# My Heat Controller



## gava (8/1/14)

Going over to a mates to brew who does the manual control his HERMS via the urn its in and a temp probe.
Thought I'd give him a present.

Whipped up a PID controller for him with our PID Programmable Controller and a panel mount quick disconnect Pt100 probe.

Its made with spare stuff I had floating about like the CPU heat sink which the SSR is connected to internally all sealed with silicone (150c)
probe mount has been silicone sealed also.

I didn't have a 220v switch to turn it on and off so I just have a 12vdc switch between the SSR and the PID to (turn off) the element if required for short term it also has the LED to show when the SSR isn't getting power (flashing in time with the PID out1 obviousy = working, not blink means no power to SSR) not the best way but used what I had and we're brewing thursday night..


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## Tex083 (8/1/14)

Looks good, wish I had friends who just dropped in with PID controlers for me.


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## gava (8/1/14)

Oh, He's brewing me some beer to


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## Cap (9/1/14)

Nice one Gava. This is probably the next step for me with my herms too. Expect a call soon.


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## gava (9/5/14)

Cap said:


> Nice one Gava. This is probably the next step for me with my herms too. Expect a call soon.


where's my call , you said you'd call.. you never called.. ^_^


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## real_beer (9/5/14)

gava said:


> where's my call , you said you'd call.. you never called.. ^_^


I wonder if he's cheating on you with an old bag from the BIAB crowd :lol:.


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## gava (9/5/14)

I know where he lives so its all good, I've "borrowed" some grain off him in the past


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## jonnir (11/5/14)

Looking at doing some simple like this myself. Could you throw up a parts list mate?


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## seehuusen (12/5/14)

x2 on the parts list please 

I've been looking at different PIDs on evilBay, as well as other bits needed for a HLT/HERM setup (e.g. a coil inside the HLT using pumps to recirculate)


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## gava (18/5/14)

Hi Guys,

Was going to open it up and show the insides but the jiffy box I used is a cheapish one and there are two screw heads that are stripped so I couldn't easily do it.

So I'll just do a list of the bits


Jiffy box (recommend getting a better one or use better screws)
Old Computer CPU heat sink (had laying about)
1 x Quick Disconnect Pt100 temp probe, we sell them HERE
1 x PID Controller (Recommend one that can switch a SSR directly) We sell them HERE
1 x SSR (I've just used a cheap 25amp from ebay)
1 x Extension cable (cut in half use an end for power in and element control)
2 x cable glands, we sell them HERE
Some silicone seal (120c type) used to seal around heat sink and jiffy box and around the Pt100 quick disconnect connection on jiffy box
Switch + LED, I used this between the PID and the SSR as a easy way to Turn off the element.
Optional : Buzzer I didn't get to install this since it was a test box, we sell them 220v HERE and 12v HERE
Terminal strip
then just connect up as per instructions on the PID and standard 220v wiring.

cheers

Gavin


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## seehuusen (20/5/14)

thanks very much for posting the list B)


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## brewtrekker (26/7/14)

Hey Gava
How much all up do you think it cost to slap together the PID controller? Plus do you have most of these bits in your store? 
Cheers and thanks for posting this mate.


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## gava (27/7/14)

brewtrekker said:


> Hey Gava
> How much all up do you think it cost to slap together the PID controller? Plus do you have most of these bits in your store?
> Cheers and thanks for posting this mate.


Not sure about the cost, I just pulled out my spares box and found everything... oh apart from the probes and pids which I raided the store for 

We have the probes in the store and PIDS.. got some new Probes in which have 20mm probes and 60mm...

I could check my spares box again and see if I have enough for another one if you'd like..

It'd be pretty cheap apart from the probes and PIDS... 

Gav


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## brewtrekker (27/7/14)

Wow Gava I want your shop to just pull that together with spares. Yes I would be very interested in buying one from you along with the probe, does that fit the thermowell in your tank ? Plus how much did your mate charge for a element with a tri-clamp fitting ? Cheers
Paul


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## gava (28/7/14)

brewtrekker said:


> Wow Gava I want your shop to just pull that together with spares. Yes I would be very interested in buying one from you along with the probe, does that fit the thermowell in your tank ? Plus how much did your mate charge for a element with a tri-clamp fitting ? Cheers
> Paul


Haven't had a chance to look at that yet.. 
The way I mount my probes in my vessels is I use a tri-clover with a 1/2" thread...

gav


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## brewtrekker (28/7/14)

Hey Gava yeah my tanks already have a thermowell in them about 8 inchs up from the bottom. I just need a probe that fits as from what I read the thermowells work best with a heat tranfer paste filling up the dead space around the probe.


