auto drawoff ??

[twobears1224]

i,ve been looking on ebay for a PID Temperature Control Controller.i found tons of them but which one is the best for a auto drawoff??
i,am thinking about getting this one http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230413319579&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

would this one work?? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380214493036&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

delbert

[jrthe3]

here is the one i used not much more then ebay and you get tech sapport and a guarentee

http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=106

this is the probe i used with this probe you can read in tenths of a degree


http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=15&products_id=107

[twobears1224]

thanks for the info

[Dennis H.]

Boyd what valve did you get for your setup?

Thanks for the link to Auberins.

[BRL]

Hi Dennis, here is a good source for valves.

http://stores.ebay.com/valves4projects

[kiegscustoms]

These units seem easy enough to make. What are you all using for power supplies? The ones from Marcland have the open closed auto feature. Any ideas on how to rig that up or the alarm? Is there plug ins for the probe and valve on the controller? Seems like a good summer project trying to make one.

[jrthe3]

i used a 12o vac valve off of ebay it is food grade but only rated for 180 degrees but it seams to work fine

my whole controller runs off of 120vac alarm to

wireing is ez it is all plug and play as long as you can read a wire diagram

[Dennis H.]

Thanks for the link on Ebay. I see they have SS valves that are rated for 266 degrees so I think that would be the way to go.

[findandy]

I like the sound of the maxflue pans. I'm getting ready to up-date. Has anyone had experiences Good or Bad ???

[kiegscustoms]

What have you guys been using for an enclosure? A small breaker panel like box would work good but I cant find one with a blank cover and no guts inside. Thanks for all the links for parts. Very helpful.

[Dan W]

Igot mine from Lowes or Home Depot. It is a plastic junction box about 8x8x4 deep. They come in different sizes too. It worked great.

[kiegscustoms]

Dan- Thanks for the info. I have been looking at different PID Temp controllers. The Auber ones that there is a link for on this thread seem like they would work but didn't know if you or others have use higher quality ones. Also the same with the solenoid valves. Is that a plug for your RTD probe on the front? I was thinking about setting mine up with 2 probes and 2 valves so I can reverse sides and not have to take the whole thing apart. Did you drill a new hole right in the syrup pan for your probe? I have seen some who have made a bracket to hang over the side of the pan, but I was told that a 4" RTD probe needs to be submerged 2" in liquid for it to read properly. I don't run my front pan 2" deep so I would have to make some sort of bracket that would hold it at an angle to not have to drill through the side of the pan. I have a Lightning evaporator as well so the pictures on your photobucket are giving me good ideas.

[Dan W]

I have an Auber controller-it works great! You are right about the probe. I just used the thermometer port for it and bent it down a bit-had to run the pan a little deep but it worked. I am going to drill a hole near the thermometer port and solder on a fitting so the probe will go straight in the side about 1/2 inch up. I have never tried to solder stainless but figure if I can't get it to stick, I can take it to a weld shop and have it done-nothing ventured nothing gained. That way the entire probe will be submerged. I would caution putting the probe inside the pan with a bracket-I don't know if the quick connect can take all that moisture. Consider adding a dedicated port for it that way you still have the original one for a thermometer if you want-I think you will be much happier. I bought an extra quick connect from Auber for the probe just so I could remove the wire and not have to worry about damaging it during clean-up and off season storage. One other suggestion I might add is save some money and reduce the draw-off to 1/2 inch then buy a 1/2 inch solenoid with a hand valve downstream of that to control the flow. I used all 1 inch and have the hand valve just barely cracked and trickling out to get a constant draw-off. 10 times that trickle would go through 1/2 inch valves. Hope this helps!! Dan.

[kiegscustoms]

Dan- Was the original thermometer port in the side of the syrup pan or in the draw off box on yours? I was told by Bob at Marcland that you want your probe in the actual pan vs the drawoff box. On my Lightning front pan the thermometer port is in the drawoff box so I would have to drill a hole and install a new fitting in the side of the pan. As far as soldering goes I have soldered stainless with success several times. The key is to use 2 soldering irons ( don't try to use a torch!) and stainless flux. Also use silverbrite or equivalant solder. 95/5 won't work. I would not try to weld anything onto a soldered pan. A friend of mine repairs syrup pans alot and he said that once you weld a spot on the soldered pan you can not get solder to stick within 4" from the weld. Also there is a good chance it will heat the solder up too much and make a hole or leak if the weld is too close to a solder joint, and then you would have to remove all the solder and weld the whole thing. That is just what I was told, never tried it myself, but if there is a chance that I could ruin my soldered pan by welding it I would not take that chance. I'm not sure I follow what you meant here "One other suggestion I might add is save some money and reduce the draw-off to 1/2 inch then buy a 1/2 inch solenoid with a hand valve downstream of that to control the flow. I used all 1 inch and have the hand valve just barely cracked and trickling out to get a constant draw-off. 10 times that trickle would go through 1/2 inch valves. Hope this helps!! Dan." Are you necking the drawoff and solenoid down to 1/2" and the going back to 1" for the hand valve? You don't have a problem with density having a continuous drawoff on a 2x6? Sounds good if it works!

[Dan W]

My thermometer port in right in the side of the pan about 2 inches up right in front of the draw off box and angled down. The new one will be next to it buy only 1/2 inch up and straight in. Reducing the draw off to 1/2 inch all the way through the solenoid and hand valve.This is only athought for saving a few bucks with smaller piping. I know it would work just not sure of the cost savings though. Another thing I did was wire in a switch for manually opening the solenoid. I think the controller might have that function but I have a hard enough time reading the directions and settin up the alarm points and such let alone remembering other stuff. I draw off a little heavy to start (maybe .2 or .3 degrees above) and close when I am really at syrup temp. I can get some pretty long draws that way.

[kiegscustoms]

Dan- Does your PID read in tenths of farenheit? I am under the understanding that it depends on the probe you have. I was looking for a tip sensitive probe between 12 and 18 inches long so I could fabricate brackets that I can have my sensors verticle and the tip reading the temps as to not have to drill a new hole in my syrup pan. Have not found one yet. Did you go with an Auber RTD sensor?

[Dan W]

Yes, I read in tenths. I have an Auber probe I think it is a PT100. The prob is what makes it so accurate and sensitive.