Autodraw with stack temp

[West Sumner Sugar]

With our new CDL Venturi evaporator it became important to know our stack temperature. I took that opportunity to build a new autodraw controller with a separate stack temp controller. We had an old one without a stack probe and the controller screen was getting tired so it was time for an upgrade. Fun little project that will help a lot.

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[Dadz]

Very nice! How do you like the Venturi?
I’m looking to upgrade to a Venturi or Silverplate next season. Both look like great units but I’m thinking the negative pressure on the Venturi would be easier to work with.

[BRL]

Nice West Sumner! We finished the walls in the shack so I'm just finishing rewiring our panel. Cold Sap Temp, Sap after Preheater Temp, Firebox Temp, Stack Temp and fully modulating auto drawoff.

22200

[minehart gap]

That's pretty nice. Does the stack temp controller part dictate speed of fan or how far open a blast gate is? And how did you do that?

[West Sumner Sugar]

Nice West Sumner! We finished the walls in the shack so I'm just finishing rewiring our panel. Cold Sap Temp, Sap after Preheater Temp, Firebox Temp, Stack Temp and fully modulating auto drawoff.

22200

Jealous of the modulating draw off. I literally finished this one and saw those and wanted one. Another project for the future.

[West Sumner Sugar]

That's pretty nice. Does the stack temp controller part dictate speed of fan or how far open a blast gate is? And how did you do that?

The venturi fan is on or off, no adjustment. Its just measuring the stack temp so we know when to add wood. CDL recommends 750 stack temp so we will use this to monitor that.

[West Sumner Sugar]

Very nice! How do you like the Venturi?
I’m looking to upgrade to a Venturi or Silverplate next season. Both look like great units but I’m thinking the negative pressure on the Venturi would be easier to work with.

We have only done a test boil using water so far. Sap will hit the pans this weekend. I think the biggest thing for us was not having to kill a fan each time we open the door to throw wood. So far seems like a nice unit. The venturi fan is a little loud so we remotely located ours outside. Took some extra fabrication but 100% worth it.

[VTnewguy]

We have only done a test boil using water so far. Sap will hit the pans this weekend. I think the biggest thing for us was not having to kill a fan each time we open the door to throw wood. So far seems like a nice unit.
The venturi fan is a little loud so we remotely located ours outside. Took some extra fabrication but 100% worth it.

Do you have any pics of how you mounted the fan? New venturi is in the works for us but I know that fan has to go outside.

[maple flats]

I think the biggest thing for us was not having to kill a fan each time we open the door to throw wood. Took some extra fabrication but 100% worth it.
I have AOF and AUF, until my grandson forgot to shut off the blower as he added wood (back in the first season I had the blower) and I saw no sparks or smoke coming out the door, the fan no longer gets shut off to fuel. It gets turned on as soon as the fire is lit, and runs non stop until the last coals are almost burned out.

[Bucket Head]

That's a nice looking unit! I've thought about a stack temp. unit for a while, but I'm no electrical engineer, lol. What are the components? Brand, sourced from where and price? What's involved with wiring that up? Kind of self explanatory or close to "plug and play"? Or does the readout come with instructions even I could figure out? I wouldn't need the indicator lights but a readout would be very helpful.

Steve

[sap_savages]

That's a nice looking unit! I've thought about a stack temp. unit for a while, but I'm no electrical engineer, lol. What are the components? Brand, sourced from where and price? What's involved with wiring that up? Kind of self explanatory or close to "plug and play"? Or does the readout come with instructions even I could figure out? I wouldn't need the indicator lights but a readout would be very helpful.

Steve

You may want to check this out: https://tetilengineering.com/product/stack-temperature-controller-maple-syrup-evaporator/

[darkmachine]

With our new CDL Venturi evaporator it became important to know our stack temperature. I took that opportunity to build a new autodraw controller with a separate stack temp controller. We had an old one without a stack probe and the controller screen was

Looks like a nice system, I put together one without stack temp, which i think i may add next season. what draw off valve are you using? I have been through 3 and still don't have a reliable one that i trust.

[West Sumner Sugar]

That's a nice looking unit! I've thought about a stack temp. unit for a while, but I'm no electrical engineer, lol. What are the components? Brand, sourced from where and price? What's involved with wiring that up? Kind of self explanatory or close to "plug and play"? Or does the readout come with instructions even I could figure out? I wouldn't need the indicator lights but a readout would be very helpful.

Steve

All the parts aside from the probes were sourced from Amazon. Unfortunately there are no diagrams or anything like that. Its not to complicated but you should have some sort of knowledge of how electricity works. The controllers basically just act like switches to turn certain things on and off. If you are just looking for a controller, these are MYPIN TA4 controllers. I probably have a couple hundred bucks in this unit.

[michigan929]

Any chance you have a wiring diagram?

[West Sumner Sugar]

Sorry no diagram. Its not that difficult really. Just think of the PID controllers as switches. You feed one side and let the PID feed the output side when it reaches your set point.