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## gava (28/7/14)

brewtrekker said:


> Hey Gava yeah my tanks already have a thermowell in them about 8 inchs up from the bottom. I just need a probe that fits as from what I read the thermowells work best with a heat tranfer paste filling up the dead space around the probe.


I don't have a thermowell my probes go directly into the pot, they're liquid tight. They did come with temp probes with themowells which I calibrated due to the heat loss of the thermowell around 1 - 2c . Heat past would do the trick but my temperatures don't climb quick enough to warrant that. Also you'd want to make sure you have food grade paste just in case. 

Gav


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## brewtrekker (28/7/14)

Yep your right Gava about the paste I did worry about using computer heat sink paste as its highly poisonous!


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## brewtrekker (28/7/14)

Some people have used it in the past


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## gava (29/7/14)

brewtrekker said:


> Some people have used it in the past


really? oh wow.... I guess it's like people using car glycol instead of food grade, some people just don't think.

Haven't had a chance to check out the parts yet, my wife is ready to pop our 3rd child.. Thought we were on for last night but seems to be a false alarm..

You can purchase the one I've built already will have to work out a price, not sure what PID it has in it either, its one of ours but not sure if its a ramp/soak or just a normal one. I think it currently has a 60mm probe on it.. but we have 20mm / i think 1 40mm / and 60mm probes.

Cheers
Gavin


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## brewtrekker (30/7/14)

Hey Gava. Wow tense times yep know what your going thru we went through it last year with our second child. Good luck get as much sleep as you can now. No rush on this I fully understand. I still have mt old brew rig humming along. Cheers


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## brewtrekker (2/8/14)

Gava did you get a lot of your reference from the Electric Brewery .com ? I am still deciding where I want to go with my panel design but since I am planning on using a BCS computer it cuts out a lot of things needed on KALs panel design.


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## gava (2/8/14)

brewtrekker said:


> Gava did you get a lot of your reference from the Electric Brewery .com ? I am still deciding where I want to go with my panel design but since I am planning on using a BCS computer it cuts out a lot of things needed on KALs panel design.


I referenced it throughout my design but added a few extra switches and changed some internal electronics to fit into my budget.
I previously had a brewtroller design and it was a lot different to this current control panel, which I assume a BCS design would to.

With my brewtroller design I had the 12v switching and controls separated from my 240v panel
can check my build thread here http://aussiehomebrewer.com/topic/57759-brewtroller-e-herms-build-pictures/

Gav


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## brewtrekker (10/8/14)

Hey Gava
I am sure your busy with your new family member and all. But can you just send me quick list of parts needed to put together a mini electric controller for my BK. I just wanna get one up and running to access my current electrical setup.
Cheers
Paul


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## gava (11/8/14)

Hi Paul,

Yup little bub Elliott came early Wednesday morning and we're working out everyones routine since..
For a brew kettle it depends..
What's the size of your pot and what element are you running? I ask this because if your running a large element in a small/mid size pot your control device should have a manual output by % setting, this is so you can change your boil if its to aggressive. If you have a fine rolling boil with the element on full then you can just get a simple controller OR just connect your element up to a switch to turn on and off.

*Simple Temp Control unit*

Temperature control device (PID) Stay away from REX100 and other cheap eBay units. Our PID Controllers are nice bit of kit but if your on a budget SESTOS ok fine.
Compatible temperature probed
SSR (Solid State Relay) used for switching the 240v from the PID, I've been using those cheap grey ones seem fine.
Jiffy Box
Cable Glands (not required but alot easier and nicer)
10AMP rated power cable (I get extension cables and cut, i strip some for the internal 10amp wiring also)
Heat Sink (heat gel) for SSR (I've used old CPU heat sinks or you can get a SSR + Heat sink pack off ebays)
terminal fork to suit controller and SSR + heat shrink wrap
switch to manually turn off the element if your using a PID if not a switch to turn on the element.
Terminal Strip 3position
Some soldering might be required for switches
I think that's it, working off random sleep times at the moment.. although I'm better off than my wife... new babies... fun..

Cheers
Gav


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## Camo6 (11/8/14)

Congrats on the birth of your bubs Gav.


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## brewtrekker (11/8/14)

Congrats Gava ! Hope you manage to get some sleep mate. Yep my pots are the same as your new build. 75 liters. I want to do 10 gallon batches. Thanks for the list mate ! Cheers.


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## brewtrekker (6/9/14)

Hey Gava I hope you have been dealing well with the new family member and all.
Once question can I get a inside pic of the wiring of your heat controller? I.E. I am dumb as a bag of hammers with electrics! I am a aircraft mechanic and if there isn't a photo or schematic to go off of we are hopelessly lost ! Thanks I just got all my bits sent in from all points of the globe. Element and 1.5 tri clamp adapter from the states. PID and sensor from you blokes, SSR and heat sink from China.


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