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DIY Power Controller

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  • Thanks Law_Of_Ohms. Just to make sure and reference your diagram. 'A' would go to 4 on the SSR and 'W' and 'B' would go to 3 on the SSR.

  • check out the diagram on page one of this thread

  • Yeah i see that shows that the first two pot connectors go to 3 on the SSR and the 3rd on the pot goes to 4 on the SSR.

  • @punkin will these be available on our side of the world?

  • @cleadus1 said: punkin will these be available on our side of the world?

    Yes!

    Punkin has ordered a large supply of DIY controller kits to be included in his upcoming sea freight order. I doubt it is enough if USA sales are any indication. They are selling faster than anything we've seen before. Even without build instructions almost every order includes a DIY controller and element guard.

    We chopped the price by more than half and I figure it's now at about 1/6 the price of the next closest competitor's price. Yea, StillDragon!

    So sorry for the delay in filling the orders, this caught us by surprise. We'll beef of the stocks as soon as possible.

    Punkin has import taxes that USA does not have and he must compensate for that so his sale price must reflect not only the GST or VAT but also the currency exchange.
    In USA the DIY kit is $31 USD and, not to sound like a late-night infomercial, the plastic box alone usually sells for about that much.

    Tried to tell him to order more but its a new item for Australia. He'll listen to me next time because I figure he'll get a run on them like USA did.

    I'm sure that at these prices and with proper build instructions both USA and AUS will be crying for more controller stock. Just need the build instructions now, please.

    We had the build instructions but failed to secure the copyright and it was withdrawn from our use. If anyone can please provide build instructions without copyright limitations PLEASE post them here.

    *** By posting the build instructions here you agree that the material is open source and is freely distributed and cannot be withdrawn. You further agree to provide free license to any user here that can benefit from using the build instructions to construct his/her controller. Poster is not responsible for material damages caused by user in said application. User is responsible to arrange a licensed professional to examine the build for safety and usability.

  • edited August 2013

    Thanks to Big Pa for supplying the build instructions free for peoples use. He's a man i greatly respect.

    DIY Box Build Instructions (PDF)

    Copyright allows free personal use only.

    pdf
    pdf
    DIY Box Build Instructions.pdf
    360K

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • Guys, be aware with all these instructions that appear to be / are a mix from Aust and international, WILL show different wiring and colors, the pdf Punkin attached has different wiring to the actual instructions in the pics. Circuit diagram shows Red to SSR/black/green, instructions show Black to SSR/white/green.

    @Law_Of_Ohms said: Here is the Aussie diagram

    image

    If unsure, simply take it to a sparkie/electrician to check before using it, be the best few $ spent rather than perhaps zappng yourself or worse.

    I have built mine with no issues, but also had a mate double check before testing.

    fadge

  • These will be advertised on my site, like everything electrical, to be done by a licensed electrician. There is no need for people to play with electricity if untrained. We have people in the phone book who can do it for you for a few bucks and provide peace of mind.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • at $31 I ordered one for a friend as a new still present! :)

  • edited August 2013

    Here is a pic of the SSR mounted to the heatsink and in the box. Not wired up yet. This is a Stilldragon DIY kit.

    image

    IMAG1937-picsay.jpg
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  • edited August 2013

    Sory I couldn't find this pic. I finally found it. Here is the DIY controller all wired up. I wired the earth ground (green wire) from the source plug to one side of the SSR mount screw. And the earth ground for the element on the other SSR mount screw. It made things a little easier. And the screws aren't long enough for to many terminals. This was the one I built for Sugardaddy. This particular pot didn't have a ground terminal. Mine I built for me did. I just ran a third wire off it to the mount terminal on the SSR. The rest is self explanatory.

    image

    IMAG1958-picsay.jpg
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  • what I think would be cool is to have a custom cap to the SD Element Guard made out of extruded aluminum, with a D shaped cross section inside, and fins on the outside.. you mount the controller to the inside, the new end is fastened on with a couple screws, and the knob is in the endcap, the cord grip out the bottom.... basically your heatsink is the housing and element guard end cap all in one...

  • Im a newb at this but where does the ground wire go On the element . Do I screw it to the keg. Or is there a place on the element. Thanks yall are very helpful

  • @Hollis said: Im a newb at this but where does the ground wire go On the element . Do I screw it to the keg. Or is there a place on the element. Thanks yall are very helpful

    Anywhere on the keg or element mount is good.

    OD

  • Our element guard kit has a grounding lug installed btw.

    StillDragon North America - Your StillDragon® Distributor for North America

  • In the US, both connects on the element are hots (assuming it is a 220V element). The earth can attach anywhere on the keg, element guard or element except for those 2 hot connects.

  • I drill a hole in the bottom ring of the keg. And attach the ground wire with a terminal, screw and nut. If adding to a pot without a ring. Or somewhere that won't mess up the pot. You can clamp it to the element mount. With something like a grounding clamp.

  • As Smaug said, there is a ground nut within the Element Guard.

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

  • @punkin said: As Smaug said, there is a ground nut within the Element Guard.

    Yes and the tank becomes grounded once all of the clamps are dogged down good and snug.

    StillDragon North America - Your StillDragon® Distributor for North America

  • Hooked up my DIY controller, but when I measure the voltage it does not change, 225 V, as I turn the potentiometer. this is not ok , right ?

    M-

  • ok, I tried it with my 220V grinder and it works !!!! amazing for 30 $ viva SD !!

    M-

  • @moscca said: Hooked up my DIY controller, but when I measure the voltage it does not change, 225 V, as I turn the potentiometer. this is not ok , right ?

    That's normal when measuring with a voltmeter mossca, and my PWM SSR does exactly the same.

  • connected to the element it works !

  • @Philter said: That's normal when measuring with a voltmeter mossca, and my PWM SSR does exactly the same.

    Thanks Philter, living in the tropics, I'm a bit worried about the generated heat. I put my contol box where I have some breeze, away from the still. Am i correct to think that the more I turn down the power, the more my SSR it heating up ? I'm using 1 6kw element.

    M-

  • no, the more 'on' the more it heats up. can you please test for me... how hot does the heatsink get when running 6kw? I'm playing with a different heatsink and finding it gets hot at 3600W

  • Ok, tomorrow I will make my first run on electric power.

    M-

  • Yer gonna love it.....i think.

    StillDragon North America - Your StillDragon® Distributor for North America

  • LoO Hollis is asking you questions on the Activity page about this subject....

    StillDragon Australia & New Zealand - Your StillDragon® Distributor for Australia & New Zealand

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