Who is here? 1 guest(s)
 Print Thread
New to everything
Monarda
Greetings from PA! I found this group after seeing a YouTube from ChicagoJohn. I am just, just starting home roasting after thinking about it for years. Total newbie and haven't played with electronics in years.

I hope I am starting simple- will use my Presto Pop Lite and I think a few very simple mods will help. First, I liked ChicagoJohn's funnel insert to change the angle of the bottom of the roasting cylinder. It appears to help with a more even roast. How do I 'talk' to ChicagoJohn directly to try to get some help on dimensions?

Second, I am hoping I can add a simple dimmer switch like I see in the YT video from ehulquist https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIgGQJPgJUA
Comments under the video identify the dimmer switch as 600W, available from Lowes. Is this a safe configuration? Please don't get too far into the weeds. I am hoping to keep this simple and it seems from videos I've watched that this popper can roast too fast and would benefit from a little heat control.

I have some rather nice toys in storage that I can pull apart and play with later- PID, PLC, relays... Right now, I just want to try roasting (and drinking) some coffee. I can play with electronics later.

I've tried searching the forums for this information on the simple dimmer switch and John's Pop Lite mods, but they don't bubble to the top of my search and you guys quickly get more advanced than I need to be right now. TIA!
 
8675309
I'm pretty new at this too, after messing around with a cookie sheet on the grill I bought an SR500 and have dialed it in.

I think if I were to give anyone advice it would be:
Make sure the heat rises continually during the roast with a sharper angle in the beginning (up to FC) then a lower angle ( but still rising!! never falling!! ) during FC and finally an increased angle at 2C. For me best results are 2C for about 5-7 seconds, nothing more... then cool the beans (under 100 degrees) within 4 minutes - bag it, seal it, enjoy a few hours later ( and beyond).
It's bad luck to be superstitious
 
JitterzZ

Quote

Monarda wrote:

Greetings from PA! I found this group after seeing a YouTube from ChicagoJohn. I am just, just starting home roasting after thinking about it for years. Total newbie and haven't played with electronics in years.

I hope I am starting simple- will use my Presto Pop Lite and I think a few very simple mods will help. First,

Quote

I liked ChicagoJohn's funnel insert to change the angle of the bottom of the roasting cylinder. It appears to help with a more even roast. How do I 'talk' to ChicagoJohn directly to try to get some help on dimensions?


Second, I am hoping I can add a simple dimmer switch like I see in the YT video from ehulquist https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIgGQJPgJUA
Comments under the video identify the dimmer switch as 600W, available from Lowes. Is this a safe configuration? Please don't get too far into the weeds. I am hoping to keep this simple and it seems from videos I've watched that this popper can roast too fast and would benefit from a little heat control.

I have some rather nice toys in storage that I can pull apart and play with later- PID, PLC, relays... Right now, I just want to try roasting (and drinking) some coffee. I can play with electronics later.

I've tried searching the forums for this information on the simple dimmer switch and John's Pop Lite mods, but they don't bubble to the top of my search and you guys quickly get more advanced than I need to be right now. TIA!
You might try his Google+ page https://plus.goog...5443740365
Or better yet https://forum.hom...ookup=4327 (must be logged in to access)

Sweet Maria's actually recommends against that type of popper that ChicagoJohn modded in that video
Give this a read https://legacy.sw...per-design
https://legacy.sw...r-method-2

I like this mod that he did https://youtu.be/...
Edited by JitterzZ on 01/25/2019 1:23 PM
 
Monarda
Thanks for the links, JitterzZ! I have seen that SweetMarias does not recommend poppers where the air comes in from the bottom vs from side slots, and I have also seen dozens of examples of people using them with no chaff ignition problems. Note that the commercial FreshRoast roasters are essentially PopLite design with these mods packaged nicely. I wondered how they addressed the bean mixing issue and when I came across ChicagoJohn's funnel insert I saw the solution.

As for the re-wiring, the link you provide is great, but that's a little more rewiring than I want to deal with at first- I can go to that later. My real question is, can I wire safely with the 600W lamp dimmer and run the wiring as shown here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIgGQJPgJUA

In this video, he isn't running the fan separately to the wall, he is only putting the dimmer between wall and heat on the shared supply. What I want to know is, will this create some sort of dangerous imbalance with the fan that will cause a fire? I've not seen any warnings to say this is a problem, but I thought I'd check with this group of smarter electronics nerds. Tx again!
 
renatoa
The dimmer ratting must be at least equal with the heater power, which is 1200W for most poppers.
So a 600W dimmer triac will burn if trying to control a popcorn heater. Maybe not instant, but very quick.
I recommend you using this serious dimmer instead:
https://www.ebay....1689098638
...up-down buttons are more appropriate than a pot, for reproducible roasts.
It works for 110V too, but 2000W only, which is enough.
 
