Need assistance wiring a new power regulator please

[konatown]

I got a new power regulator from auber [DSPR1] https://www.auberins.com/index.php?mai ... cts_id=444 for my controller to replace a potentiometer.

Currently, I have a 240v system running a 5500w element. My wiring is as follows:

4 prong dryer cord for power, with a gfci, then:

Line 1 hot is going straight to element.
Line 2 hot is going to SSR, then from ssr to element. Potentiometer connected to non load side of SSR

I’m changing out potentiometer to the digital power regulator and need understanding of the connection diagram provided by auber. [See page 2, upper left hand corner] https://auberins.com/images/Manual/DSP ... ual_V1.pdf for instructions.

They have both lines going to SSR and power regulator. Only one line from there going to ‘heater’, which I believe is the element. How do I wire this, I assumed both hot lines would need to power the element to get full 240v.

Or is my original wiring wrong? I’m just a little confused. Thanks

[StillerBoy]

The preferred route would be to contact Auber for proper support and guidance for what you intend to do..

Mars

[konatown]

Thanks Mars. Looks like they’re closed today. Hoping someone with some more electrical knowledge than I have can help explain!

Right now I have two hot lines going to my element, and it looks like in their diagram, they only have one.

[StillerBoy]

Right now I have two hot lines going to my element, and it looks like in their diagram, they only have one.

I'm not an electrician by trade, but have reasonable understanding of basic electricity.. you should not have two hot going directly to the element.. one hot going to the element and one going through the SSR.. that how I've built the many controller done.. all have worked perfectly..

But what you are proposing to do, I've never done that type of setup, using an electronic pot vers a regular pot.. if it was I, would consult with Auber first to get guidance or research it further to develop the proper understanding..

Mars

[zed255]

Sounds like your current SSR is actually an SSVR or phase controller. By default the Auber is a burst fire controller and needs a true SSR to function correctly. So, before you get into the wiring too deep are you SURE that what you have in terms of controller and SSR are compatible?

[konatown]

Sounds like your current SSR is actually an SSVR or phase controller. By default the Auber is a burst fire controller and needs a true SSR to function correctly. So, before you get into the wiring too deep are you SURE that what you have in terms of controller and SSR are compatible?

Thanks, it is definitely an SSR. I forget the differences, but I know I stick with ordering an SSR. I just can’tseem to understand how the hot lines go through this new unit.

[zed255]

The diagram in the Auber manual looks fine to me. The one hot line is connected to the element and the DSPR1, the other hot is connected to the SSR and the DSPR1. The element then gets the circuit completed via the SSR. The DSPR1 gets power continuously when the mains is applied and the SSR controls current timing through the element.

If you are in a 240V country then you connect as in the top diagram as you have a neutral and a 240V hot. For me in a split phase 120V country a 240V circuit has two hot lines.

[konatown]

The diagram in the Auber manual looks fine to me. The one hot line is connected to the element and the DSPR1, the other hot is connected to the SSR and the DSPR1. The element then gets the circuit completed via the SSR. The DSPR1 gets power continuously when the mains is applied and the SSR controls current timing through the element.

If you are in a 240V country then you connect as in the top diagram as you have a neutral and a 240V hot. For me in a split phase 120V country a 240V circuit has two hot lines.

Awesome thank you. So I wired it up as shown and the regulator powers on and off, and I can cycle from 0-100%, however my element seems to only be pumping out 100% power. Any idea why? Elements is heating water even if the power regulator is not on. So somewhere my wiring is wrong...

[zed255]

I'm still not convinced your SSR is the right type. You mentioned it used a potentiometer before and you are using the DSPR1 now, but the potentiometer suggests your SSR is really a phase controlled device and not the correct type.

[Yummyrum]

This one

Like Zed said , make sure you are using the right SSR

The one you need will say SSR 40 DA or SSR 25 DA

If you use the pot type SSR 40 VR or SSR 25 VR ( Some times labled SSR 40 VA or SSR 25 VA )

Smoke will come out .

[konatown]

I'm still not convinced your SSR is the right type. You mentioned it used a potentiometer before and you are using the DSPR1 now, but the potentiometer suggests your SSR is really a phase controlled device and not the correct type.

Hmm, I have two SSRs, see links below. Are these the wrong ones?



http://www.elecal.com/show.asp?id=363
This second one came with a kit I bought a while back. They ran the potentiometer fine, but I didn’t have very precise control.

Edit. I saw the other comment and the one does show VA in the model number. So it looks like I need to switch to the other type?

[zed255]

Correct, you need the other type.

[konatown]

This one D3CCDCB7-9990-41BC-83ED-B59770BF9B57.png

Like Zed said , make sure you are using the right SSR

The one you need will say SSR 40 DA or SSR 25 DA

If you use the pot type SSR 40 VR or SSR 25 VR ( Some times labled SSR 40 VA or SSR 25 VA )

Smoke will come out .

Looks like my SSRs are the wrong type then. I figured it would have been labeled better. See my other comment. One of them at least has the VA in the model number.

[konatown]

Correct, you need the other type.

