PID as temp monitor and alarm

[BenW]

Has anyone else used a PID as a temp monitor and alarm? They are pretty cheap on e-bay and most come with a type k thermocouple. Can you extend thermocouple wires? I was thinking of puting one of these upstairs so I can watch the boiler temp and have an alarm go off if it gets too high.

 

[Nofossil]

Has anyone else used a PID as a temp monitor and alarm? They are pretty cheap on e-bay and most come with a type k thermocouple. Can you extend thermocouple wires? I was thinking of puting one of these upstairs so I can watch the boiler temp and have an alarm go off if it gets too high.

Great idea - I'm sure it would work. If you want to extend a thermocouple, I think you have to use matching thermocouple wire. The junctions between wires are critical, and must not be dissimilar metals.

 

[twofer]

I was thinking of getting one just to display the temperature on my storage since all the thermocouple displays I've found are insanely expensive.

 

[overshot]

PID's are used to collect data then make an adjustment to the system. I think a simple adjustable temperature switch is what you want.

 

[91220da]

Hi Guys kind of new to the whole boiler thing but I bought a Maverick Smoker Thermometer off of ebay. It has 2 probes connected to a wireless transmitter. Put one probe on my supply line from the wood boiler were it goes into my oil boiler and one probe on the feed line to my house manifold. I can sit in the living room an at a glance see what temp. water is coming in from the wood boiler and what temp. water is going out to my baseboard heaters. The unit is wireless an transmits far enough that I can take the reciever outside with me to verify the temp gauges on the wood boiler. Very accurate unit and can be programed to beep at set temps. Designed to keep an eye on your smoker temp and the temperature of the meat you are smoking. Search Ebay for "Wood Boiler Thermometer" and it should come up. I paid $65.00 for it and have since found it cheaper. So far very happy with it.
Rich

 

[Medman]

I was thinking of doing the same thing, just for temp display. Omron E53R controllers are about $10 eack, without thermocouple, and can take 22 types of sensor input. That's cheaper than most digital thermometers, and if you want you can actually do something with the relay output.
NoFossil, what type of sensor would you reccommend for the stack temp at flue collar output and for secondary chamber temps?

 

[Nofossil]

I was thinking of doing the same thing, just for temp display. Omron E53R controllers are about $10 eack, without thermocouple, and can take 22 types of sensor input. That's cheaper than most digital thermometers, and if you want you can actually do something with the relay output.
NoFossil, what type of sensor would you reccommend for the stack temp at flue collar output and for secondary chamber temps?

Those little PIP controllers can do a lot more than measure and display temperature and drive an output, but at the price they're a pretty good bargain just as a high temp digital thermometer.

If you're doing secondary combustion and flue temps, I'd do a type K thermocouple with a stainless sheath at a minimum. Might consider Inconel sheath for the secondary combustion. In any event, keep it out of the direct flame. If you but a sheathe probe, it can be bent to get the tip where you want it. Because of the water jacket, you have to make a hole in the door frame area to get into the secondary combustion chamber.

 

[91220da]

Hey I'm the new guy again with the smoker thermometer, sorry to jump in before. I have no freakin clue what you guys are up too. That will teach me to think I know what I'm talking about.

 

[Nofossil]

Hey I'm the new guy again with the smoker thermometer, sorry to jump in before. I have no freakin clue what you guys are up too. That will teach me to think I know what I'm talking about.

No worries - smoker thermometer is great, except for really high temps (like secondary combustion).

I suspect that no one has much of a clue about what I wrote since about half the words are misspelled or mis-typed. Some days the brain and fingers do not work as a team.

 

[BenW]

Thanks for the feedback, I guess i'm not the only one who's thought of doing this. I did more searching on e-bay and found they sell thermocouples premade as long as 30 ft. I have a ranch so that will make it up to the first fl. no problem. I think I will order one of the PID's and a long thermocouple as soon as I can scounge up some cash for it.

 

[WOODALARM001]

I designed these woodstove flue alarms about 10 years ago -

Yes you can do it a bit cheaper - I sell about 10 a year -

http://www.cas4.com/Wood-Stove/Woodstove-Control-001.htm

Have a look - Thanks

 

[Rickard]

I have a Watlow PID on my tanks that I had sitting around. It has two outputs but only one sensor. So Far I'm only using it as a digital temp gauge. I have wires run but haven't thought of a way to make good use yet. I'm thinking of getting some kind of two sensor control to work out the difference in boiler/storage temp. That seems like it would be useful.

Dean

 

[TCaldwell]

i use a inexpensive pid, from love controls and a type k inconel sheathed thermocouple from omega engineering to monitor secondary burn temps, think about thermocouple probe placement and allow for enough length to protect the pot, where the probe meets the wires, with the high temps of a type k enviornment this junction will fail first if unprotected, also it would cost less to buy a thermocouple with only a few feet of the inconel sheath outside of the boiler or fluestack , and with a type k connector change it to thermocouple wire and run that to the monitoring device. this way when the thermocouple fails you will only need to buy a new thermocouple with a short lead wire and plug it into your already in place wiring.