Monarda
Great, thanks- is this pretty much the same only stating it is made for 110?

https://www.ebay....100623.m-1
Edited by JackH on 01/24/2019 3:07 PM
 
renatoa
Such dimmer limitation is not voltage, but current. All 220V dimmers are good for 110V too, without the need to specify this.
As current capability, all these units are using a 40A triac BTA41-600B, so they are good up to 4400W, even using 110V.
The digital control is a much valuable asset, than the illusory save of some 2-3$ if buying a pot version.
Using a pot is very difficult when the whole control range during a roast is less than 10% of the scale.
Edited by renatoa on 01/25/2019 1:57 AM
 
JitterzZ

Quote

Monarda wrote:

Thanks for the links, JitterzZ! I have seen that SweetMarias does not recommend poppers where the air comes in from the bottom vs from side slots, and I have also seen dozens of examples of people using them with no chaff ignition problems. Note that the commercial FreshRoast roasters are essentially PopLite design with these mods packaged nicely. I wondered how they addressed the bean mixing issue and when I came across ChicagoJohn's funnel insert I saw the solution.

As for the re-wiring, the link you provide is great, but that's a little more rewiring than I want to deal with at first- I can go to that later. My real question is, can I wire safely with the 600W lamp dimmer and run the wiring as shown here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIgGQJPgJUA

In this video, he isn't running the fan separately to the wall, he is only putting the dimmer between wall and heat on the shared supply. What I want to know is, will this create some sort of dangerous imbalance with the fan that will cause a fire? I've not seen any warnings to say this is a problem, but I thought I'd check with this group of smarter electronics nerds. Tx again!



welcome to forumwoohoo
 
snwcmpr
A dimmer and a 'Router Speed Control'.
As much as I hate to recommend HF for anything...
https://www.harbo...43060.html

Welcome to the forum.
--------------
Backwoods Roaster
"I wish I could taste as well as I wish I could roast."

As Abraham Lincoln said "Do not trust everything you read on the internet".
 
renatoa
Someone here use this box exactly for a popper...

https://www.instr...ntrol-Mod/

but seems it needs serious mods...
Edited by renatoa on 01/25/2019 3:38 PM
 
JitterzZ

Quote

snwcmpr wrote:

A dimmer and a 'Router Speed Control'.
As much as I hate to recommend HF for anything...
https://www.harbo...43060.html

Welcome to the forum.



Looks like Beaner is using TWO of these exact controllers on his build here https://forum.hom...post_40357
 
renatoa
Probably he want to run them absolutely cool, which is not a must, semiconductors are fine at temperatures where skin can't touch the heatsink, i.e. more than 55-60C.
Technically is not a wise decision, is hard to believe both triacs fire in the same microsecond... better use a single box and add a heatsink, as in instructables above.
 
Monarda
Thanks everybody! BTW, I noticed several mentions of using RTV- where are people finding food safe ('FDA approved') RTV in small quantities? I'm not seeing it in the bid box or hardware chains.
 
JitterzZ
Try this:Hi-Temp RED RTV High Temperature Silicone Sealant FDA Rated Food Contact Safe BBQ Grill Smoker HVAC Gasket 2.8 OZ https://goo.gl/z2...
 
Monarda
good!, thanks
 
JitterzZ
smoking
 
snwcmpr
Yes, easy to find Food Grade High Temp Silicone sealant.
BBQ grill
--------------
Backwoods Roaster
"I wish I could taste as well as I wish I could roast."

As Abraham Lincoln said "Do not trust everything you read on the internet".
 
JavaJoshua-BoquistBean
Hello! My name is Joshua, I am 23 years old, and I had a popcorn popper for the past two years until it broke. I have decided to make coffee roasting a bigger hobby and I signed up to this website in order to get help in making a Sivetz, or a FluidBed, roaster.
 
snwcmpr
Welcome Joshua.
--------------
Backwoods Roaster
"I wish I could taste as well as I wish I could roast."

As Abraham Lincoln said "Do not trust everything you read on the internet".
 
JitterzZ

Quote

JavaJoshua-BoquistBean wrote:

Hello! My name is Joshua, I am 23 years old, and I had a popcorn popper for the past two years until it broke. I have decided to make coffee roasting a bigger hobby and I signed up to this website in order to get help in making a Sivetz, or a FluidBed, roaster.


Fluid Bed builds/info https://forum.hom...rum_id=134
 
Jump to Forum: