Heat and temperature control for smokers

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ssorllih
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Heat and temperature control for smokers

Post by ssorllih » Tue Jul 31, 2012 02:42

This is for the other techies on here. Auber instruments makes very good controllers for less than fifty dollars. http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_ ... ex&cPath=1

Lpg grills are everywhere and and are often junked. The grill provides a regulator and a burner valve. I have collected several gas burners from stoves and cooktops that are being junked along with the control valves. Here comes the tricky part. We create a manifold for the gas with one outlet supplying a pilot light jet through a needle valve for adjustment and another outlet supplying the main burner through a solenoid valve and the burner control valve. The solenoid valve is controlled by the PID controller and a thermocouple.
Operation would be as follows : turn on the gas at the tank, light the pilot, turn on the main burner and that lights from the pilot. Set the target temperature on the PID controller. Close the doors and monitor the temperature. The burner should be set to just barely provide enough heat. When the set point temperature is reached the main burner control solenoid valve closes and shut off the main burner. but the pilot light stays on. When the temperature drops below the set point the burner solenoid valve opens and the burner lights from the pilot light.
Ross- tightwad home cook
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w1sby
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Post by w1sby » Tue Jul 31, 2012 20:55

The only problem I see is that you will not have any safeties in case of pilot flame failure. It is a rather big problem given the propensity for LPG to go kaboom at any opportunity.

73 de Allen, W1SBY
ssorllih
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Post by ssorllih » Tue Jul 31, 2012 21:02

I considered that and I have a water heater gas control valve that uses a thermocouple pilot light safety that I am considering using. The gas consumption rate will be similar to the rate for a stove top burner and being outside and away from the house would reduce the chance of accumulating a concentration.
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w1sby
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Post by w1sby » Mon Aug 13, 2012 15:01

That makes me breathe easier :grin:

A better choice might be a gas or propane furnace valve. They are electrically operated, so interfacing it with your PID controller will be a breeze.

Something like This Valve

Not terribly expensive, and great peace of mind.
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