Controller/Temp probe cross compatibility

[Jtvann]

Hey all, I've got a brew boss controller that I love. Can someone tell me the compatibility between that controller and the Ssbrewtech eKettle?

The Male plug ins look the same, but I'm not wanting to drop over 500 dollars and the looks of a picture. Figured I'd ask someone here more knowledge about controller workings.

Here's the brew boss temp probe. And the eKettle.

https://www.brew-boss.com/product-p/tempprobe.htm

https://www.ssbrewtech.com/collecti...roducts/10-gal-ekettle?variant=16660171325511

 

[Jtvann]

Any feedback on this?

 

[Bad Bubba]

According to the SS Brewtech site, their ekettle is only compatible with their controller.

 

[Jtvann]

According to the SS Brewtech site, their ekettle is only compatible with their controller.

Of course they would say that. Everybody says that. I doubt every manufacturer uses a proprietary probe.

 

[Sean Monaghan]

They use a standard PT100 RTD type probe. The only "proprietary" part about it is how it's connected to the e-kettle element in my opinion. The barrel connector is a bit unusual, but as proven in the linked thread below, it can be used with other PID type brew controllers as stated in post #15.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/3-5mm-jack-to-xlr-temperature-probe.667722/#post-8952102

 

[Jtvann]

So the brew boss controller specifically though is not a PID type controller?

 

[doug293cz]

So the brew boss controller specifically though is not a PID type controller?

It probably does run a PID control algorithm, however the control algorithm used has nothing to do with the type of temperature sensor used. The type of temperature sensor determines what kind of signal conditioning electronics are needed to take the signal from the temp sensor and make it usable by the control algorithm.

Modern PID's are almost always computer implemented versions of the control algorithm, so they need a digital representation of the temperature in order to operate. For RTD's, thermocouples, and thermistors, the signal processing consists of amplification and digitization (analog to digital conversion) of the sensor input prior to any computation on the input. For DS18B20 temperature sensors, the sensor output is a digital data stream that can be fed directly into the digital computer running the PID algorithm.

Brew on

 

[Jtvann]

I'd love to brew on ...

Every word you just said went 10 miles over my head.

All I need to know is

1- Does it work just directly plugging it in
2- If not 1, is there an adapter to make it work
3- If not 1 or 2, how hard is it to make it work
4- If not 1-3, Will it just not work

 

[doug293cz]

I'd love to brew on ...

Every word you just said went 10 miles over my head.

All I need to know is

1- Does it work just directly plugging it in
2- If not 1, is there an adapter to make it work
3- If not 1 or 2, how hard is it to make it work
4- If not 1-3, Will it just not work

Assuming the information that the kettle has a built in RTD and the controller needs digital input in DS18B20 format, then:
1- Plugging it in directly does not work.
2- No, there is no readily available adapter (based on a quick Google search.)
3- If you don't know how to build the proper signal processor, then it's very hard. Getting someone else interested in doing it (for low cost) is also likely to be hard.
4- This is probably the reality for you.

Brew on

 

[Jtvann]

Thank you

 

[Jtvann]

Sometimes the most obvious things are right in front of your face and you never notice them until someone else points them out.

The eKettle has a triclamp port on it on the front. That port can be used with a triclamp thermowell, using my original brew boss temperature probe.

No reason at all that it shouldn't work. The controller could be slightly slower to react through a thermowell, but I'm not mashing in it. A boil is a boil no matter what the number reads. Brew boss controller has an automatic boil detect feature anyway.