BEST BUDGET HEATING/ELEMENT/VOLTAGE/AMP CONTROLLER

[strongy12]

I have been thinking of a way to cut costs on a HEATING/ELEMENT/VOLTAGE/AMP CONTROLLER and the best I can come up with is this.

Find a old oven in working condition and strip the heating element controller/temp controller and all parts/wiring included that make it work.
Find a old computer or 2 and use the power supply as a enclosure, it already has a fan,lead and a outlet or a input(depends on which way you wire it)
Mount the oven temp controller and dial into the power supply box
buy (or rob from second computer) another input or output plug and lead and fit to the computer power supply box. (plug and play)
buy a amp/voltmeter and fit to power supply enclosure.

And your done

Admittedly this would be hard for most people that are not confident with circuitry etc (i am a sparky) but if you know a sparky and get the parts together it would take him less than a hour to make this work.

Just a thought for all the tight ass's like me out there. ill post some photos when i finish building.

[Psykamaholik]

Except ovens work by using a simmerstat that just turns off when it gets to temperature and on again when the temperature drops below whatever it's threshold is. Also an oven's temperature range is significantly higher than what you run a wash at it will either keep hunting to find the temperature or just not turn off at all.

You ideally want to limit current which is expensive (at least last time I looked it up it was), the other controllers I've seen on here are based on voltage limiting instead to get a similar effect.

I'd be interested to see how it goes though. Keep us posted.

[strongy12]

You are Correct most ovens do work off a simmer stat/ but i was talking with a few guys an site today and they seem to to think that some also work buy controlling the voltage. ill let you know what brand etc if i can find one.

[Andy]

mate voltage controls on-line are under $10

i started to wire mine in an old computer power box but with the voltmeter it didn't quite fit, so I used the only metal box i found in the house- a biscuit tin. still used the fan and used an old phone charger to power the fan. i doubt it needs the fan as the controller has a heat sink on it. its more precaution as it gets quite warm in summer in perth.

its ugly as sin but it works and is grounded.

i think all up the parts were $15 and took about 3 mins to wire up

[warramungas]

True they can be cheap but even one built out of all quality components wont cost much. Controller $10, box $5-10, wiring less than $10 new, wiring block a couple of bucks, 2 plugs are around $10 online. Less than $50 all up.
Playing with 240 volts and having billy lids around I want to know it to be safe and secure.
Funny thing actually. The sparky here uses a simmerstat when distilling. And another one suggested it as well. I wonder if its a sparky thing? :-D

[Andy]

my wiring and plugs is an extension cord cut in half haha

[WalterWhite]

:text-+1: to all of the above.
My controller is basic and I paid over the odds for the parts because I have zero knowledge or experience with electrics and wanted it to be safe and right... It still only cost me $60 and took a couple hours to make.
Works perfectly and has the versatility for me to add bits to it as and when I feel the need.

[WTDist]

:text-+1: to all of the above.
My controller is basic and I paid over the odds for the parts because I have zero knowledge or experience with electrics and wanted it to be safe and right... It still only cost me $60 and took a couple hours to make.
Works perfectly and has the versatility for me to add bits to it as and when I feel the need.

got a pic :text-lol:

Just kidding :))

[WalterWhite]

:laughing-rolling: nice one WT .... :violence-stickwhack:

[strongy12]

Can you post a link to the parts you used guys

I have been looking for a PSR-25 and cant find one for under $100
then I guess add on another $40 for he rest of the gear. starting to get up there

Andy your $10 voltage controller, is it reliable and haw many times have you used it? I am getting mixed messages about those cheep voltage controllers and only want to build once>
Cheers

[scythe]

Look for am SSR instead.
Work the same for all intents and purposes and under $10

[rumdidlydum]

Look for am SSR instead.
Work the same for all intents and purposes and under $10

:text-+1:

[warramungas]

Can you post a link to the parts you used guys

I have been looking for a PSR-25 and cant find one for under $100
then I guess add on another $40 for he rest of the gear. starting to get up there

Andy your $10 voltage controller, is it reliable and haw many times have you used it? I am getting mixed messages about those cheep voltage controllers and only want to build once>
Cheers

Well I used a couple off ebay but I always over engineer things. These were 15-20 buck each but you can get cheaper ones off ebay.

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[punchy21]

Depending on which way you want to go...

Here is the PSR25 from RS components at around $70, and

Here is the ebay equivalent with heatsink for around $13

[strongy12]

Thanks for the advice guys, i think ill go the SSR with heat sink off ebay.
The only reason I was looking for a PSR cause I thought a SSR (Solid State relay) was used for switching things on or off only via a thermostat not actually controlling the voltage/amps via a potentiometer like a PSR.

You would think I should know being a electrician but I have never worked with control circuits, I only really do domestic work.

cheers again.

[Andy]

Andy your $10 voltage controller, is it reliable and haw many times have you used it? I am getting mixed messages about those cheep voltage controllers and only want to build once>
Cheers

hey mate.
i haven't used it that many times- only about 4. but when I do it works a charm. i only use it on spirit runs, so its on for usually a 1.5-2 hour heat up time and 4 hours or so.
good luck with the controller build

[sp0rk]

Just a word of warning
Oven elements will have a fairly high wattage density, meaning that the surface of the element will get very hot and any particulate matter will burn to it
This then builds up over time and will eventually lead to a hot spot due to the insulation from burnt on crud, and blow outs of the element occur
This is a problem with grain and molasses washes as there is usually solids floating around in them
The elements we usually use for distilling have very low surface density, and are much less prone to matter burning onto the surface
Buy once, buy right

[strongy12]

Thanks Andy

What I meant Sp0rk was to just use the voltage control gear out of the oven to control one of MACS elements or as i have a keg king one.

I have given up on this idea as i cant find a oven that doesn't work off a thermostat/simmer-stat.

I was probably a bit gun ho on my idea without researching it well enough.
I hope i have not mislead anyone too much.

sorry

[EziTasting]

Not sure I'm alowed to post this (please remove if not!), but this was my plan that I learned on YouTube... Seemed simple enough.

[Andy]

Not sure I'm alowed to post this (please remove if not!), but this was my plan that I learned on YouTube... Seemed simple enough.

nice video. though i wouldn't be buying from that supplier... ebay has the exact same elements without the 2000% mark up.
and i would prefer to have the neutral terminals as well