SSR outputs do last longer for sure. And I wouldn't worry about the alarm output's they will be fine. It's just relays wear out faster when subjected to higher loads and cycles. The PID may in all fact outlast your smoker, and if you just used the relay contacts directly, you may get 20 years use. But it may also crap out in 2 years. I always like putting in cheaper parts for the places that will see the most abuse.

Ok, I see -so you want a fairly large unit. I was going to harass you for going electric and suggest that you just get the Webber Bullet (what I have) but you said the magic words "cold smoke". I wouldn't mind an electric smoker so I could cold smoke fish and sausage (not that I make sausage much these days -so much work !) but frankly, I'm almost scared that if I got one I'd get lazy and not use my charcoal unit anymore !

Any interest in rolling your own controller ? I used to sell microcontrollers for a living and if you like electronics, you can have a lot of fun making exactly what you want, yourself !

I figure it's just a matter of time before I design autonomous systems to monitor my tanks' variables, ATO -maybe some dosing in the future.....

If you want to ramp and dwell, you can go on ebay and get a pretty badass multipoint controller for cheap. I just got 4 of them for my lab this way last week; cost me about $150 but it would have been over $3000 new. University surplus is awesome!

Like DiverDude suggested, I would consider going the microcontroller unit. The easiest to work with is the Arduino. It costs $50 and is EXTREMELY flexible in what is can do. You could make an Arduino do exactly what you want for next to nothing! Hell, you could even control the thing from the comfort of you laptop.

Hmm now that sounds interesting.. would be nice to be able to look at the laptop and check temps on a long smoke while I am watching hockey. but i imagine that getting wireless would make it not so cheep. Does the arduino take any kind of inputs from thermocouples?

Steve

hmm reading up on the Arduino, little bit harder to get probes and such that can be stuck into a roast. might be more simple for me just to use the PIDs and have two of them.

Steve

Nah, I don't think you'll have a problem. You'd be surprised what probes you can get that can be stuck into a roast. Heck, I could help you find some of the lab grade probes I use at work for cheap. Shoot me a PM and I can help you out. You can even pull the probe off of an old digital meat thermometer.

I found a few links to people using arduinos for smokers if you haven't already found them:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...?postid=455330
http://techblips.dailyradar.com/stor...e_thermometer/
http://www.casualhacker.net/blog/201...-brown-smoker/
http://qpidproject.blogspot.com/

I say give'r a go. If I can use an Arduino to control my $15K experiment set-up remotely, I'm sure it can do a smoker as well.

If you don't go Arduino route, try ebay for PID controllers. You'd be surprised what you can find.

I used to use Omron E5CK Temp controllers for near everything. The PID is extreamly smart, and has a communication channel for multiple settings. You can pick them up off ebay pretty easy, I've managed to get most of mine for < $20. Any questions let me know.

Heres a link to a spec sheet:
http://www.ia.omron.com/product/fami...index_fea.html

This Arduino looks intriguing.... I'm going to have to look into it further

If you want to try the Ardunio (or any other micro), you can got to my old company (still being run by someone else) here in Calgary so you don't have to deal with international shipping:

www.HVWTech.com

Dude, that's a whole website of fun you got there! who needs to shell out $200+ for a tank control system when I could shop there.

I heard rumors that they are giving away free Arduino to Canreef-ers...:mrgreen: