Brutal's Simple Hidden Controller

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Brutal
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Brutal's Simple Hidden Controller

Post by Brutal »

That's it folks. I converted to electric and I'm loving it. I took some pictures of my simple set up that I hid in plain sight.

I wanted to run electricity because it's hot where I am and the propane fire makes it much hotter. It also takes too damn long to heat up, and heat input control is all over the place as the bottle gets lower and the temps fluctuate.

I bought a 40 amp solid state relay and pot from an online retailer. Then I cleared out an old cheap-ass tool box that belongs in a garage and built my controller in it. I used an intel cpu cooler and fan combo to cool it. I mounted the ssr on a thin piece of sheet aluminum, and the cooler under it. The assembly is suspended just above the bottom of the toolbox by all-thread and nuts where I need it to stay. I added a 30 amp double pole light switch in series to bypass the ssr altogether during warm up. I also used a cheap volt/amp meter from china via ebay. I mounted a wall box to the floor of the toolbox and then made another plate out of the aluminum sheet. It could look better and be done better but it works. Time for some pics!
toolbox
toolbox
big plug
big plug
cpu cooler 1
cpu cooler 1
cpu cooler 2
cpu cooler 2
cpu cooler 3
cpu cooler 3
install1
install1
Steam injection rig http://tinyurl.com/kxmz8hy
All grain corn mash with steam injection and enzymes http://tinyurl.com/mp6zdt5
Inner tube condenser http://tinyurl.com/zkp3ps6
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Brutal
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Re: Brutal's Simple Hidden Controller

Post by Brutal »

IMG_20140504_122304.jpg
IMG_20140504_122409.jpg
IMG_20140504_123902.jpg
IMG_20140504_134350.jpg
I wanted to have the connections to the ssr and other things be reusable and better than clamping stranded wire under a bolt and having it spread everywhere. I found these little copper bands made to crimp wires together and attached the power wire, the wire out to the switch, and a 10 gauge solid wire with a hook at the end together. I then ran electrical solder into it until I was happy.
IMG_20140511_094648.jpg
Here's the idea.
IMG_20140511_105313.jpg
Steam injection rig http://tinyurl.com/kxmz8hy
All grain corn mash with steam injection and enzymes http://tinyurl.com/mp6zdt5
Inner tube condenser http://tinyurl.com/zkp3ps6
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Brutal
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Re: Brutal's Simple Hidden Controller

Post by Brutal »

I wanted to pin the big wires coming in and out to the base of the toolbox so the bolts would not be visible from the outside. This was just not in the cards. The wire is big and angry and imposed its will on me and my design, so it was pinned to the back for stability.

I originally wanted to run a wall plug adapter inside the box, off one leg of the power passing through to the ground for a 110v. This made it to where if I touched anything in the box and the boiler it shocked the hell out of me. I now run the wall plug to a separate extension cord and am happy with it.
IMG_20140511_113639.jpg
I mounted the second plate to the top of the wall box. Off to the side it holds the pot and the volt/ammeter. It works very well.
IMG_20140615_181258.jpg
I don't know why but it reads in 110 volt. I have 220.. I can't read chinese but I followed the diagram. Either way the voltage just gives an idea of the fluctuations that are happening constantly in the power in the house. The amp readings seem pretty stable and that's all I really look at.
IMG_20140615_181305.jpg
Steam injection rig http://tinyurl.com/kxmz8hy
All grain corn mash with steam injection and enzymes http://tinyurl.com/mp6zdt5
Inner tube condenser http://tinyurl.com/zkp3ps6
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Brutal
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Re: Brutal's Simple Hidden Controller

Post by Brutal »

This can be detached and concealed as quickly as this:
IMG_20140621_120024.jpg
IMG_20140621_120038.jpg
IMG_20140621_120102.jpg
BAM.
Steam injection rig http://tinyurl.com/kxmz8hy
All grain corn mash with steam injection and enzymes http://tinyurl.com/mp6zdt5
Inner tube condenser http://tinyurl.com/zkp3ps6
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Brutal
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Re: Brutal's Simple Hidden Controller

Post by Brutal »

There was a problem though. The Intel cooler fan that I tried to use was like many things from Intel. It was "smart" when it didn't need to be. The fan is what's known as a "PWM" or Pulse Width Modulated design. It takes a PWM signal from the motherboard (in a PC application) and translates it into a variable fan speed. There are 4 wires coming from it, a 12v power, a ground, a PWM signal, and a fan speed out. I searched online and read that it would be ok if you ran the 12v positive to the power and signal wires, and a ground to the ground. Effectively defeating the PWM adjustability which I don't need due to not building a stand alone controller. (It's a still not a supercomputer.) I tested that theory by using a 9 volt battery. Press the power and signal wires to the positive and the ground to the negative and the fan starts spinning away. Here's the problem: the wall plug I used was rated for 12 volts. It actually puts out 12.25.. That doesn't seem like that big of a deal but the fan wouldn't run hooked up to it. I tested it again and again and it would just not run at all on the wall plug. I even hooked up my volt meter leads to the wall plug output to see it live and touched the fan wires to it and it wouldn't budge. Time for a new plan. I bought a 90mm PC case fan and reworked the ssr stack to have it on the bottom. I had to adjust the size of the 4 bolt pattern but it works absolutely great.
This is the fan I used. It's pretty mean.
IMG_20140619_210223.jpg
Steam injection rig http://tinyurl.com/kxmz8hy
All grain corn mash with steam injection and enzymes http://tinyurl.com/mp6zdt5
Inner tube condenser http://tinyurl.com/zkp3ps6
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bearriver
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Re: Brutal's Simple Hidden Controller

Post by bearriver »

Pretty slick. Reminds me of the entrance in the guard dog house in Hogan's Heroes.


Hiding in plain sight, as it were...
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Re: Brutal's Simple Hidden Controller

Post by googe »

Nice job mate!, I could see a market for them :thumbup:
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Re: Brutal's Simple Hidden Controller

Post by InglisHill »

Have you hooked an ammeter over it to see if you have 110 or 220v? It could be that you have something in series that is halving the voltage?
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Brutal
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Re: Brutal's Simple Hidden Controller

Post by Brutal »

Thanks guys. It's definitely running on 220v. It will boil that keg in no time! It kinda worries me when I first turn it on full blast because its so noisy. The element is heating the liquid directly near it and boiling it instantly. There is one of the 5500w wavy elements mounted inside. The performance of it is staggering to me. After using it this past weekend I am extremely happy with the power and controlability of the whole thing. The garage was almost pleasant to be in too!
Steam injection rig http://tinyurl.com/kxmz8hy
All grain corn mash with steam injection and enzymes http://tinyurl.com/mp6zdt5
Inner tube condenser http://tinyurl.com/zkp3ps6
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Re: Brutal's Simple Hidden Controller

Post by InglisHill »

Mint then, Nice job Brute.
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Re: Brutal's Simple Hidden Controller

Post by Scribbler »

That is a thing of beauty. And awesome build documentation!!
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Re: Brutal's Simple Hidden Controller

Post by DBCFlash »

Brutal wrote: I don't know why but it reads in 110 volt. I have 220.. I can't read chinese but I followed the diagram. Either way the voltage just gives an idea of the fluctuations that are happening constantly in the power in the house. The amp readings seem pretty stable and that's all I really look at.
I'm no 'lectrician but I think you might be taking the voltage reading between one hot and the neutral. You ought to take it between the two hots then you should get 220v.
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Re: Brutal's Simple Hidden Controller

Post by madspeed »

I'm not an electrician, but I see lots of pics of controller builds that need to have those wires wrapped CLOCKWISE around the screws so that tightening the screw also adds wrapping force keeping them on tightly. Hope that 'splains it
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Re: Brutal's Simple Hidden Controller

Post by Brutal »

Good points both of you. I really wish this whole deal looked a bit more professional. It works great but I'd be hesitant to let someone else crank it up and use it. I may redo it some day. I just wanted it to work and be able to hide in plain sight.

Glad to see this old thread getting some attention still.

Happy stillin' folks!
Steam injection rig http://tinyurl.com/kxmz8hy
All grain corn mash with steam injection and enzymes http://tinyurl.com/mp6zdt5
Inner tube condenser http://tinyurl.com/zkp3ps6
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Re: Brutal's Simple Hidden Controller

Post by willee »

Brutal wrote: There is one of the 5500w wavy elements mounted inside. The performance of it is staggering to me.
I run that same element (220vac) at about 15 amps to heat up and than reduce to around 12 amps for distilling run.
It is very convenient to be able to control the heat you put into the pot and surprising how fast the vapor temp responds to a slight change in amps.
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