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Main
Date: 09 Nov 2006 08:53:54
From: Rusty
Subject: Silvia's Erratic PID temp Display
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My PID Silvia (over two years since PID) is displaying erratic temperature
readouts - sometimes, not always.
On two occasions the readout has shown LLLL which I believe indicates a
thermocouple problem.
She powers up fine and stabilises at the set temp. She brews well, and
reaches the steam temp (not PID) and then sometimes the temp jumps about all
over the place. It settles down again as she cools down to the set brew
temp.
The PID is a Fuji PXR3 installed inside Silvia. It has worked flawlessly
for over two years.
Any expert like to hazard a guess as to what might be going on?
Cheers,
Rusty
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Date: 09 Nov 2006 04:18:13
From: RoughJaw
Subject: Re: Burned up controller
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On Wed, 08 Nov 2006 19:16:06 -0800, daveb wrote:
> Nothing will withstand the heat inside a silvia boiler compartment.
> Period.
>
> [Unless you have lot of ugly holes and fan cooling,]
>
> which is why I have never / will never install ANY type of electronics
> INSIDE a silvia. -- 155 of them to date.
Yeah, yeah... and a couple months ago your web page said you'd NEVER
install a PID on any machine with a heat exchanger. Your "never" seems to
last only as long as you can't make money at it.
Next thing, you'll be recommending the backflush. Oh, wait. That boat's
already sailed.
You should change your sig line.
Dave - always say never - b
<look-what-an-idiot-I-am number here >
--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
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Date: 08 Nov 2006 19:16:06
From: daveb
Subject: Burned up controller
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Yes, I'll hazard a 'guess' (a certainty) -- unless there are loose
connections . . .
Your 'pid' controller is FRIED! it is not the thermocouple.
Nothing will withstand the heat inside a silvia boiler compartment.
Period.
[Unless you have lot of ugly holes and fan cooling,]
which is why I have never / will never install ANY type of electronics
INSIDE a silvia. -- 155 of them to date.
So, please consider another mounting option for your next 'pid'
controller.
Rusty wrote:
> My PID Silvia (over two years since PID) is displaying erratic temperature
> readouts - sometimes, not always.
>
> On two occasions the readout has shown LLLL which I believe indicates a
> thermocouple problem.
>
> She powers up fine and stabilises at the set temp. She brews well, and
> reaches the steam temp (not PID) and then sometimes the temp jumps about all
> over the place. It settles down again as she cools down to the set brew
> temp.
>
> The PID is a Fuji PXR3 installed inside Silvia. It has worked flawlessly
> for over two years.
>
> Any expert like to hazard a guess as to what might be going on?
>
> Cheers,
> Rusty
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Date: 09 Nov 2006 15:08:42
From: Ian Smith
Subject: Re: Burned up controller
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On 8 Nov 2006 19:16:06 -0800, daveb <davebobblane@gmail.com > wrote:
>
> Nothing will withstand the heat inside a silvia boiler compartment.
> Period.
What?
I'm fairly confident that (for example) a moderate size diamond will
withstand the heat inside a silvia boiler compartment.
(I once heard, in fact, that a silvia boiler manages to withstand the
temperature in a Silvia boiler compartment.)
regards, Ian SMith
--
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Date: 08 Nov 2006 17:42:19
From: jggall01
Subject: Re: Silvia's Erratic PID temp Display
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Rusty wrote:
> My PID Silvia (over two years since PID) is displaying erratic temperature
> readouts - sometimes, not always.
>
> On two occasions the readout has shown LLLL which I believe indicates a
> thermocouple problem.
>
> She powers up fine and stabilises at the set temp. She brews well, and
> reaches the steam temp (not PID) and then sometimes the temp jumps about all
> over the place. It settles down again as she cools down to the set brew
> temp.
>
> The PID is a Fuji PXR3 installed inside Silvia. It has worked flawlessly
> for over two years.
>
> Any expert like to hazard a guess as to what might be going on?
