power draft controller(pic heavy w/ parts list) updated 4-11

killswitch505 · Last edited by killswitch505 on Mon Apr 12 10 1:35 pm; edited 6 times in total

Well I finely got to work on this today (mother in-law is in town). I�ll start with the parts list. This is just for the control box and not the fan I will try and add that tomorrow

1. Carlon 4x4x6 PVC J-Box CARE989NNR $22.00 http://www.foxelectricsupply.com/content/products/ProductCatalog.asp?qscategoryId=25993
I actually got mine for 13.00 at a local electrical supply store

2. PID controller $33.50 http://www.lightobject.com/0-999F-Fahrenheit-Temperature-Controller-P139.aspx

3. 10� Type K Thermocouple $5.00 http://www.lightobject.com/10ft-3M-K-type-Thermocouple-P114.aspx

4. � Romex connector sorry I had one it�s like .30 cents

5. 15 amp pigtail 8.00 they have the for like 5 bucks but could not find it on the website you could use an old shop cord and save the cash just make sure it has a ground http://www.homedepot.com/Electrical-Electrical-Cords-Cord-Management/Husky/h_d1/N-5yc1vZ1xj5Zbm9cZrd/R-100661435/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

6. 18 or 20 gage stranded THHN wire (red and black) 5� of each color maybe $3.00 at home depot

7. MeanWell RS-25-12 120 VAC to 12 VDC power supply $20.00
http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&pa=323300&productId=323300&keyCode=WSF&cid=GMC

8. 2 zip ties at least 12� long sorry I had those as well probably like $1.00

9. 1/8 mono phone jack http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103453

top of J-Box

cut with jig saw

checking for fit

1/8 mono jacks

marked for 15/64 hole

drilled 15/64 hole this allows the jack to be threaded in to the hole

jacks installed

cutting 12" off of the thermocouple

stripping the braided shielding off the thermocouple

soldering the red TC wire (please pay attention to wire placement)

after soldering of the blue TC wire (please pay attention to wire placement)

after soldering 18 gauge THHN wire could have used 20 gauge I just had some 18 on the truck (please pay attention to wire placement)

installed pid with retaining clip and zip tied power supply to pid

wiring in fan jack (please pay attention to wire placement)

adding jumper from power supply to pid (please pay attention to wire placement)

making 4" 120 VAC jumpers for power supply (please pay attention to wire placement)

installing jumpers for power supply (please pay attention to wire placement)

need to drill the hole for the Romex connector

trimmed 7" of the pigtail and installed into the J-Box

wired pigtail and thermocouples on PID controller (please pay attention to wire placement)

all done please don�t forget to tighten the Romex connector

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daddywoofdawg · Posted: Sun Mar 28 10 1:55 pm Post subject:

Seems very doable, but why 10� Type K Thermocouple if your only using 4"?or is there more to the story on the next page? and is there another source for the box? 22 bucks seems spendy for a pvc box.
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killswitch505 · Posted: Sun Mar 28 10 3:47 pm Post subject:

day_trippr · Posted: Sun Mar 28 10 10:25 pm Post subject:

Soybomb · BBQ Fan Joined: 10 Nov 2009 Posts: 373

Wow great post, I'll be following this one closely!

JimmieOhio · Posted: Mon Mar 29 10 2:42 am Post subject:

I only have two comments:

1) To get truly accurate thermocouple readings, the chromel/alumel wiring should be continuous from the junction (point of measurement) to the controller. They make special thermocouple jacks and terminal strips to accomplish this. That stereo jack you are using would never be acceptable in an industrial thermocouple application. Breaking the wiring with dissimilar metal will allow a small error because of this.

2) On the power cord, I would fuse the hot leg with an inline fuse rated appropriately for the load.
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"Never criticize a man until you have walked a mile in his shoes. Then, criticize him all you want since you're a mile away and you have HIS shoes."

killswitch505 · Posted: Mon Mar 29 10 3:47 am Post subject:

bigjoe · Posted: Mon Mar 29 10 6:36 am Post subject:

Dang...running about $75 to make so far... definitely going to save this thread and possibly try one on the new smoker I'm about to start. Very Happy

Thanks for posting it!! Cool

Sure glad there are smart people that can figger this stuff out....I'm sure not one of em. Embarassed

Rocko-la · BBQ Super Fan Joined: 28 Jan 2010 Posts: 467

Jeez, we threw away about 300 Watlow controllers like that. They were in a huge box, we had a Dog & Pony show and the bosses said, "Get rid of it!"

