Pid For Herms Coil

[schooey]

my pid didn't have an output voltage to switch the SSR but an old phone charger (plug pack) is a good place to get the supply from, i think mine was AC input into the SSR? i cant remember but you just remove the rectifier in the plug pack, i know my SSR had a large input range from like 4V to 36V or something.

and just about all PIDs with take a PT100 and then give you a 0.1C just ask the seller if they can supply you with the different probe instead of the K type they normally come with (although i got mine from the USA it was about 1/2 the price including shipping)

Yeah sure you can add any kind of power source to do it, it's just an added thing to do when for the same dollars you can buy a generic PID that still gives an output switching current, that's all I was suggesting.

As for the probe thingy, I looked at a fair few PID's that would only take J, K, or NTC probes. Just another thing to be aware of, not trying to influence anyone either way

Do people find themselves using the ramp/soak functions often? What situations would you use these in? I'm completely new to the wonderful world of PIDs, and would have thought that they all ramp temperatures between each step automatically......

Yes all PID's will ramp a temperature between the measured point and the set point. Ramp/Soak is where you can program in set ramp points with a time soak at that set point. So if you like, you can program a whole 2 hour step mash and wander away and come back and know that you've hit you're temps within your tolerance of the setpoints at the specific times (+the step time for the ramp)

Link here may explain a bit better

 

[JonnyAnchovy]

Yes all PID's will ramp a temperature between the measured point and the set point. Ramp/Soak is where you can program in set ramp points with a time soak at that set point. So if you like, you can program a whole 2 hour step mash and wander away and come back and know that you've hit you're temps within your tolerance of the setpoints at the specific times (+the step time for the ramp)

Link here may explain a bit better

Great explanation - I think I'll fork out the extra cash for this - I'd like to be able to set up mash profiles, so that during the mash I could continue on with other stuff (cleaning, kegging etc....). Also, saving the hassle of setting up an external output switching current is worth another few bucks........

 

[bill_gill85]

Has anyone found a pid that offers both a manual mode & a ramp/soak function? The way I read the Auberins manual, you have to chose one feature or the other. I'm looking for a pid to control either a heatstick or a hotplate. The advantage of having a manual mode is that you can control the "average" power of the element & hence how vigorous the boil is.

As I'm using biab, I use the same vessel & heating method for the mash & the boil, so I don't need two heat sources or controllers. Any ideas?

Cheers,

Ben