PID Toaster - Preliminary Questions

I've got two more questions for you guys:

  • Is a 15A fuse (or a fuse at all) necessary for a PID box?
  • I have an old intel fan/heatsink combo. Could I paste this on top of the SSR for additional cooling

Looks like this:
intel
 
  • Is a 15A fuse (or a fuse at all) necessary for a PID box?
Click to expand...
  • Assuming you plugged into a proper 15A or 20A 120V circuit, you dont really need that 15A fuse. But its good idea regardless.
  • A heavy decision to bear...
 
Hey Guys,

Having a few issues. The PID controller will turn on and the TC seems to be reading accurately. However, even with the set point set higher than the current temp, the SSR won't activate. The light wont turn on and it won't power the oven.

Are the settings of the controller messed up or did I wire it wrong? Below is how I wired it.







Edit/Note: The red number starts wigging out hard when I set the set point under room temp. I get a clicking sound (from the PID not the SSR) when I do this as well.
 
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You need the action to be set to “heat” or “reverse”, depending on the controller.

It looks correct from the part number and the manual I can find online. I would expect there to be the out1 light lit when it is feeding the SSR.

Is the light on the SSR showing when out1 is lit, or are you not getting out1?
 
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timgunn1962 said:
You need the action to be set to “heat” or “reverse”, depending on the controller.

It looks correct from the part number and the manual I can find online. I would expect there to be the out1 light lit when it is feeding the SSR.

Is the light on the SSR showing when out1 is lit, or are you not getting out1?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure how to verify if I'm on cooling/heating. I'm also having trouble seeing the secondary menu that should be accessible via holding the two left most buttons down... I get to Cod, but it won't let me get to any of the SL6 options. All of my options only have 3 digits as well instead of the 4 digits I'm seeing in some videos.

The light on the SSR has not come on. The "out1" light is lit on the PID
 
Check your wiring between the controller and the SSR. If it all looks ok, disconnect the SSR and use a multimeter set on DCVolts to see if you are getting an output when out1 is lit.
 
I disconnected the 2 wires from the SSR that are coming form #4 and #5 of the PID. I then got ~15V across them when testing them on my volt meter, but only when putting my positive lead on the positive wire from post #4 and the negative volt meter lead on the wire coming from post #5 of the PID.
 
Sorry for the confusion, but I had the #3 and #4 on the SSR backwards on my drawing. Below is the corrected diagram of how I currently have it hooked up. Just a drawing typo... Still can't figure out for the life of me what's going on. I read the manual front to back!

 
Read the voltage at terminal 3 and 4 on the SSR, then read it on terminal 4 and 5 on the PID. If you have voltage at the PID, but not at the SSR, you have a bad wire … replace the wires. Your earlier check makes it sound like the positive wire is bad.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
Read the voltage at terminal 3 and 4 on the SSR, then read it on terminal 4 and 5 on the PID. If you have voltage at the PID, but not at the SSR, you have a bad wire … replace the wires. Your earlier check makes it sound like the positive wire is bad.
Click to expand...

I'm getting ~15V at both the SSR terminals 3 and 4 and the PID terminals 4 and 5. (When putting the positive lead onto the positive terminal and the negative lead on the negative terminal in both cases. When I reverse this, my volt meter wants to read negative.)

Edit/Note: When I bring the SV under the TC temp.. I get 0 volts doing this test.

Edit/Note #2: When I set the SV to 15C above the TC, the voltage is pulsing. When I set the SV to significantly more than the TC the voltage is constant.
 
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That sounds like it is working right. You probably need to set your hysteresis to something like 5 degrees.
 
So I'm getting voltage to terminal #4 and #3 of the SSR but the light on the SSR is not turning on. This is all while the "out1" light is lit on the controller.

Does that mean my SSR could be bad? Is there a way to test terminal #2 of the SSR? I don't think it's outputting any power to the female plug.

Edit: I have verified that I am getting power to terminal #1 of the SSR and not getting power out of terminal #2 of the SSR.
 
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I made this video to send to the vendor to see if they can send me a new SSR or give me a refund. Do yall think my analysis of the issue is right?

 
If the SSR is good, there should be continuity between terminals 1 and 2 when there is voltage at 3 and 4 remove all power wires when taking this reading). As an experiment, remove the SSR and connect it to a 12 volt power supply ( a battery charger, etc) and see if the light comes on. If it works there, go back and see why the voltage from the PID isn't doing the job.

I just let my mind wander and it occurred to me that the you may not be reading the real output to the SSR. There is always a floating voltage, but it has no amperage. Normally this is around 5 volts at a few Ma. The output on the SSR terminals when the power is being applied from the PID is usually 24 to 30 volts at 40-50 Ma.

Other things that crossed my mind:
Are you sure there is voltage on SSR terminal#1? It should read 120VAC to ground at all times. Is there any voltage on terminal #2 when the PID output light is on?
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
If the SSR is good, there should be continuity between terminals 1 and 2 when there is voltage at 3 and 4 remove all power wires when taking this reading). As an experiment, remove the SSR and connect it to a 12 volt power supply ( a battery charger, etc) and see if the light comes on. If it works there, go back and see why the voltage from the PID isn't doing the job.

I just let my mind wander and it occurred to me that the you may not be reading the real output to the SSR. There is always a floating voltage, but it has no amperage. Normally this is around 5 volts at a few Ma. The output on the SSR terminals when the power is being applied from the PID is usually 24 to 30 volts at 40-50 Ma.

Other things that crossed my mind:
Are you sure there is voltage on SSR terminal#1? It should read 120VAC to ground at all times. Is there any voltage on terminal #2 when the PID output light is on?
Click to expand...

Terminal 1 of the SSR to neutral (white) shows 120VAC. Terminal 2 of the PID to neutral (white) shows nothing when the output light is on.

I hooked a 6 amp 12V battery charger to SSR terminals 3 and 4. The light on the SSR did not turn on.
 
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Right off the hop, I need to ask why is a white wire connecting SSR term nr.1 ?

I Realise diy folks may use goofy colour or switching schemes and that white possibly an ungrounded conductor...
But thats not consistient with professional practice and hinders a show & tell internet troubleshooting session.
 
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Lieblad said:
Right off the hop, I need to ask why is a white wire connecting SSR term nr.1 ?

I Realise diy folks may use goofy colour or switching schemes and that white possibly an ungrounded conductor...
But thats not consistient with professional practice and hinders a show & tell internet troubleshooting session.
Click to expand...

The white wire on terminal #1 of the SSR that connects to terminal #1 of the PID should be colored black... Ran out of black wire. I apologize for the confusion.
 
In a case of using a white wire for power on 120 volts, wrap black tape around both ends (next to the terminations) to indicate the change of polarity.
 
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