All TC probe HM?!?

[RobN]

Personally I feel the all TC HM is and will remain a rare request, as the main reason for the TC pit probe in the first place was to make the pit probe capable of handling higher temperatures and a the harsh environment in the pit, food probes don't experience those sort of extremes as meat never really gets above 200F by much, so standard probes work just fine in the food probe role.

As more people find unique uses for the HeaterMeter, I think you'll see more requests for an all thermocouple HeaterMeter. I've used the HeaterMeter for everything from barbecue to controlling a heater on my boat in the winter to monitoring/controlling wine fermentation temperature to... you get the idea. Every time I'm left wishing I had more thermocouples.

The idea, in theory, is fairly simple and straightforward: remove the food/pit probes, add an RJ-45 jack, create a new board with an RJ-45 jack and four thermocouple circuits, ???, profit.

Here's a quickly hacked together idea of what can be done to implement a headless HeaterMeter with an RJ45 connector to a separate thermocouple board:

 

[RalphTrimble]

That should work out well, you might change to say Probe1,2 etc rather than TC because you could wire any combo of standard or TC probes on the end of that cat5 cable. You could also use the probe header (or just wire to probe jacks) to install an "add on" CAT5 jack to an existing HM for this purpose.
For those who want 4 TC built into the HM, I think it's already been suggested, a shield board could be designed that attaches to the HM board (that has no probe jacks installed). I think clever design could come up with a board where you could choose to build out however many TC amps you want and put standard probes in the rest of the spots. I don't have a HMv4.3 yet so IDK about the fitment there, I know V4.2 has room to install a rather large board in the area of the probe jacks that could even extent the length of the LCD. Of coarse any of these mods would require you to hack or redesign the HM case.

 

[RobN]

That should work out well, you might change to say Probe1,2 etc rather than TC because you could wire any combo of standard or TC probes on the end of that cat5 cable. You could also use the probe header (or just wire to probe jacks) to install an "add on" CAT5 jack to an existing HM for this purpose.
For those who want 4 TC built into the HM, I think it's already been suggested, a shield board could be designed that attaches to the HM board (that has no probe jacks installed). I think clever design could come up with a board where you could choose to build out however many TC amps you want and put standard probes in the rest of the spots. I don't have a HMv4.3 yet so IDK about the fitment there, I know V4.2 has room to install a rather large board in the area of the probe jacks that could even extent the length of the LCD. Of coarse any of these mods would require you to hack or redesign the HM case.

Yeah, it could definitely be kept generic and other boards could be simply connected.

There's a couple of issues with this type design: cost and complexity. The TC board alone is over $20 for three. That doesn't include the cost for the quad TC circuits.

There's also the ugliness of having RJ-45 coming out of both sides of the HeaterMeter, but I don't think placing the RJ-45 near the high power components is a great idea.

And there is a component clearance issue, with the board as is; the RJ-45 is in the way of the RPI...which could be resolved by moving the RJ-45 next to the servo/blower RJ-45, but same issue as above.

 

[JohnW]

As more people find unique uses for the HeaterMeter, I think you'll see more requests for an all thermocouple HeaterMeter. I've used the HeaterMeter for everything from barbecue to controlling a heater on my boat in the winter to monitoring/controlling wine fermentation temperature to... you get the idea. Every time I'm left wishing I had more thermocouples.

The idea, in theory, is fairly simple and straightforward: remove the food/pit probes, add an RJ-45 jack, create a new board with an RJ-45 jack and four thermocouple circuits, ???, profit.

Here's a quickly hacked together idea of what can be done to implement a headless HeaterMeter with an RJ45 connector to a separate thermocouple board:

Right On! My sentiments exactly. Allow the end user to decide how he/she wants to configure the HM. Just like there is already the option to add or not add a RPi and which model RPi, and even to not add an LCD display or the buttons.

Just like RobN mentioned that he uses the HM for more than smoking, if the HM were to be more flexible then end users would find even more uses for it. Imagine just how popular the HM would over any other product.

 

[Steve_M]

Right On! My sentiments exactly. Allow the end user to decide how he/she wants to configure the HM. Just like there is already the option to add or not add a RPi and which model RPi, and even to not add an LCD display or the buttons.

Just like RobN mentioned that he uses the HM for more than smoking, if the HM were to be more flexible then end users would find even more uses for it. Imagine just how popular the HM would over any other product.

You do have the choice of how you want to configure the HM. All of the files are freely available for you to make your own super customized model that fits the exact spec you're looking for. Just design it up, send it out to fabrication and and away you go.

It's a temperature monitor and controller. It can only be so flexible and if you have a browse on the forum, there's plenty of examples of people using it for a variety of applications from bbqs, ovens, sous vide, heaters, etc.

 

[JohnW]

I completely agree with you Steve_M As suggested (by you and others), I have been doing lots of reading here (and other forums and the interwebs). You see, I am a noob in the area of micro-controllers like Atmega328 (I'm much more comfortable with linux and thusly the RPi) so it's been a bit of a learning curve the past month and I'm super excited about this platform. And yes I have found many people using temp monitors in various ways (like a kiln), and as well many people rebuilding the HM into other forms to fit their needs. Please understand I am not nearly as skilled as many folks on this forum with board design and understanding of electronics, so I'm just trying to get my suggestion in for the HM and discussed on this forum and if popular enough (which I see has been previously discussed prior to me) potentially influence the next HM design, that's all. If all this does not come to fruition, it won't stop me from building my own custom unit, which I'm already working on. (Beware, mad scientist at work, global thermonuclear war...shall we play a game)

@RalphTrimble, I read your other post on this subject....

 

[Steve_M]

I'm a long time unix/linux guy as well and love the RasPi. I'm pretty sure I have every single model they've made so far. The downside to the RasPi is its GPIO pins are digital only, and we still live in mostly analog world. There's no shortage of available devices/modules that can bridge the analog to digital gap, but there will always be pros and cons with each solution.

The Arduino platform is often used for these types of projects because they've typically got at least 6 analog pins, eliminating the need for an external ADC. The downside to the Arduino platform is its overall performance levels and the lack of IP connectivity.

And so the great battle of choosing the correct MPU ( RasPi and similar boards ) and MCU ( Arduino and similar boards ) continues!

 

[Benjamin Thibault]

I know I've had interest in an all TC HeaterMeter for a while now. The 1 TC that I purchased at the start for the pit is still going strong, despite being left out in the rain and winter and everything ALL THE TIME. I've had a few of the ThermoWorks food probes die on me, and no longer read at all, or read completely incorrectly. Some were left out, some were cared for pretty good. I'd be interested in it purely for that aspect alone. They sell thin tipped TC probes as well (http://www.thermoworks.com/THS-113-177?tw=VWB&chan=TVWBB). Yes, this is a significant investment upfront over the thermistor style probes. But, knowing that they aren't going to die randomly because they got wet or whatever might be worth it to some people (like me).

I don't currently have the time or resources to do this, but over the summer I may do it or if some one finishes a good one, I may follow suit.