Controller for Woodgun

[SMD]

Hello,

I just installed a woodgun E250 in my shed to heat house and shed. Rather than use the standard controls, I built a controller based on an "arduino" style microprocessor controller. Basically a chip for those of us who don't understand C programming.

It has a thermocouple to keep track of the boiler temperature, a relay to open and close the flue, and a variable frequency drive to run the draft inducer fan at different speeds. The interface is a simple button (could survive a tornado.)

An LED in the button is blue for off, yellow for wood loading, green for full power, teal for half power, white for 1/4 power, and red for high temperature shutdown. I'm working on the program- different speeds based on boiler temperature, etc. I've got something very basic running now but will improve on it over the winter.

Boiler temp (could add flue temp at some point) is reported on a LCD screen.

Modern open source physical computing is great!

Anyhow, thought you guys would like this,

Andrew

 

[maple1]

Are you running your VFD with the original fan motor?

 

[SMD]

The VFW takes 200VAC and converts to 3 phase. I had Woodgun put a 3 phase motor on.

 

[maple1]

Ah, OK. That's what I was wondering.

 

[hedge wood]

The VFW takes 200VAC and converts to 3 phase. I had Woodgun put a 3 phase motor on.

We do this a lot at work to control speed on portable tank mixers use three phase motors with VFD and normal 115 volt plug ends. That way they can park the tanks any where and just plug them in to a normal wall outlet. Your set up should work slick. You may want to set it up also to control stack temp.