Help With Rims Rocket and thermocouples

[Devils_Chariot]

A couple of years ago my wife bought me a Hop Rocket for xmas and I have used it off and on. Now that I that do hot stands and whirpool hopping I don't use it for it's intended purpose that much.

I have wanted to add a rims system and since Blichmann cam out with the 120V rims conversion kit I have been thinking of buying one.

I am not sure what parts I need to go with it.

I know I need a thermocouple adapter from blichmann.

I have some STC-1000 and Johnson A419 to control the temps but I am unsure of what thermocouple/probe to buy or would work with these controllers.

Any suggestions?

 

[wshinn2]

I am not that familiar with the Johnson controller, but have experience using the STC-1000. My attempts at using it to control a RIMS/HERMS system with it have not been successful. The STC-1000 will vary the temperature greatly as it has a fairly wide tolerance and doesn't have the ability to "throttle" the heating element on and off rapidly. With the STC-1000 it is either on 100%, full power, or off completely, resulting in over and then under shoot.

I ended up building a controller using an Auberin SYL-2362 (PID controller). After I "tuned" it to my mash flow rate, it holds my mash temperature within a tenth or two (F). Good luck!

 

[Devils_Chariot]

Luckingly i found a thread that adresses this situation. The controllers with mechaical relays like the stc wont work. I am going the same route as you described. That's good confirmation though. Thanks!

 

[augiedoggy]

Luckingly i found a thread that adresses this situation. The controllers with mechaical relays like the stc wont work. I am going the same route as you described. That's good confirmation though. Thanks!

You would look at it just like any other rims tube... You want a pid controller and an SSR (solid state relay) because the relay has to turn on and off multiple times per second... pids are like "smart controllers"
The stc1000 is setup with all its defaults for controlling a cooling compressor and has time delays plus the mechanical contacts would burn up quickly if used this way.

I use a mypin td4 pid and a teledyne relay... cost with heatsink was about $50 for everything shipped...