So I am using a herms system that was given to me. The HLT has a 5500 watt heating element. I bought a 40a ssr and a pid. I have a good idea of how to wire it and a electronic guy to help. With one pid what size box should I get? Can I build a wood one? Should I put a bus bar in it? Heat sink or no?
Project box size
- Thread starter evan5159
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alien
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You need quite a deep box to mount a PID, at least 4 inches, so measure the thing up. I have mounted a DIN 1/16 PID in a 6"x6"x4" PVC junction box but it was a squash and I would recommend bigger. You need fat wires to carry 25A which take up space and don't like to bend.
Heat sink definitely, either mount it outside the box or ventilate the box with a fan and airholes.
Wood box a bit iffy, can't ground it and if it gets wet it will conduct electricity, plus it's flammable. Personally I don't see what's wrong with metal or PVC but doubtless it has been done. If you want something cheap and portable, check out some of the amazing and inspiring toolbox builds on this site.
Could do bus bars, could do terminal blocks like Kal's build, for me it's DIN bar terminals from Tier1 Automation.
Heat sink definitely, either mount it outside the box or ventilate the box with a fan and airholes.
Wood box a bit iffy, can't ground it and if it gets wet it will conduct electricity, plus it's flammable. Personally I don't see what's wrong with metal or PVC but doubtless it has been done. If you want something cheap and portable, check out some of the amazing and inspiring toolbox builds on this site.
Could do bus bars, could do terminal blocks like Kal's build, for me it's DIN bar terminals from Tier1 Automation.
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