Hey, I'm hoping I can find a little support in fixing my issue with the Inkbird 106VH. The PID reads the pt100 inconsistently I have 3 of these PIDs and highly considering replacing them, the temperature varies about 2F +/- it's steady for a few seconds than jumps up and down. There is no issue with wiring or "noise" in the panel I've ensured good grounding and shielding of wires. the probe is fine as are the leads. I've tried 3 different leads I've tried another probe, and finally another PID. I had an omron e5cc kicking around which has no output but good for reading temp. The temperature read exactly how I would have hoped my Inkbirds had unfortunately they don't, I hoping there is something I may have missed or overlooked in my testing. I should probably mention to I've auto tuned the InkBirds in troubleshooting the issue.
Ink-Bird 106-VH with PT100 Temperature variation issue!
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augiedoggy
Well-Known Member
Do you mean the temp reading just fluctuates and jumps while sitting idle and the unit is not heating? because if your talking about fluctuations while its heating or maintaining temps that is pretty normal of any pid especially as the liquid of slightly varying temps moves around in the kettle across the temp probe...
To test I believe a good method is to try inserting the temp probe in a small glass of liquid and see it the reading still jumps around more than a degree or so which is honestly still normal.
To test I believe a good method is to try inserting the temp probe in a small glass of liquid and see it the reading still jumps around more than a degree or so which is honestly still normal.
That is indeed the issue and to my understanding and experience this is not normal. Water temperature does not change that rapidly. I have another pid I have tested it next to and it reads to a decimal place of accuracy while heated it is very steady and never bounces around.
augiedoggy
Well-Known Member
I believe this can depend on the filtering buffering that the pid uses for temp readout to make it seem more consistent (some pids have setting you can alter for this I believe since I remebebr the rex c100 clones having some sort of setting to help with this.) but unless the liquid has been sitting for a while and is completely still the temps can fluctuate as the liquid in contact with the temp probe moves over it. I agree it shouldnt jump around on a kettle thats stable temp and hasnt been heated recently with the element.
I dont really know what your testing situation is but the temps are not often steady for long while its heating the liqiud is all different temps at different areas in the kettle as this moves around and slowly keeps mixing the temp reading fluctuates... even when boiling I believe mine goes from 212 to 211 and back at times.. and Ive used 4 different brands of pids in my home brewery along with many different pt100 sensors.
Autotuning has nothing to do with how the pid reads the temp probe BTW that something that has to be done for the specifice amount of liquid and probe your using so the pid can learn and adjust to heat without overshooting more accurately.
The real question here is which is more accurate the pid that reads a steady temp or the one that fluctuates more rapidly? If the readout is being smoothed out to fluctuate less that certainly would be more appealing but does it really make any difference? and is it worth the extra $30 to $50 more that other pids can cost? or maybe in your case there something wrong with the pid not likely with all 3 though.
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