REX-C100 PID (cheapest PID on ebay)

[Walker]

Is this the PID in question? Seems too good to be true.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/330678162231?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_2249wt_1344

That does not look like the REX C100 PID, but you never know what you are going to get.

That one actually looks very similar to a TET612 or JLD612, which is the kind of PID that I actually use on my system. It might just be a knock-off of the 612. If it is a knock off, it is theoretically programmable to use a built-in relay as the control output or use the SSR output as the control.

SO, while I can't/won't make you any guarantees, that one looks more promising than the junk-ass REX C100's floating around out there.

 

[Brewing Clamper]

Well isn't this a bitch. First, I got my C-100 to power which was an issue at first. I assumed this meant it was working so I went to work on it. I removed the mechanical relay and bridged the relay input signal to the output:

I have tested it and it works, sort of. The PID does run an SSR perfectly. The only problem is that when I plug in the K-Type thermocouple it gives me a reading of ----º, and unplugged it gives me a reading of 1285º. This seams to be a problem others have had and been unable to fix. I guess I'm stuck with a non-functioning piece of crap. I was hoping to use this until I got further along in my project and ordered the BCS-640. Now I have to decided if I want to order a new PID from Aubers or just go for the big guns. Dammit...

 

[betadave]

Have you checked your thermocouple for an open circuit or a dead short?

 

[Walker]

Have you checked your thermocouple for an open circuit or a dead short?

It's not the thermocouple. This is the same sort problem that happened with the one my friend bought (mentioned in original post in this thread).

If there is no probe connected at all to a PID, the thing should be displaying EEEE, because no probe connected is an error. If you get any number showing up without a probe connected, the PID is busted and has a short somewhere internally.

 

[Brewing Clamper]

I guess it's time to take it for some trap shooting! Should make for an interesting pigeon...

 

[Jazzeux]

Thanks to all of you. I bought 2 of these yesterday on ebay. I asked the seller to refund it minutes ago... before he ships them. I know that sometimes we have fake items from china, but if at least it works as intended!! I don't have a lot of electrical skills, so I really need something more "idiot proof"

 

[mattd2]

Thanks to all of you. I bought 2 of these yesterday on ebay. I asked the seller to refund it minutes ago... before he ships them. I know that sometimes we have fake items from china, but if at least it works as intended!! I don't have a lot of electrical skills, so I really need something more "idiot proof"

Check out the Sestos brand PID on ebay, about the same price as the REX but seems like most people have been happy with theres (and the a pretty similar to the aubers, only some minor differences). Check out this thread - https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/sestos-pid-temperature-controllers-d1s-vr-220-a-203939/
I got mine from mixtea on ebay:
PID with TC & SSR http://www.ebay.com/itm/20-OFF-Digi...443?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item336e01fa33
SSR heatsink http://www.ebay.com/itm/Heat-Sink-1...034?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item336f802872

 

[morzh]

Make sure your unit says explicitly 110V/220V"" and not "220V" only.
They sent me one like that with SSR control, and it powers, but does not really measure correctly. It says 220V but they claimed it works from 110V.
They did send me replacement for 110V but that was relay unit; I desoldered the relay and control SSR from 12V and it works fine; what I am not sure of in your case is that a relay unit is necessarily 110V-capable.

As long as you did not leave the feedback on the Ebay, they WILL work with you (did work with me); after that, they won't.

Well isn't this a bitch. First, I got my C-100 to power which was an issue at first. I assumed this meant it was working so I went to work on it. I removed the mechanical relay and bridged the relay input signal to the output:

I have tested it and it works, sort of. The PID does run an SSR perfectly. The only problem is that when I plug in the K-Type thermocouple it gives me a reading of ----º, and unplugged it gives me a reading of 1285º. This seams to be a problem others have had and been unable to fix. I guess I'm stuck with a non-functioning piece of crap. I was hoping to use this until I got further along in my project and ordered the BCS-640. Now I have to decided if I want to order a new PID from Aubers or just go for the big guns. Dammit...

 

[Brewing Clamper]

Unfortunately I bought it about a year ago. I'm sure they don't care about me at this point...

 

[Brewing Clamper]

This things are starting to pop up on ebay a bit. They're from the US so you don't have that 2+ week wait time. thoughts?

http://bit.ly/FPFtQO

 

[summerofgeorge]

This things are starting to pop up on ebay a bit. They're from the US so you don't have that 2+ week wait time. thoughts?

http://bit.ly/FPFtQO

+1. I've been watching these too. Who wants to test them out and let us know how they work (and how to wire them)?

 

[Walker]

My friend bought one for a toolbox RIMS, but we haven't put the system together yet. I will definitely post back here with opinions when we have his stuff done.

 

[Bobby_M]

I contacted them for the user manual. There are some things I'd want to verify.

Does it really go Fahrenheit?
Does it have max T (cycle time) adjustment (probably not)
Does it have manual mode (probably not)

 

[Walker]

I contacted them for the user manual. There are some things I'd want to verify.

Does it really go Fahrenheit?
Does it have max T (cycle time) adjustment (probably not)
Does it have manual mode (probably not)

That seller is US based and the company has been around for a while, and I am pretty sure their listings are accurate.

They declare the model number as TA4-SNR, which decodes well:

We have not fired his up, but based on the manual he has, it seems legit. No manual mode, though, which is irrelevant for him since he just wants RIMs heat control and no boil control.

 

[Squeeky]

It looks like they now have a manual mode option as well.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-D...225?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1e6bc5b631

Granted I still love Auberins customer service, but this is a savings of a little over $20 when you factor in shipping.

