OVHA Chat

I have all the components for my RIMS system, will be building it this Saturday. Brewing on Sunday. My question is this: Do I need a 25A Solid State Relay between the PID and the Heating Element in my RIMS tube?

Thanks,
Art

ArtCox wrote:I have all the components for my RIMS system, will be building it this Saturday. Brewing on Sunday. My question is this: Do I need a 25A Solid State Relay between the PID and the Heating Element in my RIMS tube?

Thanks,
Art

What is the amp rating on the PID controller?
If you are working at close to the max capacity if the controller it is a good idea to go through a relay.
Question?
Do you know that the heater is running 25A?
Are you running 110 or 220 element and supplying 110 or 220 to the element?
I'm guessing your using a water heater element?

Hint:
Be careful not so scold the wort by having too hot an element for the area/flow.
I found it helpful to play with the sensor location on the discharge of the RIMS.
I would run several water test before I use it for real.

220V element @ 110V..

The PID Specifications:
It can be powered by 80-265V AC/DC
Display: Dual display for Fahrenheit(F) and Celsius(C)
Range: -1999 to 9999 (depends on the thermocouple)
Relay Output: Mechanical (3A) and SSR
Accuracy: 0.3%
Thermo Resistor: PT100, Cu50
Thermocouple Support: TC(K,J,S,E)/ RTD(Pt100,CU50)

ArtCox wrote:220V element @ 110V..

The PID Specifications:
It can be powered by 80-265V AC/DC
Display: Dual display for Fahrenheit(F) and Celsius(C)
Range: -1999 to 9999 (depends on the thermocouple)
Relay Output: Mechanical (3A) and SSR
Accuracy: 0.3%
Thermo Resistor: PT100, Cu50
Thermocouple Support: TC(K,J,S,E)/ RTD(Pt100,CU50)

Your controller will only handle 3 amps so you definitely want to use a relay.
Your element is a 220 or (230 volt if you read the fine print) at 25 amps.

Actually the element is: Water Heater Element 4500w, 240v

What gauge wire do you recommend? AWG 14, 10.. ??

You can run a 240 element on 120 . You will get one fourth the power. If it is a 4500 watt heater, you will have 1125 watts, or @ 9.375 amps.
Do you can run this on 14 or 12 gaga

I would use 12 gage on all

This is the PID I got... Actually I got 2 one for the Mash Tun and one for the RIMS. Anyone have a wiring diagram that I could use

Can it really be this simple?

I think you need it to look more like this. You will need to control the SSR with posts 5 and 6 with your controller. DO NOT USE 3 and 4. You will burn it up. 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12 are all output controls but 3 and 4 will switch the 120v to the SSR.