- Jan 21, 2013
- 42
- 10
Last edited:
Pid and ssr help !!!
- Thread starter rad-one
- Start date
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linguica
Master of the Pit
At 2200 watts total draw at 120 volts, you are at safety levels or exceeding them depending on the AWG of your house wiring.
I wouldn't use this unit with out the approval of a licensed electrician. Enclosed link will show how close to max limits you are.
http://www.pinsandsockets.nl/awg info/awg info.html
I wouldn't use this unit with out the approval of a licensed electrician. Enclosed link will show how close to max limits you are.
http://www.pinsandsockets.nl/awg info/awg info.html
diggingdogfarm
Master of the Pit
The wattage of the controllers is limited.
You're not going to be able to run 2200 watts worth of electric elements with a 120V controller.
Do you plan to buy one of their ready to go controllers or a PID and other parts and assemble your own?
~Martin
You're not going to be able to run 2200 watts worth of electric elements with a 120V controller.
Do you plan to buy one of their ready to go controllers or a PID and other parts and assemble your own?
~Martin
linguica
Master of the Pit
Ohm's law states Power = Voltage X Current.....( P=IE) At 120 volts, 2200 Watts draws 18.3 Amperes. Most house wire in today's homes is
14/3 romex, a 14 GA conductor. Old homes may be wired with 12 GA wire which will handle more current but remember how old the inter-house connections must be. Add to that a supply cord and/or extension cord and you are looking for trouble.
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diggingdogfarm
Master of the Pit
If I were you, I'd think about buying a ready to use controller, it doesn't necessarily have to be a PID.
Forget about running two 1100 watt elements off one controller.
~Martin
Forget about running two 1100 watt elements off one controller.
~Martin
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- Jan 21, 2013
- 42
- 10
That would be easy I like to do stuff for my self if I'm to do that I think I should just go and buy a digital smoker and I don't want to run two 1100 watt elements if I have to buy a replacement 1500 watt I will I want to just buy the right stuff to set myself up if I have to go that route
thanks for the help
thanks for the help
linguica
Master of the Pit
Rad-one, check out posts #62 and #65 of link below to see a top notch home MES clone.
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/106393/thinking-about-a-plywood-mes40-clone/60#post_923656
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/106393/thinking-about-a-plywood-mes40-clone/60#post_923656
From the photo you posted, it looks like those are off the shelf hot plates with no modifications.
Just be aware those things generally have a thermal limiter installed inside them. This is to prevent the temp in the body of the unit exceeding a certain point. Only problem is, in an enclosed space like a smoker you want it to exceed that point as it's usually around 180* and you are wanting 220* or more. A thermal limiter is a type of switch that is normally closed to allow current to flow until a certain temp is reached and then the switch opens shutting off the power to the element. It's a fire safety thing, but use of a hot plate in an enclosed space of a smoker is not how it was designed to be used and the thermal limit set point is usually too low for that purpose.
Two options....
Just be aware those things generally have a thermal limiter installed inside them. This is to prevent the temp in the body of the unit exceeding a certain point. Only problem is, in an enclosed space like a smoker you want it to exceed that point as it's usually around 180* and you are wanting 220* or more. A thermal limiter is a type of switch that is normally closed to allow current to flow until a certain temp is reached and then the switch opens shutting off the power to the element. It's a fire safety thing, but use of a hot plate in an enclosed space of a smoker is not how it was designed to be used and the thermal limit set point is usually too low for that purpose.
Two options....
- Open the housing up and remove or bypass the thermal limit switch
- Replace the thermal limit switch with one that has a higher trip point (well above your target smoking temps).
- Jan 21, 2013
- 42
- 10
Thanks I took the one apart and seen the switch and figured that would be y I would not be able to reach my temp but if I hooked it up to a pid and ssr that I would be able to bypass the switch and get the temps I'm looking for hard to decide what one I need to go with
linguica
Master of the Pit
Almost all portable electrical appliances today also contain a tiny device called a thermal fuse to prevent overheating. It's a tiny metal tube with a wire coming out of each end. It will usually be covered by a piece of heat proof insulation. If it overheats it will open the circuit and must be replaced. Your heater appears to take up most of the space on the bottom of your wooden smoker.
Keep in mind the possibility of the wood chips on the hot plate catching fire.
Keep in mind the possibility of the wood chips on the hot plate catching fire.
walleye1
Fire Starter
The other members are right, you can really only run about 1500 watts on one circuit.
One option you could do is to tear down the hot plates and simply wire them direct. After all the PID will be controlling them.
A PID doesn't care how much power it switches. The PID is simply signaling the SSR to apply power or not. The SSR is what is switching the power. You can supply two separate circuits and have one hot plate on each one. The key point is you would have two power cords that would have to be plugged into separate circuits. This can be controlled with one PID. Here is a diagram of one I have previously built.
Mike
One option you could do is to tear down the hot plates and simply wire them direct. After all the PID will be controlling them.
A PID doesn't care how much power it switches. The PID is simply signaling the SSR to apply power or not. The SSR is what is switching the power. You can supply two separate circuits and have one hot plate on each one. The key point is you would have two power cords that would have to be plugged into separate circuits. This can be controlled with one PID. Here is a diagram of one I have previously built.
Mike
walleye1
Fire Starter
handymanstan
Gone but not forgotten. RIP
It seems to me you would only have to control one of the hot plates. Start out running the plate controlled by the pid and if it wont get to the temps you want then turn on the second plate and let the pid controlled plate make up the difference. Either two 15 amp circuits or one 20 amp circuit should do it.
Stan
Stan
ponderingturtle
Fire Starter
It is certainly possible to put in say a 20-30 amp 110 line for the use of something like this, or use 220 and split the phases into two 110 for each heater. But either would require a dedicated line be installed by an electrician. You could run them from different outlets that you know are on different circuits with an extension cord as well.
Myself I intend to get a finned heater intended to run at about 1200 watts on 110v. That way I should get plenty of heat provided the box is insulated, I also plan on using a AMZ smoke generator.
Myself I intend to get a finned heater intended to run at about 1200 watts on 110v. That way I should get plenty of heat provided the box is insulated, I also plan on using a AMZ smoke generator.
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