RK2001U controller vs. Love TSWB-010 controller?

[biodieseler]

Hi everyone. I'm building a downdraft wood gasification boiler and looking for your thoughts on what controller would best suit my needs. I am going to have an open 1000 gal. storage tank with copper heat exchangers installed to transfer heat. So I will have 1 circulating pump that needs to run while I'm burning a batch of wood, and the fan to run to keep the fire blaring. I've seen videos on the RK2001U controller and I like the design and looks like it would do what I need it to do as well as any other. I have no personal experience with them though. I also can't find a cheap canadian supplier for them, but am willing to buy from the U.S.
Then I was talking to a more local place (Green Valley in Ontario) about other things I need and they also sell controllers for boilers. They carry Love controllers (made by Dwyer) which looks the same as what I have in my old (rusted out) empyre elite.

My dilemma is that it's easier and cheaper to buy locally from a place I plan to order other things from anyways, but am unsure if the Love controllers will do what I am looking to do the same as the RK2001U controller will.

Do you guys know anything about what controller would better suit my needs? I'd like it to be able to sense when the boiler is out of wood (as the RK2001 unit does?)

Thanks in advance!
Allan

 

[TCaldwell]

The love controller would need a flue temp input that would keep the inducer motor contacts closed until a certain flue temp was met within a given period of time, that is to say the fire has started. If the flue temp is not met within the given time period, say 10 minutes the contacts open and the inducer shuts off. If the flue temp is met within the time period the inducer will stay on till the flue temp drops at the end of the burn and the inducer shuts off.
possibly the more advanced love controllers would have a timer and relay, why not replace the rk?

 

[biodieseler]

I don't have an RK controller to replace... right now I have no controller... This is a boiler I plan to build so I'm looking to consider what would be a more suitable controller to do what I need to do.
So does the RK controllers sense flue temps so it knows when to shut the fan off, and the love controllers are not that way?
Thanks,

 

[TCaldwell]

the love or any other pid temp or process controller is not specific to any application, more universal for you to apply your inputs and outputs to execute a given function . Some advanced or multiple input/output controllers could do what you want, however if you google wood boiler or boimass combustion controller you will find controllers similar to the rk that provide specific pertinent functions. If you are so inclined a plc will do more than you will ever need. Automation direct has several reasonably priced. not sure why the bisecting line is here?