Circulation or extraction fan for curing chamber

tobertuzzi
User
User
Posts: 70
Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2013 06:18
Location: Powell river BC

Post by tobertuzzi » Tue Mar 05, 2013 18:27

Mike

Thats better control than I have I think, with my controller. Eventually I will probably change out the plug and play with a PID. Although so far I havent had an issue with high humidity. Where I live its always rather dry. Ill start with the extraction fan on a timer and see how it goes.

Thanks
Toby
tobertuzzi
User
User
Posts: 70
Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2013 06:18
Location: Powell river BC

Post by tobertuzzi » Tue Mar 05, 2013 20:17

Mike
What wattage element do u run in the smoker in the picture ? And is your unit insulated ? And square footage ? I ask because my freezer is 50 cf just trying to see what ill need to heat it. Not looking at high temps . Will be cold smoking and up to 250f. Mine has the factory insulation in it still so i will give her a burn test to see how it holds up.

Thanks
Toby
Walleye1
User
User
Posts: 75
Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2013 13:43
Location: Moose Jaw, SK

Post by Walleye1 » Tue Mar 05, 2013 21:06

Toby

They both run the same 3000 watt 220v element. Also both cabinets are insulated. The one with the glass door has fibreglass insulation and the other has mineral wool insulation. The inside measurements of the one with the solid door is 21.5 inches wide, 28 inches deep, and 61 inches high. The other cabinet is more or less the same, I think it's an inch or so bigger.

Near as I can figure with my limited math skills :mrgreen: mine is about 22 cf. Your cabinet must be a 2 door unit? You could certainly put 2 elements in the bottom of it though. You could easily switch them both with one 40 amp SSR.

Do you know what type of insulation is in your cabinet?

I plan on building a new one when I get time which will be a double door unit. At this point I think I will be building the cabinet from the ground up. My plan is to go with the heating element and blower from Sausage Maker which is 5000 watts.

Regarding the dry cure cabinet, I have only done test runs on it so far. My humidity control is real goo with the exception of when the colling cycle is running. The humidity steadily declines. The compressor only runs about 30 seconds every 25 to 30 minutes though so the drop in humidity is very brief and recovers in under 30 seconds.

Mike
tobertuzzi
User
User
Posts: 70
Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2013 06:18
Location: Powell river BC

Post by tobertuzzi » Tue Mar 05, 2013 21:22

Hi Mike

Yeah mine is a double door unit

http://www.restaurantsource.com/true-re ... 29156.aspx

I was thinking I would need two elements, I have a 40 amp SSR too so thats great if you think that will work.

I dont know exactly what kind the insulation is but it appears to be foam.

That 5000 w blower unit looks like the bees knees eh. Maybe on the next build lol.

Ill post some pics when I get started.

Thanks, all great info

Toby
Walleye1
User
User
Posts: 75
Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2013 13:43
Location: Moose Jaw, SK

Post by Walleye1 » Wed Mar 06, 2013 00:06

Toby

I would be real interested in seeing how things progress. That is one fine looking cabinet!

I looked at the link you provided and it would appear the insulation is polyurethane which is the only concern for me. Is it possible the cabinet you have is older than the link you provided? If so, maybe yours has fiberglass insulation in it. Here is a link to a site that indicates the polyurathane is good to 250 degrees. although it really doesn't say at what point it starts to give off any gas or fumes. Keeping the cabinet temp under 250 degrees is one thing but it can be an issue arounf the area of the elements as it could be exposed to higher temps.
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/insul ... d_922.html

Mike
tobertuzzi
User
User
Posts: 70
Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2013 06:18
Location: Powell river BC

Post by tobertuzzi » Wed Mar 06, 2013 06:09

Hi Mike
Yes the freezer is probably 10 yrs plus maybe.

Thanks for locating that info for me. Hopefully its not poly but up to 250f that's kinda ok. Like u say when does it start gassing off. Maybe ill drill holes on the outside so it Will give any gas somewhere to go and not into my sausages...lol. And i could always cut more of it away around the element areas and fill it with fire proof insulation .

Cheers for the info

Toby
tobertuzzi
User
User
Posts: 70
Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2013 06:18
Location: Powell river BC

Post by tobertuzzi » Wed Mar 06, 2013 09:22

Image
Walleye1
User
User
Posts: 75
Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2013 13:43
Location: Moose Jaw, SK

Post by Walleye1 » Wed Mar 06, 2013 13:25

Toby

On one of my big smokers, it started life as a proofer, it had been stored outside. It had fibreglass insulation but it had got wet. I had to drill out all the rivets to remove enough panela off the outside to reinsulate it with mineral wool. The only problem I had was the bottom. There was no way to access it. What I did was cut the interior floor out leaving about 2 inches all the way around. This allowed good access to remove the wet insulation and replace it with mineral wool. Next I cut a piece of sheet metal the same dimentions as the entire floor. I spread high temp silicone on the 2 inch lip, layed the new floor in place, then pop rivited it in place. I finished it off by puting a bead of high temp silicone around the perimeter where the walls meet the floor.

You will eventually have to drill a few holes anyway so you could plan where one will be going and go ahead and drill it to see what is inside. It would be really nice if it's fibreglass.

That 2 door unit will make a sweet smoker! :wink:

Mike
tobertuzzi
User
User
Posts: 70
Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2013 06:18
Location: Powell river BC

Post by tobertuzzi » Wed Mar 06, 2013 16:32

Mike

Yeah Im hoping the insulation will be fine. If it not it will be quite the job to remove it as all the panels seem to be joined by some other method no pop rivets. I may have to do what you did and cut them out. We will see. It will make me very happy to see fiberglass in there...
I will start with cutting a 3 inch hole in the roof for a smoke stack, so that will give me a sample of the insulation.

Sounds like you did quite a number on your smoker. Bet it was great to have it safe and running well. Peace of mind is a big motivator .

Thanks
Toby
tobertuzzi
User
User
Posts: 70
Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2013 06:18
Location: Powell river BC

Post by tobertuzzi » Wed Mar 06, 2013 17:41

Did you insulate with something like Roxul?
Walleye1
User
User
Posts: 75
Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2013 13:43
Location: Moose Jaw, SK

Post by Walleye1 » Thu Mar 07, 2013 04:13

Toby

I did use Roxul. I used the batts and they are fairly rigid, much more rigid than fibreglass. I found you can cut it to the correct thickness real easy using a regular electric carving knife.

Mike
Walleye1
User
User
Posts: 75
Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2013 13:43
Location: Moose Jaw, SK

Post by Walleye1 » Thu Mar 07, 2013 22:45

I just wanted to edit my post of the following wiring diagram. I actually bade an error where the thermocouple goes on the 2362 controller. I have corrected it in the following diagram.

Mike

Image
Walleye1
User
User
Posts: 75
Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2013 13:43
Location: Moose Jaw, SK

Post by Walleye1 » Fri Mar 08, 2013 13:25

Sorry guys...

In the above wiring diagram I fixed the TC but I left off the Stoker Jack.

So... here is the final... final diagram. :roll: :mrgreen:

I would delete the other two if I could.

Image

Mike
tobertuzzi
User
User
Posts: 70
Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2013 06:18
Location: Powell river BC

Post by tobertuzzi » Fri Mar 08, 2013 20:37

Thanks Mike
Walleye1
User
User
Posts: 75
Joined: Mon Mar 04, 2013 13:43
Location: Moose Jaw, SK

Post by Walleye1 » Fri Mar 08, 2013 23:16

No problem Toby.

To solve the problem of the incorrect pictures I just went into PhotoBucket and deleted them. :mrgreen:

Mike
Post Reply