So I made a stove control board of sorts... Under $30.00

[bill3rail]

Informational Purposes Only! Don't try this at home!

I saw the pricing of new control boards (~$200.00) and thought I could make one for a whole lot less. Actually it cost less than $30.00.

I only built this for emergency backup purposes only.
No auto start igniter, but that would be another simple circuit if I really needed it. I can use a propane torch to start her up.

Prices are approximate.

I found a motor control board (On/Off timer relay). $5.00
3-gang outlet box $3.00
Outlet $3.00
Double Switch $8.00
Outlet blank filler $4.00
Outlet cover $3.00
Miscellaneous wires from the garage $Free

 

[chamas]

Excellent! A true craftsman! How can I tell (just by looking at it)? You arranged all the coverplate screws in the N-S orientation!

Have you tested it yet?

 

[bill3rail]

Excellent! A true craftsman! How can I tell (just by looking at it)? You arranged all the coverplate screws in the N-S orientation! OCD Issues!

Have you tested it yet?

Testing is starting now. It was too cold last night (~32F) to start, stop then restart so I just ran it as manufactured.

Bill

 

[Dataman]

If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy

 

[bill3rail]

If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy

I'll accept that, they may eventually think that handy is sexy!

 

[bill3rail]

Getting the upper auger timing exact is almost impossible!

Run time, stop time...

Too much run time and you are burned out!

Too much stop time and your augers will clog up like big foot using your toilet!

I think I have it at a decent rate right now.

Bill

 

[bill3rail]

Video of it working before I adjusted the run and stop times.




Bill

 

[arhyne]

I'm so close to doing this with my Enviro. I've been thinking about it for several years. Their electronics are so prone to failure and expensive to replace. I had a power surge kill one, a minor surge from a storm didn't harm anything else in the house and my other board is failing now. Plus I don't like the fan control method on the board. Makes a lot of noise.

 

[bill3rail]

Things to change:
A) Have the lower auger plug in to an outlet like the Combustion blower as there is no need for it to be switched.
B) Mount the timing circuit to more easily adjust the run and stop timing.

Bill

Here it is running with my control box.
``

 

[arhyne]

Very nice. Do you have any relays on the sensors for overheat or loss of heat?

Do your fan motors seem to run smoother than on the electronics it came with?

 

[bill3rail]

I'm so close to doing this with my Enviro. I've been thinking about it for several years. Their electronics are so prone to failure and expensive to replace. I had a power surge kill one, a minor surge from a storm didn't harm anything else in the house and my other board is failing now. Plus I don't like the fan control method on the board. Makes a lot of noise.

It is real simple to build so go for it! I don't know much about an Enviro stove but they all seem to work on the same basic principal.

If you want to get more detailed, you can easily wire in any safety circuits that are on your stove.

Bill

 

[bill3rail]

Very nice. Do you have any relays on the sensors for overheat or loss of heat?

Do your fan motors seem to run smoother than on the electronics it came with?

No, I did not wire in any of the safeties. This controller was designed for emergency use only.

I actually thought the room (convection) blower sounded louder than with the OEM control board.
Probably because it is running on one single speed where the OEM board changes the speed.

Bill

 

[Ssyko]

Pretty cool bill. I have tinkered but never found the time to source out everything. Kudos!

 

[bill3rail]

Pretty cool bill. I have tinkered but never found the time to source out everything. Kudos!

I did it as simply as I could, which also equates to cheap, which I like.

Wish I had purchased everything at once to show exact cost.
Time was the main issue, I would start playing with it and stop to do something else.

Bill

 

[Ssyko]

This is one i found last year. im thinking you may have lit a fire for me to get back into this again lol

https://www.canakit.com/cyclic-pic-...lay-1-sec-to-15-hour-kit-ck670cy-uk670cy.html

And have the ability to program the chip myself.

 

[bill3rail]

This is one i found last year. im thinking you may have lit a fire for me to get back into this again lol

https://www.canakit.com/cyclic-pic-...lay-1-sec-to-15-hour-kit-ck670cy-uk670cy.html

And have the ability to program the chip myself.

Well, now that the fire is lit, keep feeding it and show us what you come up with.

Is that is a build it yourself kit? The kit I bought on SleazyBay (Also on Scamazon) was assembled and about $20.00 cheaper. The run and stop times are adjustable with potentiometers on the board.


Bill

 

[Ssyko]

It can be bought assembled or in a kit. 10 bucks cheaper if you assemble(not)

Red dips are “on” timers
Blue dips are “off” timers
PIC16F630
I have to look into the data sheet and see if internal timing ability allows for the PIC to be used as heat range 1-5
If so another might be able to be used as combo / convection blower controls.

 

[z1robbie]

No, I did not wire in any of the safeties. This controller was designed for emergency use only.

I actually thought the room (convection) blower sounded louder than with the OEM control board.
Probably because it is running on one single speed where the OEM board changes the speed.

Bill

Safety should be the first concern,
even
"for emergency use only."

No reason NOT to wire ALL the safety switches in.
Along with appropriate fuses in EACH motor circuit.

Very simple to do so;
High temp safety ,
vacuum safety (relay highly suggested)
and hopper safety switches
can be wired in series with the auger.
No vacuum
Front Door open
or convection blower failure (Combustion blower should always be on.)
over temperature condition
or hopper door open,(if equipped)
the auger does not feed.

I know this basic set up is not meant to be long term.
"for emergency use only."

For long term use;
If blowers are to be on a variable (triac) speed controls
They should
be wired to a relay with convection blower turned to full on in an over temperature condition
(open high temp safety switch) to cool the stove down as quickly as possible.
The combustion blower needs to be variable(triac controlled) for air/fuel mixture control anyway.
this should be wired to an over temp relay to be on full in an over temp condition as well.

Low temp switch wired in series with the convection blower to allow the stove to warm up before the convection blower comes on.
Best practice would be to have the low temp safety switch with an initial timer to start the convection blower once the stove has wamed up
and relay control, to stop the auger,
once the 20 to 30 minute timer expires an open low temp switch is an indication of a cold stove(flame out) and auger should not continue to operate.

.

 

[Ocelot]

Safety should be the first concern,
even
"for emergency use only."

I agree on the safety, but this post was from nearly 4 years ago so it may not be in use anymore. I wonder how the original poster made out with this though.

Ray

 

[thumper_65590]

Not sure, but i used it to make a controller for my englander; although i did add a high limit switch to mine. All the vacuum switches are in place. I used a variable fan control switch on my combustion blower. Works very well. Right now i am burning it at a low setting to just help take the chill out of the air.