Please Help Me Get My HT Oven Working!!!

Oh Ok.

No, the Oven has nothing on it right now. I did put the new element in it last weekend and there is just about 1 - 1 1/2 sticking out the back.

I got a project box from radio shack today and made the hole for the PID, now I just have to wire everything and somehow connect the wires to the element and I should be good to power it up I hope.

So how hot is the SSR going to get to need a heat sink? I have a plastic project box that I was going to mount it in.
 
On the auber site you can download a PDF file showing the wiring diagrams for different configs plus the instructions to use the PID. I have the exact same controller on a homemade oven I made and it works fine! However I will admit the instructions to use it are a little confusing till you reread them several times then play with it and actually it's really easy to use AFTER you've read the instructions. Definately plan on programing using the auto tune feature. Basically in a nutshell it will go through a couple heat cycles learning the temp losses of your oven and adjust automatically so you won't over shoot your sit temp but just bump it on and off one and off to just hit your temp and hold within a few degrees.

As for heat sink, definately on every solid state relay and some folks get confused on the ratings. Your one SS relay the CONTACTS are capable of turning on and off a 60amp load in the voltage range of 24v to 380vAC which is overkill for what you have but is fine and it's coil input to is 80v to250vac which is also perfect for you as you will be doing it with 120vac on both accounts.
Again download the PDF file and after reading it several times I think you are capable of it, if not any electrician buddy should be able to wire it up in 20 minutes or so. Personally I'd use high temp wire for everything as the heat out put from the oven will degrade "regular" wire rather quickly.
 
LCoop said:
On the auber site you can download a PDF file showing the wiring diagrams for different configs plus the instructions to use the PID. I have the exact same controller on a homemade oven I made and it works fine! However I will admit the instructions to use it are a little confusing till you reread them several times then play with it and actually it's really easy to use AFTER you've read the instructions. Definately plan on programing using the auto tune feature. Basically in a nutshell it will go through a couple heat cycles learning the temp losses of your oven and adjust automatically so you won't over shoot your sit temp but just bump it on and off one and off to just hit your temp and hold within a few degrees.

As for heat sink, definately on every solid state relay and some folks get confused on the ratings. Your one SS relay the CONTACTS are capable of turning on and off a 60amp load in the voltage range of 24v to 380vAC which is overkill for what you have but is fine and it's coil input to is 80v to250vac which is also perfect for you as you will be doing it with 120vac on both accounts.
Again download the PDF file and after reading it several times I think you are capable of it, if not any electrician buddy should be able to wire it up in 20 minutes or so. Personally I'd use high temp wire for everything as the heat out put from the oven will degrade "regular" wire rather quickly.
Click to expand...

I will look for that PDF, Thanks
I have looked at a few that people posted here but they dont help me in the wiring process.
 
ok so here is a new diagram with a second cord added. Does this one look better?

Where do I mount the second cord so it cannot pull off the oven? also can I mount the SSR in my box.

One other thing, I have 1 of the small glass fuse holders can I use that somewhere and what size fuse would I use?

Thanks for all the help so far.


HTovenwiring2.jpg
 
looks good to me, I think you got it.

I had a hard time putting my mind around electrical too. It was easier for me when I realized that power flows into an electrical appliance from one wire contained in the power cord and flows back out thru the other wire in the same cord.

I'm not sure what you mean abut the second cord, one cord is just for the pid controller and the other cord powers your oven and has nothing to do with the pid controller, function of the ssr, or thermocouple.

I would guess the fuse would go between your pid and ssr, don't exceed the maximum voltage of the ssr which is 32vdc. Your pid is putting out around 9 volts dc if I remember correctly to the ssr.
You can mount the ssr in the box, I would definitely use a heatsink. Both the heat from the ssr and heat from your oven at temp will be present so unless you can mount some type of heat shield between the ssr and your pid controller I would not mount them as close as your picture shows. if temp gets to high your pid will cut off and give an error message.

Another thing Omega sells connectors for your thermocouple to connect the wires. You cannot twist connect these as it will effect the temp readings.
 
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bigern26 said:
ok so here is a new diagram with a second cord added. Does this one look better?

Where do I mount the second cord so it cannot pull off the oven? also can I mount the SSR in my box.

One other thing, I have 1 of the small glass fuse holders can I use that somewhere and what size fuse would I use?

Thanks for all the help so far.


]
Click to expand...

The fuse should be 120vac and 15 amps
be careful of the fuse holder rating, the 120vc and the 12dc automotive types look the same.

put it inline with the black wire of your 120vac wall plug



If you are going to go with 2 plugs, you need to fuse both plugs.


If you want to be able to set the controller without having the elements on, you can just pop the door open and the door switch will cut that power, or you can put another switch inline with the door switch (from the pid output and the ssr input line )
this is much simpler and neater to me.



Have you powered up your controller yet to see if it works ?

You still don't know what the output of the PID is and which SSR to use ?
 
I suggest you go download the PDF instruction manual for your model a few pages down. There is a SIMPLE pictoral point to point wiring diagram using ONE cord especially since your using 120 volt for both the PID and the heating elements.
 
So Just run a fuse on the black wire before it goes to anything?

I am not running a door switch. I will just be reeeeeally careful :)
 
LCoop said:
I suggest you go download the PDF instruction manual for your model a few pages down. There is a SIMPLE pictoral point to point wiring diagram using ONE cord especially since your using 120 volt for both the PID and the heating elements.
Click to expand...

My PID is not an Auber. I am not sure what one to copy.
 
