Lots of questions

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Buddy55

Newbie
Original poster
Feb 2, 2021
26
5
I am building a PID controller. I have read lots of the posts and do not totally get all of them.
My question has to do with mounting the temp probe in the smoker. I am going to have drill a hole. But what do I need mount it? I know (or think) that I should NOT use galvanized pipe. But to use? I have not found stainless and I am have a hard time locating black pipe. Can I use brass fittings? Or may be copper? Please help.
Buddy55
 
Just need one of these. (grate clip)Can move around in smoker where needed.
1612311563278.png
 
I am building a PID controller. I have read lots of the posts and do not totally get all of them.
My question has to do with mounting the temp probe in the smoker. I am going to have drill a hole. But what do I need mount it? I know (or think) that I should NOT use galvanized pipe. But to use? I have not found stainless and I am have a hard time locating black pipe. Can I use brass fittings? Or may be copper? Please help.
Buddy55

Hi there and welcome!
Usually wall probes work like this.

You drill a hole JUST big enough through the smoker so that the probe can poke through.
THEN you drill a bigger hole through the outter wall of the smoker all the way up to but NOT through the inner wall.

The wall mount probes have like a stopping nut so you can now run the probe through the bigger hole (has to be bigger than the stopping nut) and you poke the probe through the little hole that you drilled through the inner wall.
From inside you put another nut on the probe to fasten it to the wall. Now you just cover the outer hole and are done :)

I hope that description helps and here is an image to explain the kind of wall mount probe i have in mind:
sensor19.jpg
 
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I just put mine through a chunk of wood so I can lay it of any grate in various areas thru out the smoke to monitor different areas.

Don
Temp Probe.jpg
 
Thanks to every one. I will try the ideas out and then decide.
I have a 'cheap Master Built' electric. The electrics have become a little flakey. Runs too hot, jumps around (varies) by about 20 degrees. So I am adding a hot plate burner. I have one that is 1100 watt, or maybe two 900 watt burners. And the PID controller. The smoker has been good, but the last several attempts (cooks) only two hours. Luckily I was paying attention to the smoker. I had been thinking about this for a time, and I decided to bit the bullet and just get it done.
sorry , I would and pics, but have not figured out how to add them.

What types of temp probes is every one using? The PID I have uses a 'K type. The one I saw in the pics using a stereo plug. Do you know what type it is?

Again, thanks (and that was quick).
 
Last edited:
Thanks to every one. I will try the ideas out and then decide.
I have a 'cheap Master Built' electric. The electrics have become a little flakey. Runs too hot, jumps around (varies) by about 20 degrees. So I am adding a hot plate burner. I have one that is 1100 watt, or maybe two 900 watt burners. And the PID controller. The smoker has been good, but the last several attempts (cooks) only two hours. Luckily I was paying attention to the smoker. I had been thinking about this for a time, and I decided to bit the bullet and just get it done.
sorry , I would and pics, but have not figured out how to add them.

What types of temp probes is every one using? The PID I have uses a 'K type. The one I saw in the pics using a stereo plug. Do you know what type it is?

Again, thanks (and that was quick).

Hi there and welcome!

Here is a post on rewiring an MES to work with a PID controller, something like an Auber PID would be an easy plug and play after the rewire:

This may save you from having to do a bunch of custom work and adding more elements, etc.

As for temp probes, I use whatever comes with the PID when it comes to "type". Now the design I go with is a probe I can slip to a rack. I go with an alligator clip probe so i can move it around versus a wall mount probe. I like to move and get the probe in the best spot for my smoke.
I have found that clipped under the center of my lowest rack is the best spot for my PID to control everything well. If I wanted to move it around I could depending on the load and what I was smoking but I think I found the best spot after playing around :)
 
LOL. Sorry, my Master built electric uses the 'old style control' . You know . When this controller breaks, I just have to find the type similar to an electric skillet, with the temp control in the cord.
It worked well before, it just got tired.
But thanks for that thread. I had read and looked it over more than once.

This why I am attempting to add a PID type control. And I am a geek that likes electronics.
 
LOL. Sorry, my Master built electric uses the 'old style control' . You know . When this controller breaks, I just have to find the type similar to an electric skillet, with the temp control in the cord.
It worked well before, it just got tired.
But thanks for that thread. I had read and looked it over more than once.

This why I am attempting to add a PID type control. And I am a geek that likes electronics.

Ahhh I think I understand. I believe you have the Analogue smoker that has the dial on the cord.
If you open up that dial controller you can just wire around the dial controller so that the cord wires connect directly with the leads/prongs that connect into your smoker's electrical element.

This would make the smoker dumb where if plugged into the wall it heats up with no control.
At this point you take that dumb rewired plug and plug into your PID controller and that controls the power on/off to the plug based on the temp reading it registers with it's probe in the smoker :)
 
Aahh yes. I had a brain freeze. I could not remember to call it an analog controller. Dang
 
If the analog controller works , I think all you need to do is set it to max temp , then plug it into the PID controller .
Did you say you're using hot plates instead of the element ? If so you won't need that dial controller .

I'm just following along and thinking out loud .
 
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I am building a PID controller. I have read lots of the posts and do not totally get all of them.
My question has to do with mounting the temp probe in the smoker. I am going to have drill a hole. But what do I need mount it? I know (or think) that I should NOT use galvanized pipe. But to use? I have not found stainless and I am have a hard time locating black pipe. Can I use brass fittings? Or may be copper? Please help.
Buddy55

As for "mounting" your Temp probe:
In my MES, I just hang the probe through my top vent, lower it through the rack the meat is on until the tip is 2" or 3" below the rack. Then I put a clothes pin on the cable where it goes through the vent, so the probe won't move up or down at all.

Bear
 
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