Building a controller...help please

vinman · Post by **vinman** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 5:22 pm

So I'm about to embark on building a heating controller. I have 2 PIDs, 2 25A SSRs with heat sinks, 2 thermocouple panel jacks and my switches, fuses, thermocouples are on the way. I still have to pick up some 220 plugs/receptacles. I'm modding my old PC box to house everything

So long story short, my father-in-law and I came up with a decent wiring schematic based off head monkey's controller and I was hoping I could have someone here take a look at it and tell me if we have it done right.

I'll scan my drawing tomorrow at work and post it up here or if need be I could email it out.

I won't have blankets for about a month based on the quote I got from MEI.

Richuk · Post by **Richuk** » Thu Jan 13, 2011 5:35 pm

If you want to run a test in advance of your order arriving, you could hook up a light socket and bulb in place of the blanket - should help you become familiar with the auto tune on your PID.

vinman · Post by **vinman** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 4:33 pm

Here is the link to my diagram, if you are interested in helping my verify that I have a vaild system here please take a look.
https://acrobat.com/#d=jtbNT7WSuQjCAqZ1DZaoqw

doughboyshredder · Post by **doughboyshredder** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 6:01 pm

cool. I downloaded it and will take a look at it tonight. Quick glance and it looks right, but I'll take the time and give it a thorough once over.

vinman · Post by **vinman** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 6:14 pm

right on DBS I appreciate it. If you have questions let me know. Some of it might be confusing. Some of the stuff I erased still showed up a little.

My blankets will each be 10.68 amps. So I think I have the appropriate fuses labeled but check those too if possible.

Thanks again

Brazen · Post by **Brazen** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 7:03 pm

That's really nice of you DBS. I don't think we all have to go through it ). Thanks haha

doughboyshredder · Post by **doughboyshredder** » Fri Jan 14, 2011 9:04 pm

Everything looks good to me as far as your layout is concerned.

Blankets don't have a ground though. Plugs for your blankets can just be crimp on male / female butt splice connectors, they don't need to be anything fancy. I'm lazy and mine are still just wire nutted. LOL.

Left side of the drawing you have written down 10 amp double pole switches. What are those for? Don't see those anywhere in the drawing. You really only need the main double pole switch.

Weird thing about 220v. You have two blankets at 11 amps (close enough). So you have a 22 amp circuit. That means that each leg will have a 22 amp draw on it for half of the time, the other leg will have the 22 amp draw the other half of the time. So your main fuses should be 25 or 30 amp fuses and your main switches should be 25 or 30 amp rated switches. Personally I would go with 30 and use a 30 amp plug and outlet as well.

Optional blanket switches (not really necessary, but kind of a cool idea), and individual blanket fuses could be 15 amp.

I didn't check the numbered terminals on the pid's I assume you have that correct.

Kind of makes me want to add some fuses to my setup. LOL.

vinman · Post by **vinman** » Sat Jan 15, 2011 4:49 am

i went with switches for the blankets so that I could keep the main power on to run the PIDs and then switch the blankets off. This way I can monitor the temp as they cool off.

Good info on the fuse and plug ratings

vinman · Post by **vinman** » Sat Jan 15, 2011 7:28 am

DBS what size wire are you using for conneting the thermocouples to the PID and the SSR to to the PID?

The specs on the TC jacks say they take up to 20ga. I was wondering if this is what you and most others are using?

BCCB · Post by **BCCB** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 9:29 pm

So is 220v a requirement if you want to use the heat blankets or will any of them run on 120v?

BCCB

Brazen · Post by **Brazen** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 9:48 pm

really? that whole reading thing is apparently WAY understated.

Or did PID's stop coming with instructions...?

Brazen · Post by **Brazen** » Wed Jan 19, 2011 9:49 pm

Sorry.

hahahahahahhahahahahahahha

vinman · Post by **vinman** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 9:41 am

There are blankets that run off 110. Running then at 220 or 240 allows them to be a bit more efficient and run at a lower Amp rating.

doughboyshredder · Post by **doughboyshredder** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 10:46 am

Vinman wrote:DBS what size wire are you using for conneting the thermocouples to the PID and the SSR to to the PID?

The specs on the TC jacks say they take up to 20ga. I was wondering if this is what you and most others are using?

Sorry, missed this.

22 ga is what I'm using, but that's only for a few inches from the pid to the TC plug

doughboyshredder · Post by **doughboyshredder** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 10:47 am

Brazen wrote:Sorry.

hahahahahahhahahahahahahha

Dude, if you want to be a dick, do it somewhere else.

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Building a controller...help please

Building a controller...help please