Forced to build new Controller

[Shiftynev]

My Sparky mate dropped in the other day for a drink (sample some limoncello and CFW i've had on American Oak for a few months). Got to talking and mentioned that I was thinking of upgrading my controller by adding a power meter, fan, etc. A couple of days later came home to find this on my front veranda. Its all SS and has some earthing post already welded on the inside of the case. Dimensions are 400 x 300 x 150mm so there's lots of room to add further bling down the track.Just need to cut out holes for the components.

Controller Housing.jpg

At the moment I intend using an SCR as I have previously used one, but will upgrade to the 10000w model (some of which already have a fan mounted on the heatsink). I'll be running a single 2400w FSD element, so I know what I'm proposing is overkill, but I like to reduce risk (overheating etc) where I can. I'll wire it up using Rumididlydum's wiring diagram below, which he kindly provided for WTDists controller thread. Doesn't look too difficult and an old fart like me should be able to follow the coloured lines and connect some wires. At the end of the day, it's not brain surgery (no offence to any sparky). Once thing I would like to ask is the relative performance of SCR to SSR and what others preferences are and why. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Rums wiring diagram.png

Once completed I'll get my mate to check and test my handywork.

Cheers

[rumdidlydum]

I won't take credit for that its punchy21 diagram modified :handgestures-thumbupleft:
Look forward to your controller build. :D

[Shiftynev]

Thanks to Punchy21 and to everyone else whose contributions make this the fantastic distilling site resource that it.

[WTDist]

If you buy the same controller as me your diagram may be wrong. mine ended up being both the left screws are INPUT and both the right are OUTPUT

Like here


tested mine last night and the following below was all correct and powered a number of high power house appliances at my mates place who is a control systems engineer. Only thing i changed was my earth wire setups. I needed to have a earth wire on all of the bolts for my fan and use a star washer for the earth on the SCR which i used on all the earth points. some grip and vibration thing

This is the wiring. left cable gland goes to the boiler, right to the wall. the switch has an earth wire in this pic going to the SCR but it IS the LOAD and i am yet to change this to red. the pic is old too, the volt meter is fixed too :-D


hope this helps. get it checked still. im still cautious and i know it works. mine will have its firs run tonight with 5L of feints watered down to 40%. then a 2" bubbler CFW wash test begins :dance:

[Shiftynev]

Thanks WD,
That's the same one as I currently use. The diagram shows that power both live and neutral (I.e.from the power point) as going into the 2 terminals on the left of the controller and the lead to the element as going out from the 2 terminals on the left of the controller. If you placed the controller in the diagram flat on a table with the terminals facing you, it would be positioned the same as the one depicted in your response. So power in from the left and power out to the elements from the right.

Am I missing something or not reading the diagram correctly.

Cheers

[1 2many]

:wtf: I think WtDist has his wires crossed . :teasing-tease: :))

[Shiftynev]

Thanks WD,
That's the same one as I currently use. The diagram shows that power both live and neutral (I.e.from the power point) as going into the 2 terminals on the left of the controller and the lead to the element as going out from the 2 terminals on the left of the controller. If you placed the controller in the diagram flat on a table with the terminals facing you, it would be positioned the same as the one depicted in your response. So power in from the left and power out to the elements from the right.

Am I missing something or not reading the diagram correctly.

Cheers

Correction. Reference to the second "left" in the second sentence should in fact refer to "right", in other words the cable to the element is from the 2 terminals on the right of the SCR controller when facing you.

Apologies

[WTDist]

:wtf: I think WtDist has his wires crossed . :teasing-tease: :))

:laughing-rolling:
The 2 left ones are both load in and neutral in . The 2 right ones are both load out and neutral out.... left 2 are Input... Right 2 are output

diagram.jpg

the red ones 2nd from the right are going to element and voltmeter. the 2 black ones on the far right are going to the powerpoint. they are both outputs, no input

Worked for me and was tested before we powered it up

[1 2many]

This is the wiring. left cable gland goes to the boiler, right to the wall.

Ah ok you must mean looking from outside the box. :O)

controller.jpg

Coz from the inside it would be wrong. :teasing-neener:

[WTDist]

In pic left is boiler
Here it is working

2015-12-15 19.44.03.jpg

[domgistimo]

Hey I've got a scr for my 2400 w element and I want the same setup as you where did you get the voltmeter from and the fan

[WTDist]

Hey I've got a scr for my 2400 w element and I want the same setup as you where did you get the voltmeter from and the fan

ebay, all links are on my build thread