Gone PID Crazy

[RydForLyf]

After getting a PID that I use on my furnace and luber, I'd like to set it up to work on my propane smelter so I don't have to watch it so closely.

All I need to do is rig up a propane furnace valve to run off of the PID. With a pilot light set up I should be good to go.

Has anyone done this with good success? Anyone have any advice on where I can get a valve for less than what new ones go for?

Thanks,

Chuck

[Frozone]

You're in Atlanta, check some of the moonshiners in the hills.
They could be using the exact setup you want.

[RydForLyf]

You're in Atlanta, check some of the moonshiners in the hills.
They could be using the exact setup you want.

Paw,,,,, you got a PID on the still I can use?

No answer. Hmmm

[41 mag fan]

Paw,,,,, you got a PID on the still I can use?

No answer. Hmmm

Go to KY and ask that you might get the answer of a whiz of a boolit passing your ear!!

[starbits]

Here is a link to the beer site which has a pid controller propane burner.

beer (http://www.alenuts.com/Alenuts/brutus.html)

If you look at the third photo down what you are looking at is a PID controlled propane burner. Where the pipe comes out of the rail there is a "T". One side of the "T" goes through a ball valve to a yellow hose. Note the ball valve is only partway opened. This is for a pilot light and you adjust the pilot with the ball valve. The vertical "T" pipe goes through a fully opened ball valve and then through a PID controlled solenoid to the burner. So when you are at temperature only the pilot is lit. When the temp drops the PID opens the solenoid valve and the pilot lights the gas burner. Pot warms up PID closes the solenoid valve and the gas to the burner shuts off leaving just the pilot light on. Pretty nice setup I thought.

Starbits

[atom73]

Ive seen a thread somewhere here of a guy doing it on a melting pot he was fabricating. It was electrical though as opposed to propane. this is all way beyond my level, I just stand out in the barnyard with a turkey fryer and a dutch oven. I see where youre going though and good luck with your project. If it works out for you please post it here so we can learn from your efforts.
Mike

[RydForLyf]

Here is a link to the beer site which has a pid controller propane burner.

beer (http://www.alenuts.com/Alenuts/brutus.html)

If you look at the third photo down what you are looking at is a PID controlled propane burner. Where the pipe comes out of the rail there is a "T". One side of the "T" goes through a ball valve to a yellow hose. Note the ball valve is only partway opened. This is for a pilot light and you adjust the pilot with the ball valve. The vertical "T" pipe goes through a fully opened ball valve and then through a PID controlled solenoid to the burner. So when you are at temperature only the pilot is lit. When the temp drops the PID opens the solenoid valve and the pilot lights the gas burner. Pot warms up PID closes the solenoid valve and the gas to the burner shuts off leaving just the pilot light on. Pretty nice setup I thought.

Starbits

Thanks starbits. This is just what I needed to get going!

Chuck

[RydForLyf]

...so we can learn from your efforts.
Mike

... and/or mistakes. ;-)

Chuck

[40Super]

You would have to have a flame sensor also,just in case the pilot went out or didn't light the burner.You would end up with a pricey valve,I'm guessing $300 to $400,the price that many of our home heating furnaces use.
That does remind me that I do have several of those around here.I might be able to let one go if it's what you need.

[RydForLyf]

You would have to have a flame sensor also,just in case the pilot went out or didn't light the burner.You would end up with a pricey valve,I'm guessing $300 to $400,the price that many of our home heating furnaces use.
That does remind me that I do have several of those around here.I might be able to let one go if it's what you need.

If you've got one you'd like to donate to a R&D project, that would be great. Otherwise, here's one I'm looking at now.

ROBERTSHAW Gas Valve, Standard Opening, 70k BTU (http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/ROBERTSHAW-Gas-Valve-6KXC7) Robert Shaw actually has a model 710-402 which is 24VAC instead of the 750mv model shown here. For some reason Grainger does not list it though.

It has the tc for the pilot circuit. I'm thinking I'd probably just have a constant-on low flame to keep the circuit hot and use the PID to toggle the high flame on and off. This would eliminate having to figure out how to add a pilot burner to the turkey fryer.

Chuck