Power Controller for 2kW T500 Boiler

[WTDist]

Ok so the only part of the forum im not familiar with is the electrical hardware as i wasn't planing on making a power controller for my T500 but my mod on my still is calling for one.

Surprisingly the T500 could control the flow rather well but take away the small 1/4" outlets n crap and make it unrestricted and it goes like a rocket. I have a 1.5m packed section and a 100mm RC and it is still pulling 4L an hour @ 93% (2nd sac cleaning run today) and i cant slow it down. It has to much power for my RC so im looking into a power controller :angry-banghead:

I know little about these threads but i have looked here and there and just recently a lot more but im still a little lost on what i need.

So far i 'feel' like i need ...
4000W High Power SCR Electronic Volt Regulator Speed Controller AC 220V + Shell
New Analog Volt Panel Meter Gauge AC 0~250V 91L4
AC 220-240V 0.07A 9225 92mmx92mmx25mm 2-Wire Cooling Fan for PC Case Cooler
box to put it all in
I guess 10 Amp power cords to go in and out of the box and the ends.

Am i on the right track? can anyone help me with anything else i may need that i have missed. This still is stressing me out ~x(

[rumdidlydum]

A few people run those types. Its good that your alowing double the output of the scr in regards to the element.

[Andy]

top 2 are good.
you will need something to power that fan if you want/need a fan

[rumdidlydum]

1 tip wt find or buy the biggest enclosure you can afford. When you upgrade still you will want the space. Ether second controller another screen or pid or switches to do this or that.

[WTDist]

Cheers guys helps a lot.

I might give the fan a miss then if i don't need it :think: Only thought it was necessary cause i have seen others use it.

So am I able to control the T500 2kW power with 'just' the 4kW SCR regulator and volt meter alone?

It only needs to control the T500 2kW element and when I upgrade down the track ill upgrade this also. Until then it only needs to do one 2kW element.. although darkmesh said he checked his and it was 1850W

Or is there something else i need in order to do this safely? does it need to be cooled down or should these be enough for a small element?

For the lead going in and out of the box, how does this look? i only need it short and heavy duty right?
HPM Heavy Duty Extension Lead 5 metres which says 10A heavy duty on the eBay one

Cheers guys.

[WTDist]

Ok so im thinking 'Waterproof Plastic Electronic Instrument Project Enclosure Transparent Box Case' as i wont be upgrading any time soon and one element will do fine on a controller.

Ive read through more threads and i think ill get...

~SCR
~Volt Meter
~Box (above link)
~Heavy Duty Extension Lead (i have heaps of normal household leads at home i can use if this is ok? i use them sometimes as is :-D )

One thing that eludes me is if i need a heat sink. I got the link for the SCR above from other build threads (and also through eBay searches) where there was no mention of a heat sink. Am i required to have a heat sink with this SCR on 2kW element or will it be fine without one? it will only run the T500.

Cheers
WTD

[jacobraven]

I thought a fan and heat sink were necessary items

I mean for extra $20 n wiring a 12v dc tranny in, Will def let you build off it later and have no issues in the mean time.

[WTDist]

just looked at other SCR's closely and it appears there is a small hat sink inside the SCR enclosure.

a lot of other threads don't have fans in them but a lot do. maybe it might not matter with a small element but maybe a 15amp one might need it. im still researching but i need to make a decision. 3 week wait time on eBay :angry-banghead: I think my above list sounds good but i would like an experienced persons opinion

cheers for the link i may get that one if i need to. the one inside looks small and i dont want a heat problem.

[WTDist]

Im wondering what the difference is with 4 connections and 2 connections below? ive seen the first pic in a thread wired up but i havent seen the second one.

I plan on wiring it up myself and taking it to an old mate thats an electrical engineer i know. id ask him to wire it but its been too long time since i spoke to him :?

which one is easier to connect?

[Andy]

the bottom one has live and neutral input and live and neutral output (the 4 screws)

if the top one is the one im thinking of its a pain in the ass. It has live and neutral input screws and the output is behind the controller on those 2.5mm shovel connector things.

[punchy21]

Cheers guys helps a lot.

I might give the fan a miss then if i don't need it :think: Only thought it was necessary cause i have seen others use it.
I would recommend one... The one in your first link should be fine
So am I able to control the T500 2kW power with 'just' the 4kW SCR regulator and volt meter alone?
Yes
It only needs to control the T500 2kW element and when I upgrade down the track ill upgrade this also. Until then it only needs to do one 2kW element.. although darkmesh said he checked his and it was 1850W

Or is there something else i need in order to do this safely? does it need to be cooled down or should these be enough for a small element?

