EZ boil, unstable temp readings

[Dland]

Hi, I've been having problems maintaining accurate temp readings w my Auber Cube. It sort of acts like a bad cable connection, and maybe it is, but there are no wires crossed at ends and continuity is good though all three leads.

Temp reading will maintain a while, and then creep up to open line condition, or just go up to some random high number. I can sometimes set for desired temp by figuring number above reading and set to that, but it is not that stable. Sometimes adjusting temp setting causes temp reading to change.

Sometimes simply turning of controller and turning on a gain will yield the accurate temp, for a while. This symtom in particular makes me wonder if it cold be something internal.

Have been through damaged cable end repair before, and this is sort of acting like that, but wondering if anything inside the EZ boil could cause this instability. Could this one be on the way out? I've brewed about 90 batches with it. I can always get through my brew day, but this had been a bit of a PITA for the last several brews.

 

[superiorsat]

I've got an EZBoil that about every 5 or 10 brews it goes all squirrelly with the temp that just keeps climbing.
I have to take the controller apart and remove the temp probe wires from the EZBoil terminals, then put them back on. I actually sent this one in to Auber and of course they couldn't recreate the problem. I got it back and in about 10 brews same scenario. I emailed them and was told to check for loose wires. Been doing this process for years and it works every time.

 

[d40dave]

I had what seems to be the same problem. I got contact cleaner for the connection for the temperature probe on the brew kettle. That fixed it.

 

[doug293cz]

Sounds like a poor connection or bad cable problem. Rule that out before assuming it's the EZBoil.

Brew on

 

[Dland]

Well I did test continuity through ends on cable, been through that a while ago.

The above suggestions at least give me something I can check, thanks.

However, a spare EZ boil is not really that expensive in the scheme of things, wonder if it is something I should keep on hand. I don't know much about them other than they are kind of a pain and program is more complicated than I need, esp w that one little cheep control knob to run everything...but I do like electric brewing...

 

[d40dave]

I did a continuity test too. That was OK. Using the contact cleaner fixed it. I would not suspect thee EZ boil.

 

[Brewbuzzard]

I never have an issue with my two eZboils. I did damage a probe when I first built the control panel by twisting it too far. I like the eZboils and find them much easier to program than a PID. All my connections have never been disconnected for three years. I am going to get a spare since I've bragged on it.

 

[Dland]

Well, brewing again today, I tried cleaning exterior contacts, was getting an OK temp reading fro a while, went to cellar to prep fermentor & came back and was getting an open line message again. Since it was sparge water & I did not want delays, I hooked up to a separate un controlled 30A plug to get water up to temp, and the instant I unplugged HLT from controller, the temp reading went to normal.

I guess I'll try cleaning interior contacts to ezboil as superiorsat suggested, after I finish this brew. If that does not work, I guess I'll look to replace ezboil or whole controller.

If there was a controller that would run up to and maintain set temps for HLT and run % boil power for boil without all the program options and numbers switching around, flashing program times etc, I'd buy it. This thing has always been overly complicated for my purposes, and now it is getting finicky.

 

[Dland]

Brewing again today, thought I'd add an update;

Contacts are clean and tight, cable continuity good. Noticed that when temp wanders up, I can get it back to good reading by switching functions(ie mash to boil) turning on & off, or sometimes wiggling control knob.

I can only conclude that problem is internal to EZ boil. It has not been acting up as much since I took Cube apart & reassembled, my guess is manipulating the device helped in some way. It has not gone to open line condition yet today, but did start arbitrarily creeping up when heating sparge water. Switching control knob around brought back a true reading.

 

[Brewbuzzard]

Brewing again today, thought I'd add an update;

Contacts are clean and tight, cable continuity good. Noticed that when temp wanders up, I can get it back to good reading by switching functions(ie mash to boil) turning on & off, or sometimes wiggling control knob.

I can only conclude that problem is internal to EZ boil. It has not been acting up as much since I took Cube apart & reassembled, my guess is manipulating the device helped in some way. It has not gone to open line condition yet today, but did start arbitrarily creeping up when heating sparge water. Switching control knob around brought back a true reading.

I concur. You need a new eZboil. I never have an issue and I have two in my control panel and have about 70 batches in 3.5 years.

 

[Dland]

After several more batches w old EZ boil and unstable temp readings, & messing with it to get it off open line signal (won't heat element when that is on), I got around to putting a new one in my Cube controller. What a difference, $40 bucks and 20 minutes installation and controller is like new again.

Putting this out there in case anyone has problems w EZ boil, and cable is not the problem. Bad cable connections still most likely cause if you have an issue, but the unit can go bad too. Maybe more likely in portable rig like mine than is a permanently mounted board, just guessing.

 

[Tiggers97]

Just to add to the conversation: I was getting some temps on my new setup that were bouncing around (Auber SYL-2802 Dual Channel temp meter). I put the filters on max (5) and that seems to have stabilized the temperatures, meaning I was getting electrical interference within the controller box affecting the temperature readings. Apparently the only draw back is that the temps update a little slower.

I'm thinking I might just replace the internal panel temp probe wires from the controller to the plug with shielded cable, in addition to increasing the filter value, since I have about 6 feet of 4-wire shielded signal wire in my shop handy.

 

[doug293cz]

Just to add to the conversation: I was getting some temps on my new setup that were bouncing around (Auber SYL-2802 Dual Channel temp meter). I put the filters on max (5) and that seems to have stabilized the temperatures, meaning I was getting electrical interference within the controller box affecting the temperature readings. Apparently the only draw back is that the temps update a little slower.

I'm thinking I might just replace the internal panel temp probe wires from the controller to the plug with shielded cable, in addition to increasing the filter value, since I have about 6 feet of 4-wire shielded signal wire in my shop handy.

Are you using something other than zero-switching SSRs to modulate the power?

Brew on

 

[Tiggers97]

Are you using something other than zero-switching SSRs to modulate the power?

Brew on

I'm using this Auber SSR. It says " zero-cross turn on ", so I'm assuming that's the same?

 

[doug293cz]

I'm using this Auber SSR. It says " zero-cross turn on ", so I'm assuming that's the same?

Yes.

I was curious if maybe your electrical noise (affecting your temp readings) was due to switching method, but apparently not.

Brew on