PID questions

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by ScubaSteve

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

[StirCrazy]

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

[ScubaSteve]

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

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.

[Lampshade]

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

[banditpowdercoat]

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

[DiverDude]

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

[ScubaSteve]

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...