Home Distiller

I have a less than year old electric 10 gallon Stillz potstill. Starting a run, the still temperature on the PID was reading UUUU and wasn't generating heat. When I wiggled the stranded wire that goes from where you screw it into the still and enters the controller, it would work with several more outtages during the run. There is no swivel on the wire and I think from repetitive screwing it in and out of the still ( which causes the wire to twist) something went wrong. No reply from the manufacturer. Any ideas?

What is a Stillz potstill.. a picture of the unit would, and especially of the electrical connection area..

Mars

Stillz is a company that makes Stills. I'm trying to attach 2 pics of the PID

Problem wire

Trying again

I'm guessing it has something to do with this:

https://stillzstore.com/product/stillz- ... g-upgrade/

I'm also "guessing" that this thing is trying to run the element by temperature. I hope it's not cycling at a set point. I guess there could be some logic in their controller that either allows for manual power settings (but if that's the case why the temp probe), or that uhhh, does something else other than cutting the element either entirely off or entirely on.

Looks more like off the shelf PID packaged up in a custom-ish enclosure. PID wire broken seems like a self resolving problem.

Ditch the PID and build yourself a proper power controller.

Expat wrote: ↑Fri Jun 19, 2020 1:34 pm Looks more like off the shelf PID packaged up in a custom-ish enclosure. PID wire broken seems like a self resolving problem.

Ditch the PID and build yourself a proper power controller.

I'd agree entirely. Or hack that thing and see if you can put it into a power control mode.

It looks to be a Mypin T series controller. I'm pretty sure that it doesn't have a manual mode. It seems that they are using a type K thermocouple. You probably should have disconnected the probe from the controller (yellow connector) before unscrewing it from the still. Less chance of stressing the connecting wire this way.

If you insist on continuing to use this controller, type K thermocouples are easily sourced. Google is your friend in this case.

Thank you for the information!!!

Btw, there is no connector on mine. The probe wire is permanently connected at the probe and goes directly into the back of the unit. I would have to disassemble the housing to do so

Corkdork wrote: ↑Fri Jun 19, 2020 4:00 pm Btw, there is no connector on mine. The probe wire is permanently connected at the probe and goes directly into the back of the unit. I would have to disassemble the housing to do so

OK, yours is different than what is depicted on the Stilz website then. If you must use this controller and decide to replace the thermocouple, I might recommend adding a miniature type K connector. That will make it easy to replace thermocouple probes in the future.

edit:
Since your system is different than what is pictured on the website, you might want to check if the probe is a thermocouple or an RTD. I don't have the manual in front of me, but you can check the configuration in one of the Mypin menus. You also have the option to use a PT-100 probe instead of a type K thermocouple.

RHB

I'm not asking a rhetorical question, I'm genuinely curious: why would you put a PID on a pot still? It seems to me that at no stage of using a put still would a PID offer any benefit.

MartinCash wrote: ↑Fri Jun 19, 2020 5:38 pm I'm not asking a rhetorical question, I'm genuinely curious: why would you put a PID on a pot still? It seems to me that at no stage of using a put still would a PID offer any benefit.

Bad information, often propetuated by YouTube.

People have a lot of screwed up notions about the physics of a still works, and often take overly simplistic views.

The only legit use I've heard of for a PID in a still came from one of the members here who used it to hold temps for esterification; not the actual distillation.

Expat wrote: ↑Fri Jun 19, 2020 5:47 pm The only legit use I've heard of for a PID in a still came from one of the members here who used it to hold temps for esterification; not the actual distillation.

Or if you use the still as a mash tun.

Corkdork as you can see from the previous answers a PID
Is useless in the actual distilation process.
You need a power controler......not something that controls temps.
Power control and temp control are two very different things.

RedwoodHillBilly wrote: ↑Fri Jun 19, 2020 6:12 pm Or if you use the still as a mash tun.

I hadn't thought of that, I guess because I started off brewing and I've always had a dedicated mash tun. Thanks!

arentwejusthere wrote: ↑Fri Jun 19, 2020 1:28 pm I'm guessing it has something to do with this:

https://stillzstore.com/product/stillz- ... g-upgrade/

I'm also "guessing" that this thing is trying to run the element by temperature. I hope it's not cycling at a set point. I guess there could be some logic in their controller that either allows for manual power settings (but if that's the case why the temp probe), or that uhhh, does something else other than cutting the element either entirely off or entirely on.