My auber, which looks EXACTLY like yours, but says Auber on the face is Model SYL-2362A2. My PID uses the exact same codes in programing 0089 for programming,0036 for PID parameters etc etc so and the wiring diagram is the same. I'd WAG that someone makes it and labels it diferently for different folks. So download, it doesn't cost you anything to download the instruction manual, and everything you will need is there from instructions to program for SSR or relay contactor(which I use) to program for the thermocouple your using (probably K) pictoral wiring diagram (same basic kind you drew up) to using it setting the Set Value (the temp you want it to cycle and keep or to hit the temp and shut off etc etc. It's a really good PID ONCE you get a grasp of the instructions!
 
I did not use a fuse on my ovens but I am well aware that touching the coils with a blade while the oven is on will give you a jolt. Hook it up anyway you think your capable of doing with as many safety features as possible or just do like I do and unplug it before you open the door to take you blade out. Regardless of how you do it always respect the possibility that it can hurt you. Get careless and you may pay a price just like you can driving a car or grinding a blade.
One of my ovens is 220volt oven and I have it hooked up with just one power cord and picked up the 110 for the pid using a power intended for a on/off light.
The other oven is a 110 volt oven that I use for tempering and heat treat on small blades, I prefer it hooked up using two power supply cords.
Your pid output is 3-32vdc.

Hope it works out for you.
 
Was reading back thru your post and you said you had a plastic box to mount equip in! OH NO! Trust me when the little bad boy comes up to temp you'll not want anything PLASTIC close to or mounted on it and that SSR will get warm to the "touch" cycling keeping temp that's why the sell heat sinks for them! lol If I was you I would temp wire 120v to the input of the PID and play with programing after reading the instructions and compare what your seeing as to what the instructions say to determine for 100% you've got the right instructions. THEY make several models some with ramp etc and those instructions will be slightly different but by playing with programing on a bench test you should be able to verify what you have. As a last ditch effort you could buy everything new you need to completely redo that oven for about $150 bucks and then you would KNOW EXACTLY what you have and still be under the grand for a new one!
 
Yeah, Not sure how I am going to hook it up yet.
Do you have any pics of your 110 oven?

I am still trying to figure out how to attach the wiring to the element and the thermocouple.
 
Do a search for Kiln heating elements you should turn up some sites that sell elements and connectors. The thermocouple connector you need to get from Auburns they are simple to use. Or just buy a new superomega K-type already wired thermocouple from omega for around 30 bucks, they work great.
You have the general idea I think from your last drawing. Like I said using two cords was the easiest way for me when I did that oven, it was my first. I have never felt the need to change it but when I got a bigger oven I wired it with only one power cord.
 
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My oven is 220v and can reach 1875 in 31 minutes. That PID is capable of working 220v or 110v as is your SSR. Don't have any pics of my homemade oven on this computer and won't be able to post pics of it for a couple days. But basically I have a standard METAL 8" x 8" junction box (keep in mind I'm using a standard relay contactor which is larger than a SSR though) mounted with it's one side projecting away from the oven. ALL wiring goes to it, thermo, plug cord, cord going to elements etc. I suggest you mount your SSR on the side FARTHEST AWAY from your oven as possible. I would think your oven already has a way of connecting the high temp wire from your SSR to your elements but usually it's something along the lines of stainless steel bolts or kiln type connectors mounted on bakelite.
 
I agree with what LCoop is writing , the ssr will get pretty hot. My PID is the same model as yours and codes for setting it up 0036 and 0089 are just like coop said.
The PID will shut down if it gets to hot.
When you try to program it don't get discouraged, it takes a while to figure it out. One thing for sure is to have it set for an ssr as that model has an internal relay. you don't want working off that, your ssr will not operate if it is.
 
Thanks for all the help guys, I am going to set it up right now to make sure everything works and such. I am going to have a friend make me a nice ss box to hold everything.

There are two little connectors that came with the element but I am not sure about them, The just slide over the wires and clamp down with a small screw. I dont like them cause there is nothing holding the element wires from moving and there is a steel bar around them.
 
Connectors you describe are kiln type connectors and should work fine. Most kilns have small porcelain tubes extended through the oven wall that protect them from shorting out to the cabinet and holding them a few inches apart from each other. On mine I just made a small open mesh box container to keep them protected in and so not to hold in any heat. I thought you had a mesh type box that the SSR was mounted in on one of your photos. Can you not just it for mounting the SSR and PID? My metal encloure has to be bigger because I chose to use a standard relay contactor. If you make a new metal enclosure make sure it is vented well. You don't want either the SSR or PID to get warm and the SSR puts off heat by itself and the oven definately puts of heat!
 
I think i got it, I wired it up like using two cords but I just ran jumpers from the element cord to the PID to give it power.

I have to thank you guys much for the help. I could not have done it without all your input.

I plugged it in and timed the operation, I set the temp to 1444
It took :
4 minutes to hit 550*
9 minutes to hit 800*

I opened it up, shut it, it dropped to 745*

then it took:
15.5 minutes to hit 1000*
45 minutes to hit 1444*

I am going to build a better box and mount it to the oven, get all the wiring good and it should be fully operational.

Here is a couple shots of it
2011-03-20_17-19-18_219.jpg

2011-03-20_16-45-41_647.jpg
 
Glad to help and glad it worked out for you. Looks good. The times you posted I'd expect on a 110 oven and I'm guessing actually pretty good. My homebrew has a xtra 2" of insulation outside the firebrick. The only thing that actually gets hot on my oven is the door where I don't have the xtra insulation and that's only when it's been up to temp of 1875 for several minutes. I got both the high temp insulation and soft fire brick from the pottery kiln I dismantled to make mine. Like someone else mentioned the micro switch you posted a pic of is for turning off the elements when you open the door if your so inclined. But like someone else said I just unplug mine when I open the door.
 
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