PIDs no manual control help

[dboe]

Hi Everyone.
I am in the middle of doing my first new electric control panel build.

I am following Kal's electric brewery build fairly closely for a 50Amp setup. The problem I have run into is that I bought TA4-SNR PIDs off ebay without knowing they were significantly different than the SYL-2352s.

From what I have learned, the TA4-SNR do not have manual mode to assist controlling the boil kettle by adjusting the duty cycle. (Which i dont completely understand yet). These are also single alarm, where the SYL is dual alarm... but im not sure if i need two alarms (but Kal does jumper them on the SYL build)

Additionally, I purchase a JSL-73B Timer rather than the Omega PTC21.

I want to try to get this to go together as best as I can without buying new everything. People have suggested simply swapping the Boil PID with a manual mode PID, thus only needing to buy 1 new PID.

I have looked for the TD4-SNR, but i can only find them where they come with a SSR I dont think I need.

Any advice on how I can salvage my parts list?

 

[donbrew]

EBay? I see several around $30, with an SSR around $28.

If you really look hard you might find a better deal. I didn't look very hard.

 

[augiedoggy]

Hi Everyone.
I am in the middle of doing my first new electric control panel build.

I am following Kal's electric brewery build fairly closely for a 50Amp setup. The problem I have run into is that I bought TA4-SNR PIDs off ebay without knowing they were significantly different than the SYL-2352s.

From what I have learned, the TA4-SNR do not have manual mode to assist controlling the boil kettle by adjusting the duty cycle. (Which i dont completely understand yet). These are also single alarm, where the SYL is dual alarm... but im not sure if i need two alarms (but Kal does jumper them on the SYL build)

Additionally, I purchase a JSL-73B Timer rather than the Omega PTC21.

I want to try to get this to go together as best as I can without buying new everything. People have suggested simply swapping the Boil PID with a manual mode PID, thus only needing to buy 1 new PID.

I have looked for the TD4-SNR, but i can only find them where they come with a SSR I dont think I need.

Any advice on how I can salvage my parts list?

you cant search under mypin for the td4 for some reason... you need to search "td4 temperature controller" and many will come up...

 

[dboe]

Hey, thanks for fixing my search terms - i actually do see quite a bit.

I am wondering if just ordering this is enough to salvage my build though? Do i need to buy 3 of them?

 

[augiedoggy]

Hey, thanks for fixing my search terms - i actually do see quite a bit.

I am wondering if just ordering this is enough to salvage my build though? Do i need to buy 3 of them?

the only time I see a use for manual mode is on the boil kettle... why would you need it for the HLT or rims? it would serve no purpose... I would just order 1. they sell both a dual and single alarm td4 BTW the "SNR" means single alarm... I believe the dual alarm mode one has 2 "S"'s in the model number... dual alarms are pointless for all other applications besides rims here though and even then I dont really need it.

 

[SilverZero]

Ditto. I had 3 TA4s and I almost built in a switch to flip the BK to a manual knob control, but for $30 or so I just got a TD4 and I'm happy with that. I also got a cheaper timer (Inkbird) but I haven't wired it all up yet so I can't say how well it works. You can see it in my build thread.

The HLT never needs manual mode as it's never going to be boiling (and hence you can set it at any temperature below that and it can keep it there). The mash tun PID is literally just a temperature display and alarm.

And yes, the "SNR" refers to the three output channels. S is SSR voltage output, R is for an actual internal relay (I think), and N is empty. I have a TA4-SSR, which has two SSR voltage outputs. The second one is unused. Confusing, I know, but fortunately the ones you find online are almost all SNR, and it doesn't hurt to have an extra output if you get the other one.