StillSmart

Re: Cheap and cheerful controller

2014-06-30T22:53:00+00:00

Im using the same kit as easy drinker..

with an ebay v/a meter stuck in an old box. works a treat

Statistics: Posted by Fil — Mon Jun 30, 2014 10:53 pm

Re: Cheap and cheerful controller

2014-05-08T08:42:04+00:00

Bought one of those plug in power meters ED recommended for about 10 pound. I don't think they can handle much more than a 2 or 3 KW element but for my T500 boiler and controller this set up seems to work a treat. The digital readout gave similar readings to the ones I had calculated round the dial.

Statistics: Posted by Mr Four Square — Thu May 08, 2014 8:42 am

Re: Cheap and cheerful controller

2014-03-09T02:32:48+00:00

Crikey that's cheap fuf ! If these controllers work with ED's power monitor then you can have good control and an easy watt measurement for under 15 pound. Anyone here happily using one of these controllers with a plug in power monitor?

Statistics: Posted by Mr Four Square — Sun Mar 09, 2014 2:32 am

Re: Cheap and cheerful controller

2014-03-07T11:45:07+00:00

I purchased this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2000W-220V-AC ... 2ecc08cabc

It was the cheapest I could find.

Statistics: Posted by fuf — Fri Mar 07, 2014 11:45 am

Re: Cheap and cheerful controller

2014-03-07T00:14:45+00:00

My controller I built using one of these;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1pc-KYOTTO-AC ... 20b9aba410
Which I believe Brian alerted us to,way back when,and one of these;
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aluminum-Allo ... 48540f1837
Container of your choice,do earth if using metalic,and do provide air vents,personally I do not need to use a fan in there for cooling.

That is plugged into an item similar to Brian's link above,and does what I want it to.

Yes Brian,I am also not for spending money that I do not need to,and like your thrifty tips.
Miss-understanding;it may yet lead to WW3..........
Regards,
Robert.

Edit/Addendum
Running a strip tonight,nothing on TV,so spent some time scooting around THIS site catching up on posts,seems controllers have been topic on various threads.I missed those.
Anybody not reading Brian's posts on controllers before,hit the search box top right,input the right keywords,discover all that you may need to know.
Really do HTH.

Statistics: Posted by Easydrinker — Fri Mar 07, 2014 12:14 am

Re: Cheap and cheerful controller

2014-03-07T04:48:59+00:00

ED wrote "I simply plug my controller into a plug-in digital power meter,and read the power from that.Adjusting the pot. on the controller as required.Anywhere from 3000W to zero"

Sound a piece of the proverbial. Can you tell us more about your set up. Is it one of those units Brian showed a link to? Is the controller the same eBay cheapie I'm using?

Statistics: Posted by Mr Four Square — Thu Mar 06, 2014 8:01 am

Re: Cheap and cheerful controller

2014-03-06T02:39:03+00:00

Profuse apologies, yes I did get hold of the wrong end of the stick.
I thought you were referring to one of these.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MULTIFUNCTION ... 4897.l4276
Theses seem good and appear too do away with any requirement for meters on a controller but cannot control the powder.
Once again sorry for my misunderstandfing just my over enthusiastic thritfyness taking over again.

Statistics: Posted by YHB — Thu Mar 06, 2014 2:39 am

Re: Cheap and cheerful controller

2014-03-06T00:37:55+00:00

YHB wrote:
That does not sound much fun.
This piece of paper saved me 25 pounds.

Brian,unless you found a magic box to stick your piece of paper on,I think you are missing my point.
Controller and power meter were less than £25,combined.
Power meter already in existence to check domestic consumption;Controller built for the still.
Fun? If I want 937W,it's there,1197W twiddle the knob,any number I can think of,it delivers,- subject to the freezer,fridge, micro-wave kicking in,- I live at the end of a long overhead mains supply,the power here can be a little "tired" when it arrives.
Robert.

Statistics: Posted by Easydrinker — Thu Mar 06, 2014 12:37 am

Re: Cheap and cheerful controller

2014-03-05T22:55:24+00:00

Hi CC I can see how your device would work. There are many ways to skin a cat (sorry puss). There are more refined controllers than mine, ED's set up is simple, a whacking great Variac would work too. It depends on your budget and your knowledge. This one suited mine. A simple challenge and all up and running for less than ten pounds.

I don't believe that I have nailed the exact wattage but as a general indication of how much power is coming through it works.

And when I ask how to improve my cuts you can say... it's your dial stupid !

Statistics: Posted by Mr Four Square — Wed Mar 05, 2014 10:55 pm

Re: Cheap and cheerful controller

2014-03-05T18:52:20+00:00

YHB wrote:
I though that on ALL controllers BOTH change at the same time. Ohms law, if R is constant and E changes them I must change as well.

-------------------

"All" is a bit of an assumption My controller doesn't change either - it just switches it on and off each second. So if you get 3Kw - 240v - 12.5amps then you get zero.

If its on for 0.33s and off for 0.66s then the net effect is 1000w.

Statistics: Posted by Capt-Cudellez — Wed Mar 05, 2014 6:52 pm

Re: Cheap and cheerful controller

2014-03-05T06:29:32+00:00

Oh I don't know YHB there are some pretty expensive lunch boxes out there ... wait, its all coming back to me ...I think I built mine after knicking the idea off some bloke on a forum called StillSmart.

EasyD . Good for you. Yours looks like an easy fix. I'm a retired electician with too many lunchboxes and too few sandwiches ...

Statistics: Posted by Mr Four Square — Wed Mar 05, 2014 6:29 am

Re: Cheap and cheerful controller

2014-03-05T02:19:40+00:00

Easydrinker wrote:
Maybe I am missing something here?
I simply plug my controller into a plug-in digital power meter,and read the power from that.Adjusting the pot. on the controller as required.Anywhere from 3000W to zero
Seems simple enough to me?
Total cost about £25.
Robert

That does not sound much fun.

This piece of paper saved me 25 pounds.

Statistics: Posted by YHB — Wed Mar 05, 2014 2:19 am

Re: Cheap and cheerful controller

2014-03-05T00:00:06+00:00

Maybe I am missing something here?
I simply plug my controller into a plug-in digital power meter,and read the power from that.Adjusting the pot. on the controller as required.Anywhere from 3000W to zero
Seems simple enough to me?
Total cost about £25.
Robert

Statistics: Posted by Easydrinker — Wed Mar 05, 2014 12:00 am

Re: Cheap and cheerful controller

2014-03-04T20:56:51+00:00

Myles wrote:
This does not always work folks. On some of the controllers BOTH the voltage and the current change at the same time.
Photo079g.jpg

Myles,

Sorry I do not follow that.

I though that on ALL controllers BOTH change at the same time. Ohms law, if R is constant and E changes them I must change as well.

If R is known, measure V, calculate I and W.

Or am I missing something? Usually do.

Brian

Statistics: Posted by YHB — Tue Mar 04, 2014 8:56 pm

Re: Cheap and cheerful controller

2014-03-04T18:14:41+00:00

This does not always work folks. On some of the controllers BOTH the voltage and the current change at the same time.
To get an accurate calibration you need to measure both the current in the controller output to the element, and the voltage between the element terminals for each setpoint.

example - zero to 30 where 30 = 3kW

Photo079g.jpg

Statistics: Posted by Myles — Tue Mar 04, 2014 6:14 pm