Having problems with the gas pilot

Its designed with 2 burners.
The first burner is running at 1/4 lbs of gas pressure. It still has the original regulator attached to it when  I purchased the hose from ACE hardware. 

I also have an adjustable regulator in-line too, which allows me to regulate a smaller flame.
The second burner has one adjustable regulator. I believe the 5gal tank has 5lbs gas pressure from the get go.  I tend to regulate at 1lbs of gas on that burner. Which produces a nice strong flame. and give the heating power I need.

How I get the pilot for the 2nd burner was a gas Tee from the  smaller burner into the lager burner. When the PID turns the 2nd burner off, the small amount of gas from the Tee  keeps it burning at a small flame.
On the tee a have a manual value to help adjust the 2nd burner pilot flame. but the pressure back-feed s into the
first burner causing a lager flame on the first burner..

I may have to look into a one way value.

powerful antioxidants

Roasting coffee beans a dark brown creates powerful antioxidants

Friday, February 11, 2011 by: S. L. Baker, features writer

 http://www.naturalnews.com/031291_coffee_beans_antioxidants.html

Roasting with the PID

Since I have wried the PID into roaster, I have roasted twice, and just one small batch at a time.
Due to the fact that both gas lines had to be re-routed and modified, and I have been dealing with many leaky gas lines.
The reason for the new gas lines was because I needed to maintain a burning flame on the main burner.
When the PID pulses on and off as it nears the set point, the burner needs to be already lit.

During the first roast, I did have a flare up on the left side where the gas line enter for the main burner, only scorching some electrical wires, but I quickly turned off the main valves and power to the PID. After the flame went out, not wanting to ruin a batch of coffee, I quickly resumed roasting. The Roast was lite.

During the second roast, I located another leak, this one was because I had a 3/8 flare fitting attached to non-flare. This roast turned out better as I didn't need to have the gas pressure set to higher than normal.
But I  did notice that even though the PID turned off, the gas valve was not disengaging properly.
During preliminary  testing using a neon bulb, I notice current was still running through the bulb even when the PID s output was off.
I wonder it that small amount of juice could keep the valve turned on after the initial actuation.

Here are the main parts

MYPIN TA-4 SNR PID Temperature Controller, Dual alarm
Thermo-coupler RTD PT-100, 385
SSR-25 DA Solid State Relay N.C
1/2" 110-120 VAC Brass Electric Solenoid Valve Gas N.C

The PID operates at 110vac and the output is 4-20mA.

For now I'm using just 1 output, pins 3 and 4  wired directly to the SSR inputs.

The thermal coupler is a RTD from Watlow, so it's wired using connector pins 7 and 10 jumpered and 8 and 9 jumpered.
with the output wires from the thermal coupler going to pins 7 and 8.
On the controller I have selected the thermal coupler option PT .
I have also selected Fahrenheit(F), no other changes except for the set point.

Adding a PID to the roaster.

I have decided to add a PID to the roaster, Thus reducing temperature overshoot and in many cases under temps during roast times.

Here are a couple of pictures of the project so far.

PID controller stands for proportional–integral–derivative controller


In simple terms, here's an analogy :

Your driving on the freeway and you see the traffic slowing down ahead,  do you speed forward at normal speed until your there and braking is eminent less you plow into the car in front of you..

Or do you back your foot of the gas, and cruise up to the slowness slowly..until you match the changing traffic speed.

New bag of Columbian just in..

Last week we  received 3, 60 kilo bags of coffee.. Columbian, Brazil and Costa Rica.

The Brazil And Costa Rica are from the same farms as before and therefore I'm expecting them to  pretty close to what we had...

We have roasted from the new Brazil twice now, I thought it came in a little sweeter when roasted dark to x dark.

We haven't broke into the new Costa Rica bag, we still have around 20lbs left, Everyone seems to like it, just a good all around classic coffee.
Im counting on the new bag tobe as good or better...

The Columbian was from a new arrival just through customs and made its way to cafe Imports.
Paul noticed when we first order the single 60k bag, the importer had 300 bags in the warehouse, 2 weeks later they had 8.

We roasted 2 different Profiles, a medium and a dark. 
We deducted from cupping it that medium Roast had hint of carmal but not sweet.
The Dark Roast came in sweeter with hints of chocolate.. both profiles were clean and smooth. with a little profile tweeting,  we should have a nice coffee.

Chris out - :)

Coffee in stock!!

                                Get your Coffee from the little bean !!

Coffee in stock and ready to be roasted per order!!
We roast coffee every week so its always fresh.
                                          

                                 

We allways cup our coffee to assure the best and most flavorfull coffee around.
       When its fresh you'll know it just have a taste or look at the roast date.... :)