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Hi Baz

Looking at the link to the PID, it looks like it is a REX C100, which I have a couple of. Whilst I know there are slight differences between the various makes of REX C100, as far as I know they all have an Autotune function and are capable of accepting a PT100 thermocouple. You may need to have a look at the instructions again, which even if you get an english copy aren't very user friendly.

On mine to get to Autotune press "Set" for 3 seconds to enter the settings menu

Press "Set" again to cycle through the menu items

Cycle through until you find the following menu item


Change 0000 to 0001 using the arrow buttons to turn autotune on. It will return to the temperature display on its own after a few seconds, It should now be in autotune mode. On the left hand side the second little light down should now be flashing to indicate it is in autotune mode (the light has AT onit if you look closely)

To change the sensor to PT100 you will need to unlock the other settings menus which you do by entering the settings menu (press "Set" for 3 seconds) and cycle through to the unlock menu item (using the set button) which looks like this


The code to unlock the other settings menu on my REX C100's is 1000, It may be different on yours, check the manual.

To go to the secondary settings menus from the temperature display press both "Set" and the left arrow button for 3 seconds. the display should show this


Press "Set" to cycle through this menu.

To set mine to accept a PT100 sensor I need to change SL1 from 0000 (K type) to 1000 (PT100) once again the values for yours may be different


There is another menu that you will need to change a couple of values

Go to the COD 0000 menu ("Set" and left arrow for 3 secs) and press the up arrow to change to COD 0001


You must change the DF setting to 0 else you will never get an accurate reading, else it'll think you are happy with an accuract of 2ºC


If you do decide to opt for a PT100 you will need to change the number of decimal places by changing the PGdP setting to 0003


Let me know if you need a copy of my manual PM me you email and I'll send you a pdf.

In the meantime here are the 3 main menus

The main setting menu is (press "Set" for 3 secs and cycle through items using the "Set" button)


The Cod 0000 menu (press "Set" and left arrow for 3 secs, cycle through menu items using the "Set" button)


Change SL1 for type of sensor

Change SL2 to set whether the dosplay is in Farenheit or Centigrade

I wouldn't change anything else in this menu.

The Cod 0001 menu ("Set" and left arrow to get to Cod 0000 menu then press up arrow to change to Cod 0001)


Apart from  dF and PGdP you shouldn't need to change anything.

Hope that's been of some help to you, let me know if there's any thing you don't understand.

Piers
 
Hi Piers, thanks for the in depth instructions.
Mine only has three display numbers available, it doesn't have the same codes that I can access either. I can get to the lock screen and by changing it to 100, I can get the SL (1-4) section up, but it won't let me alter anything. Likewise I can get the autotune up, but that won't let me change anything. I have set PID's up before, so either I am being a complete numpty or it really is a basic model.
I have tried to access it with different instructions, and like you say they are not the clearest. I'll get one of the more expensive versions and see if that will work better. Failing that I'll use an LAE one.

Many thanks for your help. Much appreciated.
 
Baz

Did your PID come with a user manual? Could you scan it so I could have a look? Also can you confirm what make and model it is? Could you post a large sized photo of the front of it? Because it doesn't sound like a REX C100 that was shown in the ebay listing.

Are you saying on the LcK page it only shows 3 digits?  I have a MyPin TA4 that only has 3 digits on the lock page where lock=010 and unlock = 000 but there are only 8 possible combinations you could try.

Other unlock codes for C100's are 1000, 0100, 0000 that I could find in the various manuals I've got.

Piers

PS I think it'd be better to try to get the PID you've got working rather than buy another one just yet, esp if you are trying to make sure your set up remains significcantly cheaper than the units that Wade and I bought ;)
 
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This is the one I purchased.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301552458334?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

I am wondering if it 's a copy and it doesn't have the full range of options and works more like a digital thermostat in a PID casing. The instructions were all in Chinese, so I have tried to use the ones downloaded off the web, although these don't tally with the way the unit operates. I spent two hours last night trying the various combinations to get in, but mostly it won't let me alter the number value for a flashing digit. On the ARU pic, the far right digit is flashing and has been caught while not lit.


I might have to bite the bullet and get one which will work in full PID mode, maybe I'll give this one a whirl first, it keeps it to within a degree.
 
Are those 3 settings the only settings you can cycle through in the settings menu?

Did you try all 8 combinations for LcK?

As far as I can tell different lock codes lock different settings and there should be one that unlocks everything. It is possible you haven't unlocked the PID settings yet.

I found this in one of the C100 manuals I downloaded for different values of LcK. Obviously this is for a different model than yours (and mine to be honest).


From this we can work out (on this particular device) that the second digit from the left locks and unlocks SV, the 3rd digit locks and unlocks the Alarms and the 4th digit locks and unlocks all the other parameters where 0 is unlocked and 1 is locked.

And this appears to be the one that works for mine


I'm assuming you tried both 000 or 111

With regards to the chinese manual, I have in the past scanned chinese manuals and transferred them to my Android phone and loaded the scan into Google translate which will translate text in a photo and it has worked quite well, certainly enough to get the gist.

If you could send me a scan of the manual I'd happily see if I could make any sense of it. PM me and I'll let you know my email address, or just attach it to a post or PM.

Piers
 
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I don't have a printer or a scanner. It blew up around two years ago and I haven't really needed one at home. I sometimes go to the office and use theirs.

I have tried all those, and other numbers as well. I think it's a Micky unit. I suppose you get what you pay for.
 
Next time you go to the office scan it there and send me a copy and I'll see if I can make any sense of it. The one for mine was Chinese and I cross referenced it against an English manual for a different model.

I'll PM you my email.

I think the manual for the MyPin PID was even more difficult to understand than the C100
 
In the meantime can you tell me what model it is? There should be a sticker on the lefthand side with the model number on it.

It should be something like REX-C100FK2-V*AN

Also can you tell me what make it is as well, I can't read the writing in your photos, and the ebay link you sent doesn't specify the make or model and shows photos of 3 different makes (EICS, Berme, and RKC)

Piers
 
I have had another thought. From your photos there are obviously 4 digits in the bottom row of the display, does the left most digit on the bottom row ever display anything on any of the pages you can get to? On mine, on all of the pages of the setting menu all 4 digits are illuminated.

When I turn the unit on I get this initialisation page


Which shows that furthest left digit lit up. Does yours do this? Does your Chinese manual look like it refers to there being 4 digits in any of the tables or diagrams?

I have read quite a few different manuals for C100's and they all refer to there being 4 digits. Is it possible that the left most digit on the bottom row is just broken?

I would check this by entering a settings page, one of the digits on the bottom row will be brighter (or flashing) than the others ie the selected digit, press the left arrow to move the selected digit to the left, when the left most digit is brighter (or flashing) does clicking the left arrow just once then make the right most digit bright (or flash) or does it take 2 clicks? If it takes 2 clicks it would indicate that the left most digit is broken and you should return the unit for a replacement.

Piers
 
I have been so pleased with the first one that I have now bought a second so that I can cook at 2 different temperatures at the same time.
 
Awesome stuff Wade. Mines nearly finished now, I am on call this weekend, so all being well I will be able to give it a whirl next weekend. I know that the PID isn't bang on, but I reckon it will be a proof of concept if nothing else.
I need to try out the cold smoker mods, but the weather is just pants at the moment.
 
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