http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3800W-Voltage-Regulator-Dimming-Speed-Temperature-Light-Speed-Control-Controller-/330842577375?pt=UK_BOI_Industrial_Automation_Control_ET&hash=item4d07c119df&_uhb=1
Quotehttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3800W-Voltage-Regulator-Dimming-Speed-Temperature-Light-Speed-Control-Controller-/330842577375?pt=UK_BOI_Industrial_Automation_Control_ET&hash=item4d07c119df&_uhb=1
Yep that looks exactly what is required 3.8 kW capacity should be ideal for a 2.5 kW Kettle.
If you have two elements you would need 2 of these.
Will
I use a 30A rated on my 2 kettle element boiler.
I used to get a rolling boil and switch one off, not any more.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Digital-Temperature-Controller-Thermostat-LCD-6000W-30A-/290730216178?ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:IE:3160
for HLT
John, Thats just a 6kW on/off controller.
That is like a light switch - either on or off.
The other SCR is a proportional voltage divider that can "turn down" the rate of boil.
This is more akin to a dimmer switch in the sitting room overhead lights!
QuoteJohn, Thats just a 6kW on/off controller.
That is like a light switch - either on or off.
The other SCR is a proportional voltage divider that can "turn down" the rate of boil.
This is more akin to a dimmer switch in the sitting room overhead lights!
Ooohhh 8-)
Anybody seen one of these that would work with 5.5kw heating element?
Declan
Quotehttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3800W-Voltage-Regulator-Dimming-Speed-Temperature-Light-Speed-Control-Controller-/330842577375?pt=UK_BOI_Industrial_Automation_Control_ET&hash=item4d07c119df&_uhb=1
I have 2x25A SSR's switching my elements. The plan (when I get around to it) is to make a simple timer with a 555chip to produce a slow switching square wave. You can then use this to switch the SSR's and have the elements switching on and off to coltrol the boil. Say on for 4 seconds off for a second, or whatever works, pulse width controlled by a potentiometer. Basicly a PWM. Total cost of components about €3, excluding the SSR which is about a fiver on ebay.
Should be fun playing with it!
QuoteI reckon this is post 10,000!
My latest stats show:
The forum contains a total of 9884 Posts within 843 Topics.
Where are you getting your stats from Mr. Tee?
QuoteI use a 30A rated on my 2 kettle element boiler.
I used to get a rolling boil and switch one off, not any more.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Digital-Temperature-Controller-Thermostat-LCD-6000W-30A-/290730216178?ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:IE:3160
for HLT
would that work for two 2400v 240w elemens in a hlt, thinking of setting up a herms system?
QuoteQuoteI use a 30A rated on my 2 kettle element boiler.
I used to get a rolling boil and switch one off, not any more.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Digital-Temperature-Controller-Thermostat-LCD-6000W-30A-/290730216178?ssPageName=ADME:L:OC:IE:3160
for HLT
would that work for two 2400v 240w elemens in a hlt, thinking of setting up a herms system?
I assume you mean 240v 2400w !!
Yes is the short answer, your 2 elements will pull 4800 watts - well within the 6000 capacity.
It will control your HLT to 1 C of a set point.
It would not be best for boiler control as both elements are either on or off.
If you want boiler control there is a link above to a more suitable boiler controller that works like a dimmer switch but it will only handle one element. This allows you to set the vigour of the boil.
Will
Thanks will yes I meant 240v 2400w..
I was hoping to immerse a herms coil in my hlt to control mash temps in a uninsulated tun..recirculating through the coil back into the mash.
So I could keep the hlt temps stable with this and in turn would keep my tun the same temp :-? :-/ ???
It occured to me that with a 2 element boiler you only need to control one element.
For 50% to 100% power one element is on and the other reduced by a power controller.
For 0 to 50% one element is off and the other is controlled.
So for a 2x2.2kw boiler you only need a 16A controller.
Or have I overlooked something silly?
For herms control I would use the 6kw controller mentioned above. I might even get one myself and use my stc100 and SSR for something else.
QuoteThanks will yes I meant 240v 2400w..
I was hoping to immerse a herms coil in my hlt to control mash temps in a uninsulated tun..recirculating through the coil back into the mash.
So I could keep the hlt temps stable with this and in turn would keep my tun the same temp :-? :-/ ???
If you want to build a herms/rims system,I would not go down the path of putting your coil in the HLT. You will not get good control that way because the volume of water in the HLT is too large and will take too long to adjust youe mash liquid temp. The best way to do this is a dedicated separate heating container with a smaller amount of water in it and pass the wort liquid through it. Plan a heat transfer rate of 0.5C per minute to your wort liquid.
jesus I really must finish mine.
I was hoping to use the herms coil to double up as a immersion chiller, kill two birds, hence using the hlt temp to recirculate.then when mash is finished you'd have your sparge water ready aswell. I know it would take an age to do step mashes but I see a lot of videos of similar setups working well for people.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbbYZ7jHQOM[/media]
I dont want to get into all the tech side of PID, which I did briefly and I might aswell be looking in a ditch. I just want a simple setup with a temp controller with sensor, a cheap solar pump and a copper coil, just wondering if its doable..
I have a dedicated herms made with a small copper cylinder. I haven't brewed with it yet but tests are encouraging.