For the lead going in and out of the box, how does this look? i only need it short and heavy duty right?
HPM Heavy Duty Extension Lead 5 metres which says 10A heavy duty on the eBay one
I would go to an electrical wholesaler near you and ask for some heavy duty flexible cord, 2.5mm² @ core + earth. You can get it cut by the meter...
Cheers guys.

[1 2many]

For the lead going in and out of the box, how does this look? i only need it short and heavy duty right?
HPM Heavy Duty Extension Lead 5 metres which says 10A heavy duty on the eBay one
I would go to an electrical wholesaler near you and ask for some heavy duty flexible cord, 2.5mm² @ core + earth. You can get it cut by the meter...
Cheers guys.

:text-+1: I agree with punchy better off with a quality wire, I have run 25 meter 10 amp extension cord and was surprised at how hot it became after I had it on just for warm up that was 45 mins.

So I bought 15 amp lead and used that and all good. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

[WTDist]

Thanks guys big help :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Might go for the one in the enclosure, thx andy
ill go to the electrical shop for some cable :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Ill look into the fan, ill need to understand the wiring first (i will get it checked by my old mate after Ive wired it up). I understand the voltmeter in the setup but im unsure of the pc fan. Does this get put in the circuit the same, running of the full power through the circuit like the rest? kind of like Christmas lights, break one and the rest stop? seems like a lot of power for this small fan (unless its made this way) :think: Maybe i can try mock up a diagram later on what i think i may know, the SCR i will buy looks different to your diagram...

Big help guys thanks its really appreciated :text-thankyoublue:

WTD

[Andy]

whops my bad before. i saw PC fan and assumed it was a 12v fan.

voltmeter comes off parallel to the output from the controller.

The fan can run parallel with the input for the controller.

___ ___
____| fan | ___ ____
|________controller_____| voltmeter |
|______still______|

[WTDist]

Cheers andy

Not sure if i get the diagram you drew :think: my interpertation was

Load into circuit::--------240V fan------SCR (L1)--------volt meter(L2)------volt meter to element---------------element neutral to SCR (N2)--------SCR neutral out of circuit (N1)

This going on the 4 connections of 2 loads and 2 neutral... L1 and N1 are the first two connections on the left (when looking directly at it when up the right way)L2 and N2 are second two connections going to element. Its what i saw on YouTube vids

I just threw this together. (borrowed some of your pic punchy :-D ) Not sure if it is right but i figure it is a circuit and if one fails they all fail?? :think: kind of what i mean above

proposed circuit.jpg

would love for someone to tell me if this diagram is a working circuit :D


Ordering all the parts today :D
cant wait


If anyone has an opinion i would love to hear it as my pic may be wrong :D
I really appreciate everyone's help
:text-thankyoublue:


Cheers
WTD

[rumdidlydum]

I would wire the fan in parallel not series. It probably burnit out like that. Also same as the volt meter in parallel
I would earth the scr and your boiler. ':like:'
Oooo lookey we got a like button

[WTDist]

Cheers rummy

so for parallel should it look like this?

drawing.jpg

If it is like above im a little unsure how they all will be all connecting to the load out of the SCR

Could it be like this? might be hard to see with the colours. I have load in the SCR load in (maroon color)and then the three devices (volt meter, fan and boiler) getting their load from the load outlet on the SCR and all their neutral going into the corresponding neutral inlet. then they all leave the other neutral outlet that corresponds with the first load in port.

para.jpg

is there a junction or something i need or will this work?
Cheers
WTD

[rumdidlydum]

This is a quick diagram for what I think.

[WTDist]

cheers rummy.
had me stumped for a bit but i looked over punchys diagram and i see where the neutral from the fan goes to the same return neutral as the SSR and the return in the SCR in yours.. Little harder for me to see with different diagram pics 8-} Jut needed to use my brain.

Is it like this one i drew up below.
L1 is the load into the SCR, N1 is the neutral out of the SCR, L2 is the load into the vold meter and boiler, and N2 is the neutral leaving the volt.m and still going back into the SCR.

Updaded circuit.jpg

like or dislike? lol

Cheers
WTD

[rumdidlydum]

':like:' :laughing-rolling: