PID for boil

[borny]

Since a PID doesn't adjust the voltage applied, only adjusts the amount of time electricity is applied to the element, what will the boil look like? Will it just look like a vigorous boil for a couple seconds and then no boil for a couple seconds? Or can you get it to boil the wort constantly through the duration of the boil?


Thanks, Dan

 

[P-J]

With the Auberins PID SYL-2352, you can easily control the boil as a constant boil in manual mode. You set the duty cycle for a short duration. Most other PIDs that I've seen do not have a manual mode.

 

[shortyjacobs]

The 2352 from auber has a 2 second cycle time minimum. At boil, with 11 gallons, I'm typically at 60-70% on, so 1.2-1.4 seconds on, 0.8 to 0.6 seconds off.

When the kettle has just started to boil, there is perceptible pulsing in the boil, (harder, than softer, than harder), that lines up with the PID turning the SSR on and off.

After a few minutes, as temps in the whole kettle stabilize, it settles into a nice rolling boil, with no discernible pulsing.

The fact that you have such a large thermal bulk, (even 5 gallons is a LOT of thermal mass), evens out the pulses from the SSR.

Short version: It works fine, boils continuously as near as I can tell.

 

[borny]

Thank you for the quick responses! I'm brewing today a 5 gallon batch. Yep the 2352 Is the PID I have. I set it to a 2 second cycle time so I will watch it as it boils.

 

[kal]

The 2352 from auber has a 2 second cycle time minimum. At boil, with 11 gallons, I'm typically at 60-70% on, so 1.2-1.4 seconds on, 0.8 to 0.6 seconds off.

When the kettle has just started to boil, there is perceptible pulsing in the boil, (harder, than softer, than harder), that lines up with the PID turning the SSR on and off.

After a few minutes, as temps in the whole kettle stabilize, it settles into a nice rolling boil, with no discernible pulsing.

The fact that you have such a large thermal bulk, (even 5 gallons is a LOT of thermal mass), evens out the pulses from the SSR.

Short version: It works fine, boils continuously as near as I can tell.

Yup. Though I run mine at 100% duty cycle until I get to boil so no pulsing at all. I tehn turn it down to maintain and still no pulsing.

I have a video of it from start to end here (condensed to 4 minutes):



Kal

 

[borny]

Worked like a charm! I brought the wort up to a near boil at 100%, once the PID registered 200-205 degrees, I brought the PID down to 60% and had a nice rolling boil. Anything lower and I could notice a pulse in the boil.


Thanks again!!
Dan

 

[P-J]

Excellent.!!

I really glad it worked out for you.

 

[stevehaun]

I use an omega pid and set the cycle on 1 sec. No pulsing with a 1 sec cycle.

 

[jmiller944]

I bought a cheap generic PID on ebay and it works, but sometimes the display starts flickering. The documentation is horrible, I'm not sure how to set a 1sec cycle.

I should have bought an Auber, and I probably will soon.