Re: PID problem solved

2nd or 3rd try at this post... Sorry for the duplications, if any
show up.

Bernie,

I have an early 2 gr. Linea circa 1989. I put my PID at the lower
right under the drain tray pointing forward. I used a Watlow 96. It
is a 1/16 DIN package and fits nicely there. I've been running it for
over 2 years 24/7 without problems. The tray covers it completely, so
no water problems. The only water issue I ever encountered was a
couple of weeks ago when I needed to drain the steam boiler to change
out the original heating element. I removed the screw below the sight
glass and the water flow eventually overpowered the hose from the
drain box to the carboy I drain into (I run my machine on a carboy
because it sits on an island cabinet in my kitchen). It made a mess
on the counter but the PID sat high and dry. The drain hose has a
little high spot in it that I should correct...

Someone posted SCCA pictures a couple of years ago that showed a Linea
with the PID in the same spot. Looked nice, so I put mine there, too.
I was going to try an underslung box like Paul Pratt used, but I like
my results better.

Hope this helps,

George



On Sat, 03 Feb 2007 07:52:36 -0700, bernie <bdigman@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

vMike wrote:
I PID my LM a couple years ago. I fitted the PID in between the brew switch
and the indicator light. I was kind of proud of myself until I read that it
was a bad idea and the PID should be outside the machine away from the
ambient heat inside the machine. Well it was a little too late for that.
Recently, the temperature on the PID was getting erratic and finally got so
erratic it was useless. I feared the worse, but with a bit of fiddling I
suspected the thermocouple was bad. I determined this by disconnecting the
line to the boiler by pulling the wire on the overload switch on the group
head when the boiler was at room temp. I then moved and pulled on the
thermocouple wire and bingo the temp on the PID started changing and as soon
as I let go of the wire, the PID would stabilize again (at the wrong
temperature) but it did stabilize. Repeat .. same outcome. So I bought a
new thermocouple and bingo problem solved.

I am sure the PID will eventually fail from the heat but I am on 2 years and
still going strong.

Just thought I would pass it on to others that might have a similar
experience.

Mike



I'm in the process of putting a pid on my LM 2gr this week. I was
looking at the same problem and was wondering if anybody had placed it
in the dry compartment on the left side of the drain compartment. I was
thinking of cutting a hole either forward or facing to the left and then
putting the controller in some sort of watertight bag or box. Is yours
in a commercial setting and on 24/7?
Bernie

George Cameron
Stockton, CA
.