Author Topic: Hard wiring temperature probes to the Savannah Controller  (Read 15319 times)

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Offline PepperMike

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Hard wiring temperature probes to the Savannah Controller
« Reply #-1 on: May 14, 2013, 10:09:13 AM »
I have one each of the old & new style Savannah controllers. The old style was originally mounted to a ProSmoker 100SS (similar to FE100, but bigger). I now have the latest Savannah mounted on that smoker. When mounting it, I removed the 'K' type connector from the original probe and hard wired the probe to the back of the new controller. It appears to be working great.
I've mounted my old style controller to a Traeger Executive 125 and quickly found that the stock Traeger probe won't work with the Savannah. I own several 'K' type thermocouples, and they work fine plugged into the front of the unit, but  for a clean appearance, I prefer to hard wire the probe into the back of the controller.
 I'd like to avoid cutting the mini connector off the new Savannah probe, so I bought a standard male/female mini extension cable at Radio Shack & made a female pigtail to hard wire into the back of my controller. The screws on the back of the 'K' connector are hard to get to, so I followed the wires & connected the pigtail into the back of the controller block.
It seemed to work OK for a few minutes after cranking up the cooker, but then started to give me crazy temperature readings and flashing codes(?) on the display. I changed the wires, thinking the polarity was reversed, no help....Is the new style probe incompatible with the old Savannah, or have I done something wrong?
Any advice is appreciated.
« Last Edit: May 14, 2013, 03:31:45 PM by PepperMike »
ProSmoker 100SS
Traeger Executive 125
Green Mountain Jim Bowie
Old Reliable: GoodOne Model 60

Offline muebe

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I am sure Bill will be along soon to help you out. There are settings on the SS that will need to be changed to recognize the new thermocouple.

You will need to know the new style thermocouple type and millivolt rating. Then Bill can help you get the correct setting.

The traeger probe is a RTD and not a thermocouple. I believe the SS has a setting to work with a RTD also but I might be wrong.
Member #22
2 TBEs(1 natural gas & 1 LP gas)
OBS(Auberins dual probe PID, 900w finned element & convection fan mods)
2011 Memphis Select Pellet Smoker
Traeger PTG with PID
PBC
BBQ Grillware vertical smoker(oven thermostat installed & converted to natural gas)
Uuni 2 Wood Fired Pizza Oven

Offline PepperMike

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Re: Hard wiring temperature probes to the Savannah Controller
« Reply #1 on: May 14, 2013, 02:33:22 PM »
Actually, I'm trying to hard wire the new thermocouple (with mini connector) that came with the latest Savannah to my old style Savannah that was designed with a 'K' type connector. I hesitate to remove the old thermocouple since it's hardwired into the ProSmoker... I can change it out, it's just a little extra work. When plugging a couple other 'K' type thermocouples into the old unit for a test, I was getting (semi)accurate readings (+-5 degrees or so from ambient temp), then tried the pigtail/new thermocouple.
  I wondered if the female mini-connector and 'pigtail' I used to connect to the back of the Savannah changed something. I wanted to leave the male mini-connector on the new probe if possible.
« Last Edit: May 14, 2013, 03:34:06 PM by PepperMike »
ProSmoker 100SS
Traeger Executive 125
Green Mountain Jim Bowie
Old Reliable: GoodOne Model 60

Offline muebe

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Re: Hard wiring temperature probes to the Savannah Controller
« Reply #2 on: May 14, 2013, 05:21:31 PM »
I believe that if the thermocouple is wired backwards (reverse polarity) the temperature reading on the controller will actually go down when it gets hotter and up when colder. Is that what it is doing? Did you verify polarity is not reversed?

Sounds like the new SS uses a slightly different style thermocouple to me. If you know how to go into the settings on the controller you can see if both the old and new SS are set to the same number for the thermocouple being used. If they are the same number then it is the connection. If the numbers are different then you will need to adjust that setting in the old SS to match the setting in the new SS so the controller can properly take the reading from the thermocouple.

