Re: Idiot lites for a cooked 'pid' project.


"Craig Andrews" <alt.coffee@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:53jr37F1rg5raU1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Robert Harmon" <r_h_harmon@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:%M1Bh.2478$Jl.108@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Howdy Craig!
After getting advice from many folks (some of it was usable & some of it wasn't, such is the nature of free advice) I developed a panel mounted PID setup that does away with heat issues.

I've done two installs through the front panels of commercial machines. One (Bunn ES-1A) was directly over the pump (water leak concerns) & the other (Nuova Simonelli Mac Digit) ended up with the back too close to the boiler. For both of these I used a plastic front panel mount enclosure (Hammond model 1212) with a hole cut into the bottoms to accommodate small exhaust fans, 1) a 1" 14v DC, 2) a 2 1/2" 115v AC) wired to run when the machine is turned on. So far there's no performance differences between the 12v & 115v fans - both maintain 85F within 5F degrees either way. I did seal all openings of the enclosure with hi-temp silicone & drilled two 1/2" holes (closed off with fine mesh aluminum screen, as is the exhaust opening) into the enclosure mounting panel. These holes provide ventilation for the PID through the front of the machine & the exhaust is ducted to the bottoms of the machines using flexible vacuum cleaner hose. I'm concerned about possibly sucking in water & coffee that might be splashed into the air intakes & the more I think about it the more likely it becomes that I'll move the air intakes to the bottom of the enclosure.

It was hard to find enclosures that looked like something I'd want on my machines. The best looking is Jim's S/S models used in his PID kits, but they aren't available to the public at any price. The aluminum Bud models are too rough looking for my tastes & most plastic enclosures didn't look strong enough to be mounted anywhere but on a flat surface. I bugged the good folks at Ace Electronics here in Houston & they found the Hammond 1212 panel mount ($13) that fit 1/32 DIN PID's *almost* perfectly. There is a problem mounting the Watlow 935's because they're longer that the Cal & Love PID's. I found that by bending the terminal ends of the leads 90 degrees before installing & routing the wires to a side exit rather than through the back there was *just* enough room.
Both PID's look like they were installed at the factory & they're working fine. The golden silence is appreciated since the pstat relays aren't flipping on & off constantly.
--
Robert (Not everything can be improved, that's why I dumped spouse #1 & moved up to #2!) Harmon
http://tinyurl.com/pou2y
http://tinyurl.com/psfob
http://tinyurl.com/fkd6r

"Craig Andrews" <alt.coffee@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:53jkipF1slndmU1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


I haven't searched, but I remember reading here that at the location mentioned that to mount an internal PID there, the immediate surrounding environmental temp was something on the order of 130°F +. Running the PID at it's uppermost design limits will surely add to its demise sooner than later. Others here have mentioned erratic operation & display. The Watlow controllers that Jim Gallt uses have if I remember correctly, an upper operating temp of 150°F.
Craig.



Hi Robert, thank you for all that info! {;-)
I remember you mentioning about the Bunn ES-1A, as you said where your wife sits in an easychair that the machine was mere feet away on the counter directly behind the miss's head! {:-O & the constant clickin/ & cycling of the stat was driving here crazy!!
Would you have any pics of the Bunn ES-1A) & the Nuova Simonelli Mac Digit for us to see please? I have seen other front panel mounts of the Silvia with internal mount & fan vented through the front through a screen mesh.
Cheers!
Sincerely,
Craig.

Pics please!
Craig.

.