>
> Cheers,
> Rusty
Hi, Rusty -
Make sure the t/c leads are still well connected to the controller (no
doubt you have done this already) and the screws are tight.
Check your controller's programming and see what you have set for P-SL
and P-SU. Maybe your PV, while steaming, is reaching the upper limit?
Fuji says this can cause that error indication.
Look for some indication of an open loop along your t/c. Also, look
for anyplace where the t/c leads could be shorting intermittently.
This would give the jumpy readings, but I wouldn't think the LLLL.
Since t/c's are cheap, before scrapping the controller, I'd try a
different t/c and see if it behaves the same (probably will).
You can get spurious signals on a t/c from interference from AC
sources, but I don't know why something like that would have waited 2
years to show up.
Two worst case scenarios:
1. You have exceeded the ambient environmental temp for this
controller (undoubtedly true, since it is only rated at 122F) by enough
that the CJC circuitry is refusing do its magic at that temp.
2. The 145F oven has killed the controller.
If one of the above turns out to be the case, you might want to try a
controller that is rated for higher environmental temp as its
replacement. Any of the 1/32 DIN Watlow's will carry a 149F rating.
Good luck.
Jim
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Date: 08 Nov 2006 17:00:22
From: Craig Andrews
Subject: Re: Silvia's Erratic PID temp Display
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"Rusty" <kenrussell@optus YOUR HAT home.com.au > wrote in message
news:455251f8$0$5107$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au...
> My PID Silvia (over two years since PID) is displaying erratic
> temperature readouts - sometimes, not always.
>
> On two occasions the readout has shown LLLL which I believe indicates
> a thermocouple problem.
>
> She powers up fine and stabilises at the set temp. She brews well,
> and reaches the steam temp (not PID) and then sometimes the temp jumps
> about all over the place. It settles down again as she cools down to
> the set brew temp.
>
> The PID is a Fuji PXR3 installed inside Silvia. It has worked
> flawlessly for over two years.
>
> Any expert like to hazard a guess as to what might be going on?
>
> Cheers,
> Rusty
>
Hi Rusty, do you have thermal paste (Heatsink compound) applied to the
bottom of the washer style thermocouple, contacting the top of the
boiler? Perhaps it's dried out some & not providing good enough or poor
thermal conductivity to the digital readout..
Cheers!
Craig.
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Date: 09 Nov 2006 14:58:40
From: RoughJaw
Subject: Re: Burned up controller
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What an idiot.
--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com
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Date: 09 Nov 2006 07:20:24
From: daveb
Subject: Re: Burned up controller
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given the temp, a lump 'o coal and some pressure -- diamonds 'could'
be made.
dave
www.hitechespresso.com
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Date: 09 Nov 2006 06:00:27
From: daveb
Subject: Re: Silvia's Erratic PID temp Display
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and 149 F rating still won't do the job.
Dave
156.5
www.hitechespresso.com
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Date: 09 Nov 2006 05:58:48
From: daveb
Subject: Re: Burned up controller
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so, who are you, sir or madam?
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Date: 09 Nov 2006 12:13:30
From: daveb
Subject: Re: Burned up controller
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good idea!
another mounting position would be a good idea. because the original
idea someone hatched on the web -- was NOT a good idea, and should NOT
be repeated.
Leave the old one in place , turned off, -- as a hole filler.
dave
156.5
www.hitechespresso.com
jggall01 wrote:
> Rusty has a 48 x 22 hole in the front of his Silvia, and a controller
> that is flakey. It doesn't do him much good to hear about what he
> should or shouldn't have done 2 years ago.
>
> We should be concentrating on responses that could possibly be useful.
>
> Jim
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Date: 09 Nov 2006 11:43:32
From: jggall01
Subject: Re: Burned up controller
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Rusty has a 48 x 22 hole in the front of his Silvia, and a controller
that is flakey. It doesn't do him much good to hear about what he
should or shouldn't have done 2 years ago.
We should be concentrating on responses that could possibly be useful.
Jim
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