12 volt fan run from a wall wort, with this type of build?
I would like to run my smoker with my rims controller but i have 110 output and have a 12 volt fan.

 

[passedpawn]

My head just exploded.

I have all sorts of PID control on my brewery. Why the hell haven't I installed a temp sensor and fan on my smoker? Kapow! Blam! Splat!

[edit] oh yea, I like to brew while I'm smoking. Nevermind, I'm still gonna do a dedicated smoker controller.

 

[sethga]

Any thoughts on using a 12 volt fan run from a wall wort, with this type of build?
I would like to run my smoker with my rims controller but i have 110 output and have a 12 volt fan.

Sure, I have. I have a 110 fan, a 12v fan .. all fine. You can plug whatever you want into the 110 output, whether it's a wall wart or direct powers the fan, doesn't really matter

 

[jCOSbrew]

I use a micro controller board called HeaterMeter4.0 connected to a raspberryPi for controlling the fan on the BBQ. They have a page on github and a thread on TVWBB forum about it. You can control and monitor the BBQ from your phone via a web page or app. I don't need these features for brewing so I have a basic electric panel with a $30 PID for that. In theory you could "calibrate" the PID for each application and note the parameters and edit the setting manually when you switch from BBQ to Brewing.

http://tvwbb.com/showthread.php?22136-LinkMeter-v2-Homebrew-BBQ-Controller-Part-1

 

[sethga]

I also use a Heatermeter v4.

Simplicity with my old rig.. plug in a temp and go. Never had a problem with RTD's, and it self learned. "set and forget" if you will.


Bells and whistles about the heatermeter... remote temp monitoring and graphing, alarms, etc... what is not mature yet is thermocouple use (very close to that it seems) and PID tuning.

I like both.

 

[hodgeswalt1]

Can someone please about the tc info and hookup on the ver 4.x board.

Thanks,
--walt