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tucker0104 wrote:Solid state relay. I pot gates more or less voltage if you turn it up or down.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid-state_relay" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

tucker0104 wrote: I've done a little troubleshooting of a loose connection at the pot and going to do some more but how do you tell if you have a bad SSR. I used the ohm meter on the pot and it reads from 0 to 500K so that is working. Any ideas?

shadylane wrote:

tucker0104 wrote: I've done a little troubleshooting of a loose connection at the pot and going to do some more but how do you tell if you have a bad SSR. I used the ohm meter on the pot and it reads from 0 to 500K so that is working. Any ideas?

With the power off and the pot wired in, check the resistance between pins 3 and 4 on the SSVR while varying the pot

Pikey wrote:

tucker0104 wrote:Solid state relay. I pot gates more or less voltage if you turn it up or down.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid-state_relay" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Possibly - depending on what exactly you have it hooked up in parallel with

And of course exactly where you are getting your trigger voltage from.

Thank you for that wikipedia post -

No wonder people are flailing in the dark !

tucker0104 wrote:It almost seems like a problem with the SSR.

shadylane wrote:

tucker0104 wrote:It almost seems like a problem with the SSR.

Seems like it to me also, do you have a spare SSVR in your pocket for trial by substitution

6 Row Joe wrote:Something doesn't sound right here. From what I understand a SSR is a on/off switch. It doesn't have variable output. Your Pot is a variable resistor and if large enough doesn't need a relay. If you use a PID controller, it monitors the temperature and controls the output current by pulsing the relay. I don't understand how a potentiometer could control a solid state relay. You need a controller that can turn the SSR on and off.

tucker0104 wrote:

Pikey wrote:

tucker0104 wrote:Solid state relay. I pot gates more or less voltage if you turn it up or down.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solid-state_relay" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

Possibly - depending on what exactly you have it hooked up in parallel with

And of course exactly where you are getting your trigger voltage from.

Thank you for that wikipedia post -

No wonder people are flailing in the dark !

Thanks for the valuable input. If you wanted specific information then feel free to ask specific questions.

Pikey wrote:Sorry I think we need to see your circuit diagram and know what you mean by an "SSR" - 500k pot sounds bloody big to me tho' depending on the inter-relationship with the rest of the components.

tucker0104 wrote:
Thanks for the reply. It is 240V. When connected to the SSR pins, it reads the maximum 500K and I think 0 ohms. Not sure on the minimum. It almost seems like a problem with the SSR. It works on maximum and a little lower but then goes to 0 voltage.

Pikey wrote:

tucker0104 wrote:
Thanks for the reply. It is 240V. When connected to the SSR pins, it reads the maximum 500K and I think 0 ohms. Not sure on the minimum. It almost seems like a problem with the SSR. It works on maximum and a little lower but then goes to 0 voltage.

No - If it does full conduction and zero, the Semiconductor element is working - it is a "Silicon Controlled Rectifier" - or "Solid State Relay" ??? - ie a simple switch, controlled in one way or another by a gate voltage.

Your variable resistance (0-500k) allows a current to pass through and that current charges a capacitor. When teh charge on the capacitor reaches the gate voltage, the gate opens and lets current flow through the "Relay" - If you show us your circuit, we may be able to help.

Otherwise - pages 4,5,6 here can give you some ideas perhaps ?

https://www.littelfuse.com/~/media/elec ... te.pdf.pdf

Pikey wrote:Sorry I think we need to see your circuit diagram and know what you mean by an "SSR" - 500k pot sounds bloody big to me tho' depending on the inter-relationship with the rest of the components.

tucker0104 wrote:

Pikey wrote:

Thanks for the valuable input. If you wanted specific information then feel free to ask specific questions.

Yummyrum wrote:My question is : are you using the exact same bits that you used in your original controller ....that obviously worked Ok for you ...just a bit rough .

OR , have you bought some new components to build your new controller ?

My thinking here is perhaps you bought a new Pot and its a Logarithmic type "A" ....not a linear type "B" .....that could explain the sudden touchy full on down to off type control you now have .

Failing that , it would seem like your old SSR had shat itself although its quite strange . They are pretty robust devises and unlikely to be zapped by static or the likes due to simply removing and reassembling .

But thinking out aloud , perhaps internal damage may have happened due to physical things such as an internal electrical brake between the contact screws and the internal curcuit during unscrewing and tightening the new connections .

Pikey wrote:
I'd say that if it heats with minimum resistance - but drops out as soon as he turns the resistance up - either the pot is too high value - OR the capacitor has gone leaky ! {Electrolytics are renowned for this }

sambedded wrote:

Pikey wrote:
I'd say that if it heats with minimum resistance - but drops out as soon as he turns the resistance up - either the pot is too high value - OR the capacitor has gone leaky ! {Electrolytics are renowned for this }

Regular SSVR as on the picture above doesn't have an electrolytic capacitor. Usually it has 100nF ceramic one.

Pikey wrote:
That's not shown in the picture tho' is it ?

[Edit - note also the VR values shown from 470R to 500,000 Ohms - lots of scope for experimentation there - dependingof course on teh values of the ther cmponents in the circuit ! ]