Thank you so much. Just ordered the right one on Amazon (inkbird ssr 40da) and it will be here tomorrow. Looks like I won’t be running this afternoon. Maybe I’ll get the auber one for a backup, but at least the Amazon one will get me going tomorrow and inkbird is a good name I believe . Thanks again for your help.

[konatown]

Correct, you need the other type.

Last question, my wires are all 8ga, my 6” wires running from power to regulator, and regulator are 14ga. Is this smaller ga wire ok in these locations?

[zed255]

The wires feeding the DSPR controller and between the DSPR and SSR can be light gauge, the wires feeding the element and SSR are what need to be 10ga (your 8ga is fine, a little heavier than required) or better. The DSPR and the control lines are low current.

[konatown]

The wires feeding the DSPR controller and between the DSPR and SSR can be light gauge, the wires feeding the element and SSR are what need to be 10ga (your 8ga is fine, a little heavier than required) or better. The DSPR and the control lines are low current.

Perfect. I went with 8 ga because I have about 20 feet of cord and I didn’t want any voltage drop. I thought the lower gauge was okay, just wanted to double check. I built the controller 2 years ago so I can’t remember everything I read back then. Thanks again.

[Yummyrum]

This is the one you need . Sounds like you already have it .??

It says 3-32v on the pins 3 and 4 .

Whereas the wrong one has a symbol for a rheostat ( Potentiometer) and usually says 470kohms or similar .

The DA type SSRs are a simple on/off device which when triggered , will switch on for half a mains cycle . There is no electrical connection between the control pins 3&4 and the main switching pins 1&2. You can apply any voltage between 3 and 32 to the control and it will switch the output On . They are also zero crossing switches which means they switch on a nats dick after a half cycle starts and continue until the end of that half-cycle . This means that there is almost no electrical Interference generated .Great if you are listening to an AM radio in the still shed .

The VA type of SSRs are just a big arse Light dimmer. The control connections 3&4 are electrically connected to the output switch connections and are effectively live .

If you touched the control connections on an operating SSR —VA , you most likely will be electrocuted whereas if you touched the control connections on a SSR—DA , you will not .

Not that I advocate trying it

[Kindafrench]

I think everything has been said, just want to add, that there came a note with my chinese 40A SSR. They wrote about high frequency input may lead to malfunctions. Don‘t know exactly why, but I can imagine it has something to do with the included RC snubber circuit or it‘s because of timing issues if you trigger the SSR too much against the end of a 50/60 Hz cycle. It has no inbuilt zero crosssing detection.
Well, anyway, the controller look quite elaborated and I guess they took care of that and fire the SSR at zero crossing and leave more or less cycles out of the game to regulate power. It could be kind of PulseWaveModulation, don‘t know the exact term for this situation.
So, SSR without potentiometer control is the right one and possibly even better without inbuilt zero crossing detection, which is more common and some cents cheaper.

Edit: You have to put a big enough heatspreader on the backside of the SSR! Don‘t forget that and even don‘t try it out without! Between SSR and heatspreader has to be a thin layer of thermal paste. Depending on size of the heatspreader and airflow, you maybe need a small fan to carry away the heat, so think about venting holes in the controller box, etc.
If you ignore this, you‘ll have to buy a new SSR and stuff.... aside from danger of fire and smoke.

There‘s a „Let's see your controller“ thread on HD. Have a look.

Enjoy and stay safe.

[Yummyrum]

there came a note with my chinese 40A SSR.

Kindafrench , can you post more info about your SSR40???
What is the suffix ? Brand etc .

Can’t say I’ve heard of non zero-crossing digital SSRs but it makes sense they are out there as it would be , as you say ,be cheaper to manufacture . Sorry this is getting off topic but it would open up a few more possibilities to Controller geeks that use Auduinos etc .

[Kindafrench]

Hey Yummyrum,

sorry, but can't find any information where or when I bought them. Must be 4 years ago. Type is CKELE N4825D

It's only 25A, but here with 230V it's able to switch about 10 KW(not sure, didn't do the math correctly, it's labeled 480V / 25A) and my ferment heating element is 300W, so that's fine anyway. I did't use it for my boiler heater.
It is WITHOUT zero crossing detection (interesting read on Hackaday: https://hackaday.com/2017/09/26/an-intr ... te-relays/)

I did an Arduino based PID controller, just to be able to fiddle and adjust things to my preferences, but found out, that out of the box PIDs were fine for my needs (controlling an electrical heating jacket for my fermenter), so the Arduino's back in the drawer for whatever comes next.
Back to SSRs with zero crossing detection... if you plan to do a controller, Arduino style with SSR, it's better (imho) to let the Arduino take care of ZC detection and "sync" it regulary with the powergrid frequency. Lots of circuit diagrams and source codes on the web available.

End of kidnapping the thread

[Kindafrench]

One more thing about the old SSR, VA type with potentiometer, which konatown used. If you like to finetune the output power, it's easy to add a second potentiometer in series with the one you already have. Second potentiometer with about 1/10th the resistance of the first one. For example 500k original pot, 50k ish secondary (finetuning) pot. Found this information here on HD.

[Yummyrum]

Awesome Kindafrench ... appreciated that