 

[nate456789]

Any word on these being legit? And usable? My controller is dying on me and I was thinking about getting a couple of these.
Looks like I can save $16 a pop vs the Auber ones.
I like the one with the Manual control. I am assuming it would function like my LOVE controller in this mode?

Thanks

 

[Jazzeux]

Check out the Sestos brand PID on ebay, about the same price as the REX but seems like most people have been happy with theres (and the a pretty similar to the aubers, only some minor differences). Check out this thread - https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/sestos-pid-temperature-controllers-d1s-vr-220-a-203939/
I got mine from mixtea on ebay:
PID with TC & SSR http://www.ebay.com/itm/20-OFF-Digi...443?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item336e01fa33
SSR heatsink http://www.ebay.com/itm/Heat-Sink-1...034?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item336f802872

For a few bucks more, I prefer to get the Auber's PID. They have custommer service and there are a lot of experienced users on the forum. But, I will use heatsinks from ebay. I already bought 2 Auber PID and I am waiting for them.

 

[Brewing Clamper]

+1. I've been watching these too. Who wants to test them out and let us know how they work (and how to wire them)?

Just received mine. I'm going out of town for a few days so I won't get a chance to work on it until next week. I'll report back.

 

[treed1968]

Can you tell me how you wired the REX-C100 PID controller to the SSR after modification? I have mine modified but can't seem to get it to work properly.

 

[betadave]

When I got my case open, I located the relay and which side was the input side of the relay. I used a VOM to determine that the 12 volt signal was there when the relay was active. On my circuit board there were unused holes that gave me both 12v and ground. I got a red and a black wire and soldered them to the two available holes and ran them out the back of the case. Close the case, plug the controller back in and check that the 12V shows up when the controller is on. Connect the wires to the terminals on the SSR and test the system with something like a lamp to be sure that it works with a load.

BetaDave

 

[fermentednonsense]

Do you even need an SSR if you're using the Rex-C100 for a keezer? or is this not even possible?

 

[thargrav]

The REX C100 controller is available with SSR control or relay contacts but for some reason everything I see for sale on eBay has relay contacts.

If yours has relay contacts, you need to slip off the cover and look at the relay - the current and voltage rating will be marked on the relay housing and there will likely be a DC and a AC rating. If it's at least 5 amps @ 120 VAC then you can wire your keezer through the relay.

 

[XploD]

Hi!

I got REX C-100 from eBay and I removed it's internal relay to get SSR outputs, it works like a charm.

But I don't know how to set it up. I don't have ANY knowledge about PIDs and english instructions didn't help me neither. I want it to work like a temperature controler. For example, if I set the temperature on 60c, it should turn on the output if the temperature falls under 60c.

I tried it without any adjusting but it's acting very weird. I turned it on and set the temperature on 60c, the outputs were opened untill I heated the termocouple with a lighter on 60c and then it turned off the output. Great! Then I let it cool down but it turned on the outputs on 45c?? I repeated the process, and now it turned on the outputs after the temperature had fallen on 55c?? Furthermore, the output was not on all the time. While the temperature was falling, it was turning on and off its output for random reason. I can't figure out how this thing works but sure it doesn't work not even close as I need.

If somebody can help me with adjusting, please tell me here or I can give you my e-mail/skype.

Thanks a lot!

 

[thargrav]

These are set-up in heat mode by default. The instruction sheet has a set of programming instructions that you step through.

As far as the wild swings are concerned - these are normal until the PID "learns" what's needed to maintain your temperature. And the swings won't be so wild in your keezer.

 

[XploD]

Thank you! So I don't have to adjust anything? I hope there is a reset to factory settings because my uncle and I were playing with settings and probably messed up something.

But we were using it just to try, "in air", by heating the thermocouple with cigarette lighter. I think my uncle will use it to control water temperature in home heating system (probably in bolier, I have to ask him). But before integrating it we have to be sure that everything is set up correctly.

As I said, I have these instructions: http://www.fmfranklin.com.au/products/data/rkc/c100inst.pdf but I don't know what these terms mean. So this instructions are not helping me at all. I was looking more for a step-by-step tutorial; which things do I have to change, and with which values? Why is my device acting such weird?

 

[9am53]

I got a pair of Rex-c100s on ebay with a thermocouple and SSR, and it indeed is the SSR output (I would say obviously, but it's from China afterall so nothing can be assumed) I powered them both up to see if they worked, and they did, BUT one was reading my house te4mp correctly, and the other read it 5 degrees too high. Is there anyway to recalibrate these? The instructions they send you are as bad as I have ever seen.

Thanks

 

[Walker]

I got a pair of Rex-c100s on ebay with a thermocouple and SSR, and it indeed is the SSR output (I would say obviously, but it's from China afterall so nothing can be assumed) I powered them both up to see if they worked, and they did, BUT one was reading my house te4mp correctly, and the other read it 5 degrees too high. Is there anyway to recalibrate these? The instructions they send you are as bad as I have ever seen.

Thanks

Yeah, there is a way to calibrate them. I have a manual around here somewhere that is my personal translation of the garbage that came with the one my friend bought.

I'll see if I can find it.

In short, there is one setting that you can use to tell the probe error. Set that parameter and it will read correctly.

 

[Walker]

I can't find my translation of the thing, but looking at the 3 horrible versions I had dug up online back when I was messing with this thing, I think it *might* be the setting labeled "Sc".

 

[9am53]

Thanks. I played around with my PID's and I think I may have jsut gotten a bad reading on the first day. The 2 seem to both be reading the same, and correct value. I will keep the Sc in mind for later though. THanks.

 

[cgherrington3]

My REX C-100 reads 28c after start up, but when I heat it it goes negative.

Any ideas? Thanks!