making a grill/temp/blower controller

[rkhanso]

Hey there. Now that warm weather should be here in Minnesnowta in another 4+ months, I got to thinking about grilling/bar-b-q

Have you seen the grill/temp controllers that have temp probes for the grill and the meat, with a blower connected that controls temps when cooking? They sell for $300+

With all the ingenuity around here, I was wondering if the really smart guys think this may doable. Not that I have any programming knowledge, but would it be really hard to make something like THIS or THIS.

[budude]

That would be great!- I've got a Bradley 4-shelf smoker but I got the cheaper version with the manual thermostat - I'd love to have a digital controller instead.

I recall seeing a post somewhere where this guy created a controller that not only controlled the temp but it periodically twittered him on the current temp like the one you pointed to but it was DIY. I'll have to find that again...

[omzig]

Check this out:
http://tvwbb.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a...3/m/5980036295

[Brad Riley]

Originally Posted by omzig

Check this out:
http://tvwbb.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a...3/m/5980036295

That looks like a fun week-end project. Thanks for posting.

[rkhanso]

Originally Posted by omzig

Check this out:
http://tvwbb.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a...3/m/5980036295

I saw that schematic too - but it's not a digital, programmable type of temperature controller. I don't know the correct terms....maybe feedback loop? Definitely an analog thing.

I wonder if the SMD toaster-oven type controller could be (fairly) easily converted to a grill controller? Or, one of the digital, programmable home thermostats? A home thermostat won't go up to 250 degrees like a smoker would need, but maybe a multiplier-type effect would work....say, the thermostat temp X 4.5 gives you the grill temp? My home thermostat goes from 45-90.
45 * 4.5 = 202
55 * 4.5 = 248
65 * 4.5 = 292
75 * 4.5 = 337
90 * 4.5 = 405

TOASTER OVEN
DIYCHRISTMAS thread about smd soldering and modified toaster oven

I like the digital idea - programmable, can chart temp over time, etc. I wonder if using rrd would work for making temperature charts.

[rkhanso]

Has anyone tried Great Cow Graphic BASIC to program a PIC? Since I know nothing about programming, especially C or assembly, I was wondering if BASIC would be the way to go, and even if this free graphical program would be better/easier yet. It looks pretty cool, but will it work, and work for me?

I'm trying to figure out how to start this project, if a PIC (and which one) would be the best choice, or I've heard that a BASIC Stamp (Parallax) or other microprocessor would be a better choice.

[Matt_Edwards]

http://hruska.us/tempmon/old-index.html


Or this one is cheaper and smaller

[Matt_Edwards]

Originally Posted by rkhanso

Has anyone tried Great Cow Graphic BASIC to program a PIC? Since I know nothing about programming, especially C or assembly, I was wondering if BASIC would be the way to go, and even if this free graphical program would be better/easier yet. It looks pretty cool, but will it work, and work for me?

I'm trying to figure out how to start this project, if a PIC (and which one) would be the best choice, or I've heard that a BASIC Stamp (Parallax) or other microprocessor would be a better choice.

have a look at BASCOM for AVRs it is free to chips upto 2k memory.