If you do not know how to do this then wait for Bill or Art to respond and assist you. This is their product and I don't want to step on any toes.
« Last Edit: May 14, 2013, 05:28:06 PM by muebe »
Member #22
2 TBEs(1 natural gas & 1 LP gas)
OBS(Auberins dual probe PID, 900w finned element & convection fan mods)
2011 Memphis Select Pellet Smoker
Traeger PTG with PID
PBC
BBQ Grillware vertical smoker(oven thermostat installed & converted to natural gas)
Uuni 2 Wood Fired Pizza Oven

Offline PepperMike

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Re: Hard wiring temperature probes to the Savannah Controller
« Reply #3 on: May 15, 2013, 08:44:32 AM »
I believe that if the thermocouple is wired backwards (reverse polarity) the temperature reading on the controller will actually go down when it gets hotter and up when colder. Is that what it is doing? Did you verify polarity is not reversed? I thought that might be the problem & reversed the wires with no luck. I'm wondering if the female connector pigtail has anything to do with the problem.

Sounds like the new SS uses a slightly different style thermocouple to me. The probe itself appears identical, but has a shielded cable and mini connector in lieu of 'K' type connection. If you know how to go into the settings on the controller you can see if both the old and new SS are set to the same number for the thermocouple being used. If they are the same number then it is the connection. If the numbers are different then you will need to adjust that setting in the old SS to match the setting in the new SS so the controller can properly take the reading from the thermocouple. I'll need some guidance to do that... although the old style thermocouple with 'K' connector does appear to work hard wired to the new style controller, I'm having a problem getting the new mini connector type probe to work with the old style Savannah.

« Last Edit: May 15, 2013, 08:57:44 AM by PepperMike »
ProSmoker 100SS
Traeger Executive 125
Green Mountain Jim Bowie
Old Reliable: GoodOne Model 60

Offline muebe

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Re: Hard wiring temperature probes to the Savannah Controller
« Reply #4 on: May 15, 2013, 09:08:04 AM »
Sending you a PM
Member #22
2 TBEs(1 natural gas & 1 LP gas)
OBS(Auberins dual probe PID, 900w finned element & convection fan mods)
2011 Memphis Select Pellet Smoker
Traeger PTG with PID
PBC
BBQ Grillware vertical smoker(oven thermostat installed & converted to natural gas)
Uuni 2 Wood Fired Pizza Oven

Offline Savannah Stoker Controller

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Re: Hard wiring temperature probes to the Savannah Controller
« Reply #5 on: May 15, 2013, 10:45:48 AM »
Not to go in great lengths of why, but your issue is with the extension you made. The sensor has to be hardwired to the back of the controller or connected to the connector on the front of the unit because of the location of the cold junction compensator inside of the controller. Also the Traeger RTD is not compatible with the SSii.
 
The temp sensor supplied with the SSii is the same one used with the original SS but with a 1/8" mono phone plug instead of the original yellow 2 blade connector. For the installed version, again we are using the same sensor, but has wire leads, and the spring is removed as it is not needed. It is supplied with an aluminum mounting bracket until we can have the sensor made to mount in the same manor as the Traeger RTD.  See Page #10 of the manual for installation instructions of the installed sensor. https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/10544659/Users%20Guide%204-04-13.pdf

You can:
1) send me your address (savannahstoker@suddenlink.net) and I'll send you a sensor with wire leads,
2) you can cut off the phone plug and hardwire to the back of the controller; RED to terminal #15, BLUE to terminal #16. If you do this option, I would suggest installing a short piece of Heat Shrink tubing on each of the wires braided fiberglass insulation as the braid will come unbraided and could short out the sensor.
3) You can remove the yellow connector on the original sensor and hardwire it to the back of the controller. In the future you can rewire the yellow connector if needed.
« Last Edit: May 15, 2013, 10:48:46 AM by Savannah Stoker Controller »

Offline PepperMike

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Re: Hard wiring temperature probes to the Savannah Controller
« Reply #6 on: May 15, 2013, 11:28:55 AM »

You can:
1) send me your address (savannahstoker@suddenlink.net) and I'll send you a sensor with wire leads,
2) you can cut off the phone plug and hardwire to the back of the controller; RED to terminal #15, BLUE to terminal #16. If you do this option, I would suggest installing a short piece of Heat Shrink tubing on each of the wires braided fiberglass insulation as the braid will come unbraided and could short out the sensor.
3) You can remove the yellow connector on the original sensor and hardwire it to the back of the controller. In the future you can rewire the yellow connector if needed.


       Thank you very much, email sent....
« Last Edit: May 15, 2013, 11:35:44 AM by PepperMike »
ProSmoker 100SS
Traeger Executive 125
Green Mountain Jim Bowie
Old Reliable: GoodOne Model 60