DIY Power Controller

Philter

@cooperville said: I would use the dial sticker then have the dragon sticker to the side of dial might make it look super sick B-)

I was debating about putting the Dragon sticker on the back window of the car, but it may attract some unwanted attention :D

punkin

You'd have enough to wallpaper your bathroom with em. :))

Lloyd

@Myles, very good point. It does seem you need to turn the knob about 20% or so before it triggers the SSR. Hoping the new sticker covers the reference scratches that I've put on the box.
My controller is the simplest DIY possible and has been a flawless workhorse. A dial sticker would actually be considered bling :)

olddog

Myles, if you rotate the pot in the case to the left, it would line up with the SD dial.

OD

Hollis

I have a quick question off the subject. Has anyone had any problems running full power thru the ssr? Or should I install some kind of transfer switch to switch from full power to adjustable power

olddog

If you are worried, you could install a double pole double throw switch, with one side going directly to the element, and the other side going through the controller.

OD

Hollis

What does one of those look like

olddog

If you don't know, best to get an electrically qualified person to do it for you. Not being negative just thinking of your safety.

OD

Hollis

I am tig welder by trade and have wired many 220v outlets. I just dont know some of the technical terms.

Lloyd

@Hollis said: I have a quick question off the subject. Has anyone had any problems running full power thru the ssr? Or should I install some kind of transfer switch to switch from full power to adjustable power

@Hollis that question came up a few pages back on this thread and I think @olddog 's suggestion is a great idea. The SSR would not be getting hot when in the max position as it would just be bypassed.

Just arrived back from the print shop and the CAD guy did a nice design job on the dial sticker. Made the numbers bigger and easier to read and added the words, "Turn knob to zero before power on or power off". Diameter is now 60mm and StillDragon to be printed in blue. All for only a penny more per sticker.

The outer circle is the cut line and will not be a visible circle. The inner circle is a layout line for the size of the knob and it also will not be visible on the finished sticker. So black and blue on brushed silver Mylar.

Lloyd

@Hollis said: What does one of those look like

Double Pole Double Throw Switch @ eBay

olddog

Ok Hollis, a dpdt switch has six terminals, power is connected to the center pair, then one device connected to one of the outer pairs, and another device is connected to the other outer pair. when the switch one way it connects one device, and disconnects the other. When switched the other way it does the reverse. Just make sure you get a switch which will handle the amp-age you will be taking off it. I hopes this makes sense.

OD

Hollis

Thanks yall that is the one I was looking at. I got it wired up and it works fine. I was just wondering if it was hurting the ssr by running fill power through it. Thanks alot guys

Hollis

When do u think the sticker will be available for purchase? That thing is sweet

Philter

@punkin said: You'd have enough to wallpaper your bathroom with em. :))

Ha ha, you can never have enough SD stickers :D

@Hollis said: When do u think the sticker will be available for purchase? That thing is sweet

I'm definitely interested in a few as well!

Hollis

Ive ordered alot from SD and I dont have any stickers

Lloyd

It will take about a week before they are ready for me to pick up and a month or two after that to get to the distributors depending on when their next order ships out. Punkin has some screw on sight glass bubble tees that sould be ready to express in a few weeks so that's when he will get them.

Put some lipstick on my old pig by cutting out the paper artwork... behold the bling...

This gave me an excuse to wipe off the box, finally install the rubber feet, check the connections inside the box and replace a lost screw on the lid. Feels like a new controller.

moscca

@olddog said: Ok Hollis, a dpdt switch has six terminals, power is connected to the center pair, then one device connected to one of the outer pairs, and another device is connected to the other outer pair. when the switch one way it connects one device, and disconnects the other. When switched the other way it does the reverse. Just make sure you get a switch which will handle the amp-age you will be taking off it. I hopes this makes sense.

OD

Thanks, OD and Lloyd, just bought one

M-

punkin

@Hollis said: Ive ordered alot from SD and I dont have any stickers

Can't have that, are you in Oz?

Fluxed

Re: "it doesn't need to be exact, only reproducible."

For some uses, sure, but it's always nice to know your actual (approximate) output when comparing different elements etc. without having to rig up meters.

Does anyone know if these element kits actually give a linear increase as the knob turns?

Hollis

Punkin. Im in us

punkin

Aaahhh dunno if Larry still has stickers or not.

Lloyd

@Fluxed said: Re: "it doesn't need to be exact, only reproducible."

For some uses, sure, but it's always nice to know your actual (approximate) output when comparing different elements etc. without having to rig up meters.

Does anyone know if these element kits actually give a linear increase as the knob turns?

It is not linear as @Myles post on the previous page demonstrates. What's worse is if you change your element with an exact duplicate you will probably not get the same reading.
I'm sure he created his scale by attaching an ammeter to the connection at the element (or at least somewhere between the element and the SSR) and recording the results on his scale.

Ran my 4" x 9 bubble plate Crystal Dragon last night for the first time. The boiler has 3 elements that are about 2000 watts each (I doubt they are exactly 2000 watts and are probably all 3 different). 3 wide open til boil up then disconnect one leaving one full on and the other controlled by my DIY controller. Setting the dial at 52 was giving me total reflux with the dephlem water at a moderate flow. Setting of 53 would give me a drop every 2 or 3 seconds out the bottom of the parrot. After a good 20 minutes or so of stabilizing I backed the dephlem water down a bit at a time leaving the pot knob on the 52 mark. I have no idea how many amps or watts were being used as I don't have any meters for that but when I go to run the rig again I'll be looking to park the knob on 52.

olddog

You can get pots in linear or logarithmic types

OD

Myles

Lloyd is correct - my dial was actually calibrated with 2 meters. Completely unnecessary but nice to know. Repeatability is what is needed. Knowing the actual power level is just a nice extra.

Lloyd

@Myles said: Knowing the actual power level is just a nice extra.

That's true, folks sometime ask me how many watts for this or that configuration and I can only estimate without knowing exactly how many amps are used at what voltage.
Rigging up an ammeter is not hard and any multimeter will give you the wall voltage.
Probably needs a bigger box?

Myles

If you wish to calibrate your controller correctly, remember you need to measure the current in one of the element legs and the voltage between the element legs. Both are measured between the controller and the element. On many controllers both the output voltage and the current change at the same time.

moscca

1k/2k/5k/10k/100k/100/50k/20k/500 ohm Potentiometer pot 10Turn+Counting Dial mah

Would this be a nice upgrade for my DIY controller, and if so what would be the correct ohm ?

Thanks.

Fluxed

Thanks Lloyd!

olddog

I thought the pot should be 2w 500k, the biggest they have is 500ohm