killswitch505 · Posted: Mon Mar 29 10 12:30 pm Post subject:

thanks bigjoe I just really love my job I figured if I could help some ringer's out it would be worth it and as you can tell its not really all that hard

killswitch505 · Posted: Wed Mar 31 10 1:17 pm Post subject:

Ok guys here is chapter 2 parts list follows (I will post links soon)

Heat shrink $7.00 home depot
2 1/8 mono jack $4.00 radio shack
25CFM computer fan 12 dc $9.00 staples
4 - 11 J-box with blank cover $5.00 home depot
8� 20 gauge 2 conductor bell wire maybe $2.00 home depot

Here�s a picture of the parts

Slide 2 2��x 3/16 and 2 3��x 3/8 pieces heat shrink over the cut end of the remaining 9� of thermocouple

Slide 1 3� x 1/8 piece of heat shrink over both TC conductors and into the braided shielding

Slide a �� x 1/8 piece of heat shrink over each TC conductor

Solder the TC to the mono jack (please pay close attention to wire placement)

Slide the heat shrink over the red TC conductor and heat it (with a lighter)

Now the 9� thermocouple is done this is what you place in your pit to get the temp to the controller ( I know Mr. obvious over here lol)

Time to start on the fan you will need to mark the diameter of the fan opening

I cut the hole with a jigsaw a hole saw would work great but I left my hole saw kit in the jobox at work (I�m a bone head I knew I needed it tonight to) you could mount the fan with 6-32 screws and nut I used self taping screws

Time to put the mono jack on the 8� of 20 gauge bell wire your�s may or my not be the same color as mine (my wire is actually 18 gauge single pair shielded belden that�s just a brand name and I had it laying around the shop bell wire will work as well and is readily available at home depot) this I pretty much the same as putting the jack on the thermocouple so I�m just going to post pics

Place the other end of the bell wire through one of the holes on the back of the 4 -11 box place a zip tie on the wire on each side of the box

Take a good look at the fan connector you well see a white wire that wire is not used in this application
Its an RPM sensor so just cut it and get it out of the way

Now with the two wires that are left one of them will be marked with an x and a dashed line this is the negative and you solder this to the black wire and solder the other to the red which is the positive
Do not forget to slide a piece of 2�� x 1/8 heat shrink over the black and red wire also slide 2 pieces of 2�� x 3/16 heat trace over the fan wires

Now close up the box making sure that all the slack is zip tied and kept away from the fan blades

Now we are kinda done well with the hard part the really cool thing is that the thing is already programmed to do what we want it to do all we have to do is set the temp which I well go over in chapter 3 lol
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killswitch505 · Posted: Wed Mar 31 10 1:22 pm Post subject:

damn my nails are dirty Embarassed

and please leave me some feed back i would like to know what ya'll really think
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loomis1228 · Posted: Wed Mar 31 10 10:23 pm Post subject:

I don't know about you but I would strip the 3/16th 1020 wire running counterparrell to the canuder valve an 8th off the shimmy. that way when the back verter on the knuckle is nocked, the banger won't spark the MF/AB fan. Embarassed

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Jesse Gabbard
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"Layla"--customized towable pit
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day_trippr · Posted: Wed Mar 31 10 10:35 pm Post subject:

killswitch505 · Posted: Wed Mar 31 10 11:10 pm Post subject:

lol i guess theres one or maybe 2 in every crowd lol
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Grimey · Newbie Joined: 12 Mar 2009 Posts: 86

Great work!

mwillis · Posted: Thu Apr 01 10 12:07 am Post subject:

Looks good to me. I scavenged a temp controller off an old piece of equipment at work. I was planning something similar to what you have. I did not, however, have a plan for the fan yet. I like your design there. Cheap, effective, simple. Good work.

Willis
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loomis1228 · Posted: Thu Apr 01 10 12:32 am Post subject:

Cat797 · Posted: Thu Apr 01 10 12:44 am Post subject:

Fan-Freaking-tastic!!!

This is just what I needed, now I don't have to buy a guru or stoker, so saved me a few bucks. Easy enough directions, what's not to like?

Thanks Man.......

daddywoofdawg · Posted: Thu Apr 01 10 1:16 am Post subject:

Very do able!Question will there be a spacer betewn the fan and the firebox?seems the metal box would get hot and the plastic fan also(maybe not).
_________________
Good BBQ is all smoke and beers!
The Dawghouse Custom vertical Gasser
Custom Made offset smoker
Char grill smoker
Weber kettle