It's about 25l with 10m of 1mm copper coil inside. A 3kw element in the bottom and a solar projects pump for recirculation. I know a lot of guys have a herms coil in their HLT but I really feel "double jobbing" is going to lead to neither job being done well. Trying to use one coil for herms and chilling is going to make your brew day into a shitfight for sure! Herms temp control is by an stc1000 with a 25A SSR but the 6kw controller would be cheaper and simpler. I would have used it had I known about it. I like being able to control mash temp independently of HLT.
Put alot of research into this subject 2 years ago. I will post up later bit when I followed up on some of the designs out there,some guys teported back that the coil in the HLZ was a failure. Let me get the chrissy stugf over and I will come back. I need to get my award winning brew on :D
Anybody using these?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Adjustable-3800W-AC-0-220V-Voltage-Regulator-Dimming-Light-Lamps-Speed-Control-/330889485882?pt=UK_BOI_Industrial_Automation_Control_ET&hash=item4d0a8cde3a
is it just routed through the live feed?
Any pictures or diagrams of wiring?
You really need to be careful here. There is a big difference between the SCR (silicon controlled rectifier) and the SSR (solid state relay). The main one being that SCR are really only useful on certain AC circuits but should be mainly used on DC circuits. They only allow current to flow through in one direction. This means that you would only ever really get half heat out of your elecment. The SSR will allow both the positive and negative current though so will give full load. The SCR is being for light dimming as lights generally flicker at 100Hz. The human eye only starts to notice a flicker at 20Hz. So using the SCR and allowing for no negative current the light will now flicker at 50Hz and still seem at full brightness. Also SCR work differently in AC and DC circuits. On AC they need to be latched on DC they automatically latch.
If you are using a HERMs or RIMs setup then SSR would be the way to go. If you are only using the control heat up strike water, sparge water and bring the wort to the boil, then simply on off control would be the cheapest and easiest option.
Hi Stitch, thanks for the input, like my missus talking about shoes, you lost me and I kinda switched off there towards the end.
Like most on here, I have just a simple boiler system and want to control one of my 2 elements, are you saying if I use this device before I even start a 2.2Kw boiler is at 1.1Kw?
Whats your recommendation?
Ooh for a 10KW version
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10000W-220V-SCR-Voltage-Regulator-Motor-Speed-Control-Controller-Governor-Dimmer-/390604122406
Quote from: Ciderhead on June 04, 2013, 12:21:47 AM
Hi Stitch, thanks for the input, like my missus talking about shoes, you lost me and I kinda switched off there towards the end.
Like most on here, I have just a simple boiler system and want to control one of my 2 elements, are you saying if I use this device before I even start a 2.2Kw boiler is at 1.1Kw?
Whats your recommendation?
Yes. AC Voltage and current is positive for one half of the cycle and negative for one half so the SCR will not allow the circuit to operate on the neagtive cycle. You will only be operating for half of the cycle or 50% duty time. So this means that half the power from the element. I would recommend SSR. You can get these cheap enough if you look at ebay or deal extreme.
By going for a unit with a higher load 10kW for example you will still only work on half the cycle. The device itself is capable for a load of 10kW but your element is 2.2kW so going bigger on an SCR is not going to be much help. Sorry.
See here for what you want
http://dx.com/s/solid+state+relay
Rob
A solid state relay does what it says on the tin: Its a relay. It is either ON or OFF.
Relays are used so that a low current switch like a cheap 2 amp toggle switch ( or an Arduino 5V logic signal ) can control a huge current consumer.
So your 5V Arduino can switch a 6 KW element on and off by switching a 40 Amp SSR on and off.
To control your boill you want proportianl control.
To achieve this you need to switch a SSR ON/OFF at up to say 10 times a second.
The ratio of on to off is set by the user turning a dial:
0 is Off, 10 is on 10/10ths of the time
2 is on 2/10ths, 7 is on 7 out of the 10 slots.
Simples
If using an Arduino just use the PWM function. There is a PID library and you can use that. Dont have the link handy at the moment though.
Quote from: Stitch on June 04, 2013, 09:24:15 AM
Quote from: Ciderhead on June 04, 2013, 12:21:47 AM
Hi Stitch, thanks for the input, like my missus talking about shoes, you lost me and I kinda switched off there towards the end.
Like most on here, I have just a simple boiler system and want to control one of my 2 elements, are you saying if I use this device before I even start a 2.2Kw boiler is at 1.1Kw?
Whats your recommendation?
Yes. AC Voltage and current is positive for one half of the cycle and negative for one half so the SCR will not allow the circuit to operate on the neagtive cycle. You will only be operating for half of the cycle or 50% duty time. So this means that half the power from the element. I would recommend SSR. You can get these cheap enough if you look at ebay or deal extreme.
By going for a unit with a higher load 10kW for example you will still only work on half the cycle. The device itself is capable for a load of 10kW but your element is 2.2kW so going bigger on an SCR is not going to be much help. Sorry.
See here for what you want
http://dx.com/s/solid+state+relay
Rob
Aaah Rob,you do realise now that this has raised you to the status of go to expert here in the club :). We might even have a job for you here ;).
Jasus too busy with my day job to even brew!!! Getting the odd one in but that is all.
I like the idea of adjustable kettle elements controlled by an arduino... When one of you builds it let me know, preferrably one I can control via a nice user interface on my phone!
I have tested the idea with a laptop. Benefit of the laptop is I can record a minute by minute temperature of the mash and boil to a database. I will then have a full batch record at the end.