Cane Pole/ PID Control

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CP, after watching some videos decided to build a Pid control to control heating element on my masterbuilt electric smoker. These are famous for their control boards going out and very bad temperature swings while smoking. Saw a couple posts on Masterbuilt page on Facebook about doing this. It appears it aceheivs much better control over heating element. Not much of a electronics builder but with help of you tube I got it together. Use’s a K type thermocouple to read temp in smoker. Uses Pid controller with Solid state Relay to manage current. Haven’t hooked to smoker yet but testing says it should work just fine. After getting programming right it works within 1-2 degrees.

Looks good


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Hope it works just fine for you.

Pretty neat Charlie. Time to smoke that Christmas Ham!

That project is above my pay grade.

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Originally Posted by FurFlyin

That project is above my pay grade.

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Man, isn’t that the truth! :Rofl Nice work and looks like a very clean build. 1-2 degrees sounds great. I have to keep a close eye on the trusty Weber to keep the temps close to right.
Bob

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Originally Posted by FurFlyin

That project is above my pay grade.

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Naw, you would figure it out pretty quick. Quite a few videos on YouTube on building these. Seems lot’s of home brew guys are using these type set up’s to control heaters and coolers plus guys who pour their own bullets have set them up to control their pour pot temp to cast a better bullet. Hardest part is figuring out which Pid control to buy. This one is made by co called Ink bird. They are building all kinds of temp controls for heat and humidity control. I recently had to replace control unit on my smoker at a cost of 46.00. It has temp swings up to 50-60 degrees and is not consistent at all. That’s what prompted me to try to build this one. Kit was 39.00 free shipping from Amazon. Then added a long reach temp probe for 7.00 plus a kit of water proof bulkhead connectors for 9.00. Had box laying in shop. We will see how well it works once I get wired to heating element.

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Originally Posted by BobC

Man, isn’t that the truth! :Rofl Nice work and looks like a very clean build. 1-2 degrees sounds great. I have to keep a close eye on the trusty Weber to keep the temps close to right.
Bob

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Bob, thy now have fan kits you can get with programmable controls you can adapt to your Weber or a Kamado and off set smokers to control temp during those long and slow cooks. Guys who are using them rave about how well they work.

Inkbird programmable controllers work good and dont break the bank. I used one for my first built line winder cause I had it collecting dust sitting on a shelf.

Good brainology Charlie.

I use these all the time for various projects. Just made a dough proofer for the wife for making bread, uses an agricultural heat mat for the heat source. Keeps a large cardboard box exactly at 80F. I also have one on my smoker and my coffee machine. Make sure you run the auto-tune if you're not into the control theory of it all.

Not being a electronics guy I just happened on this by accident and thought it was a good inexpensive project for me. But the more videos I have watched and things I have read it’s amazing at the endless use’s for these little inexpensive control units.

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Originally Posted by Cray

Not being a electronics guy I just happened on this by accident and thought it was a good inexpensive project for me. But the more videos I have watched and things I have read it’s amazing at the endless useless for these little inexpensive control units.

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Absolutely. And they are easy to use.


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Ok got it hooked to smoker and let it run for 3 hours. Settled down after first 30 minutes or so and seeing swings of only 6 degrees either side of 225 verses the 40-50 I was seeing with original controller. Just a couple of tweaks to finish up. Anyone know where to buy well or nut for thermocouple probe?