I'd guess Stillz is more interested in making a profit than in how well the products work for the customers. Stillz could/should have sold you a much cheaper controller that would make your distilling adventure much easier, but then would have pocketed a little bit less profit out of the deal.

NZChris wrote: ↑Fri Jun 19, 2020 10:21 pm I'd guess Stillz is more interested in making a profit than in how well the products work for the customers. Stillz could/should have sold you a much cheaper controller that would make your distilling adventure much easier, but then would have pocketed a little bit less profit out of the deal.

You’re so cynical Chris ... but I think there might be more than an ounce of truth there

It's concerning that this controller apparently isn't vented in any way and doesn't have an external heat sink. I wonder how they expect the SSR to dissipate heat.

I would open that box and see what they have mounted the SSR to. Perhaps they attached it to an internal heatsink (though the enclosure isn't vented) or to the aluminum enclosure itself. Anyway ... I 'd have a look. I usually use an external heatsink on small enclosures so I don't have to vent the enclosure and/or use a fan.

I would add a RTD Sensor. Drill a hole in the back panel and install a Panel Mount Connector For RTD Sensor so you can quick disconnect and reconnect the wire & probe. This will require soldering the connections using silver solder & soldering iron and you'll need RTD Extension Cable otherwise it won't read temp correctly.

If you do that, ya might as well just install a Thermocouple Panel Mount & Connector so you can unplug that thermocouple from the enclosure. You can use any ol wire to connect the panel mount to the PID.

This is all very basic stuff and your PID owners manual will indicate where the RTD sensor wires connect to. The panel mounts are the basic things these vendors leave out to cut costs, simpler to build, but you're also left with sensors dangling from the controller. One day you're going to want a decent variable power controller and you could use the same RTD sensor. Just plug it in either controller you're using at the time so you don't need one for each permanently connected.

Again, thanks. As this is my first still, and wanted electric... I've had good results doing stripping and spirit runs by increasing temperature as required, either fast or slow.,. going by sound of still, rate of flow. Problem with the fault is that I cannot power the Still. The box is vented around the sides. I'm looking at the controller you all recommended

If it is a MYPIN model or similar then this should be the reason

‘UUUU’ Shown in Process Value Display
This signifies an Input error - The possible causes are:
1. Sensor unplugged
2. Sensor wire(s) broken.
3. Temperature is out of range.
4. Incorrect Sensor Type setting.
5. Incorrect Input Offset Value set.

My approach to failures in control systems is to inventory spare components. So far it has been the thermocouple that is most unreliable. When I get errors I change components to isolate the failure. My controllers (2) both have fans for cooling the SSRs mounted on heat sinks with thermal paste.

Be sure to have spare capacity in selecting an SSR. My rule of thumb is if it will pass 20 AMPS use a 40 AMP SSR. Be sure the wire at least meets code. That means 10 gauge wire for 30 AMPS and 12 gauge for 20 AMPs. The code also requires the 80% rule for continuous power drain. A 30 AMP circuit can only handle 24 AMPs continuously. That is 5500 watts max. If you have a bigger process then a larger circuit is required. Fires are not fun.

I had trouble with the standard yellow type K thermocouple plugs and replaced them with BNC connectors. This solution has improved my getting errors with thermocouples but I often have to turn the connector to get accurate readings. This problem is not solved fully.

Using a PID for distillation is not the best approach (sorry George Duncan). I use a combined controller that has two SSRs in parallel and set the PID to about 100 F and set the pulse width control to 10-12% and check on the process every 5-10 minutes while warming up. It has taken some experimentation to find the best crossover temperature. I'm very happy with my system as faults are infrequent.

I added a piezoelectric alarm to my PIDs so they make noise if the thermocouple is not connected or is out of range.

Thank you all. I found the gray, added a thermocouple for the short term and have ordered the supplies to build a controller!¡!

No doubt every vendor has issues that they should strive to overcome.
I find it striking that StevenStills after all this time doesn't,,,,,understand?

LWTCS wrote: ↑Mon Jun 22, 2020 3:17 pm No doubt every vendor has issues that they should strive to overcome.
I find it striking that StevenStills after all this time doesn't,,,,,understand?

Steven Stills is singing course could be stillin too.