Digital LED temp readout and alarm installed

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I just added a high temp limit & low temp switch to my stove too because I kept having issues with either overheating the stove or letting it go out. It is in the basement & I just seem to forget about it too often. I used the old school approach. I used two therm-o-disc type switches. The low temp alarm one is adjustable from 210 degrees to 300 I think. The high temp is set for a cut in of 390 & a CI of 350 degrees. I have it all wired to a 24 volt TX then to a 24 volt buzzer I got for free from work. I have like $20 invested. Oh and I have a switch in series with the power to the circuit so you can silence the alarm or turn it off if you don't want it on like if you are going to be goen for the day so the low temp alarm isn't buzzing for an hour before you get home (we have dogs)
 
I forgot to add that I just strapped mine to the outside of the flue pipe with picture hanging wire with some small extension springs.
 
I haven't played with a low alarm yet to alert for for re-stoking.

Are you using the Aubeins unit of this thread?

It sounds like you have the second alarm set to alert for when it cools down.


Wyld Bill said:
I just added a high temp limit & low temp switch to my stove too because I kept having issues with either overheating the stove or letting it go out. It is in the basement & I just seem to forget about it too often. I used the old school approach. I used two therm-o-disc type switches. The low temp alarm one is adjustable from 210 degrees to 300 I think. The high temp is set for a cut in of 390 & a CI of 350 degrees. I have it all wired to a 24 volt TX then to a 24 volt buzzer I got for free from work. I have like $20 invested. Oh and I have a switch in series with the power to the circuit so you can silence the alarm or turn it off if you don't want it on like if you are going to be goen for the day so the low temp alarm isn't buzzing for an hour before you get home (we have dogs)
 
Treacherous said:
Looks like my thermocouple is actually reading low by about 75 degrees. Anyone tweaked theirs yet?

Treacherous said:
You might be able to tweak the accuracy with section 4.2 in the instructions. So far mine seems accurate on the gas fireplace. Unfortunately my IR is back at cabin so won't know for sure until I get back over there. I've never played with these PIDs before so a little curve for me. They do seem to offer a lot of options in a small package though.

The first magnet I used wasn't strong enough and was giving me low temperatures. My wife bought one of those broom stick handle magnets, it had a 1/4" hole on the center holding it on the broom stick. I took it off the broomstick and it works great.
The alarm went off a few nights ago my son loaded the stove and didnt push the draft in far enough. To me this is money well spent.

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Treacherous said:
My buzzer is wired up as follows:

• 2 wired to 4

• 5 wired to buzzer

• other wire from buzzer wired to 1

I am running mine the same as yours. It said in the directions that the polarity was reversible so I have mine wired as #1 is the neutral #2 is 120v, 2 is jumpered to 4 and 5 going to one side of the buzzer. The other side of the buzzer back to 1.
This keeps the 120 v from being hot to the buzzer at all times.
 
I have an outdoor thermometer that will save highest and lowest temp readings between resets.

Has anyone of you guys with a PID controller for their stove know if there is an option to save a max temp reading while unattended ? that would be a sweet option to monitor. This way you can come back to the stove and see the max temp the stove had during that burn cycle.
 
I'm confused why you would use a PID controller when all you really need is essentially a switch. You're not controlling anything to a setpoint, so why the PID?
 
re: Mounting

When I did my set-up several years back - I just let the stove rip one night (pre-heat the top) and brazed the TC wires right to the top of the stove. The lower in mass you can make this connection, the faster the TC will respond and the 'tighter' you couple it to the metal, the closer it reads the actual temperature. A drop or two of brazing rod is very low mass and very tightly coupled to the steel.
 
FirewoodMan said:
I'm confused why you would use a PID controller when all you really need is essentially a switch. You're not controlling anything to a setpoint, so why the PID?

Technically, you don't - a simple 'thermostat' / thermoswitch would be just as effective. Though I suspect trying to find something digital and programmable with 'just' a switch may be like trying to find 'just' a cell phone. They always seem to come with added extras.
 
FirewoodMan said:
I'm confused why you would use a PID controller when all you really need is essentially a switch. You're not controlling anything to a setpoint, so why the PID?

In some respects you are right, you are not controlling a heating element which is where you would need a PID controller. But you are controlling a high temp limit alarm to a set-point. (My controller also turns on the blower at high temp).

These controllers are made for a wide range of applications, PID control is one of several modes that can be selected. They combine digital readout and thermocouple, and alarm functions in a compact package. A temp switch will not have these features.


I have an outdoor thermometer that will save highest and lowest temp readings between resets.

Has anyone of you guys with a PID controller for their stove know if there is an option to save a max temp reading while unattended ? that would be a sweet option to monitor. This way you can come back to the stove and see the max temp the stove had during that burn cycle.

These controller don't have an option for data logging, some of the more expensive controllers can output data.

I do have a wireless temperature data logger, it gives me a graph of stove top temp and ambient room vs time. It is nice to see exactly what actual burn time is. When I get some time I Will post some more info on it.
 
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