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Espresso: Espresso Mods and Restorations
Gaggia Classic SBDU Preheat PID Temperature Recovery and Stability, Steam

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brianl
Senior Member

Joined: 1 Dec 2012
Posts: 152
Location: Chicago IL
Expertise: I love coffee

Espresso: Gaggia Classic (w/PID)
Grinder: Baratza Vario
Drip: chemex

Posted Mon Feb 25, 2013, 9:06pm
Subject: Re: Gaggia SBDU Preheat PID Temperature Recovery and Stability, Steam

D4F Said:

The meter is probably ok. I can't confirm continuity testing on it?? This one has it.

Click Here (www.amazon.com)

Diodes look fine. Yes, band is SSR side, not PID side.

I am not sure why you might solder one end of the diode and not the other??? If there is a good crimp it should work on both ends.

Posted February 25, 2013 link

Are you talking about crimping the three diode into one connector directly (for the SSR+). Then on the other side of each diode put another crimp to a fork/ring to connect to the wires via a female spade?

My plan was to solder to the wire for each diode (covered with a heat shrink) and then on the other end crimp all three diodes to a fork connector to go into the SSR+.

Do you feel that a Multimeter is necessary for this project? What steps along the way will it be used (besides double checking the diodes)?

D4F
Senior Member

Joined: 15 Mar 2012
Posts: 1,200
Location: USA
Expertise: I like coffee

Espresso: Gaggia Classic PID
Grinder: Preciso

Posted Mon Feb 25, 2013, 9:23pm Subject: Re: PID Controller supplies and How To Install PID on Gaggia

My bias, but a meter is very helpful/necessary. I use it to confirm connections, such each wire I make up. You measure twice(10 times) and cut once and I confirm all connections with continuity and measure voltage output before connecting up inside the machine. Better to confirm that each connection is working than have a failure and then try to find which connection. I also used it to confirm which place to make connections even when using the Auber install. OEM wires seem to change places and colors at times so I confirm at the switch which is the live and which is the switched wire. In the photo previously shown, included below, is a typical connection. The single male spade lower end could be the ring connector with 3 instead of 2 wires and the diode bands toward the ring or SSR end. There is the small awg wire on each side of the diode for flex. You will have a relative long wire coming to the non-band side and then you need flex to and wire length to clear the SSR, so short small awg to the ring connector SSR side. Connections may be crimp or solder. (Click for larger image)

D4F
Senior Member

Joined: 15 Mar 2012
Posts: 1,200
Location: USA
Expertise: I like coffee

Espresso: Gaggia Classic PID
Grinder: Preciso

Posted Tue Feb 26, 2013, 1:43pm Subject: Re: PID Controller supplies and How To Install PID on Gaggia

Next up for the Gaggia PID install is checking the PID controller. Leave the RTD controller coiled as it came and install the wires to the PID controller, and the jumper. Refer to the PID diagram. You will need power to the controller. This is most easily done by using an extension cord and attaching short small awg leads to it. If you have a very small cord you might be able to put the wires of the cord directly in the terminals. The controller can be plugged into the wall. With no sensor/thermocouple you get EEEE error, but if hooked up correctly, you will confirm the RTD is working and that you know the beginning of what you are doing. You will see room temperature when working correctly. Do not grab the back of the PID controller as there are two small but live 110V leads to the controller terminals. You will get to enter the code and set the sensor type. Might as well get used to setting the sensor before you install every thing. Are we having fun yet :)

brianl
Senior Member

Joined: 1 Dec 2012
Posts: 152
Location: Chicago IL
Expertise: I love coffee

Espresso: Gaggia Classic (w/PID)
Grinder: Baratza Vario
Drip: chemex

Posted Tue Feb 26, 2013, 2:13pm Subject: Re: PID Controller supplies and How To Install PID on Gaggia

I am not sure I know what you mean when you say to attach a small wire lead to the extension cord. Just stripping the wire and adding a terminal to connect to another wire? Then attach the other wire to the pid? And this can be bypassed with a small cord that can be stripped and attached to pid? The pid doesn't get power from the espresso machine?

D4F
Senior Member

Joined: 15 Mar 2012
Posts: 1,200
Location: USA
Expertise: I like coffee

Espresso: Gaggia Classic PID
Grinder: Preciso

Posted Tue Feb 26, 2013, 3:59pm
Subject: Re: PID Controller supplies and How To Install PID on Gaggia

D4F Said:

Next up for the Gaggia PID install is checking the PID controller. Leave the RTD controller coiled as it came and install the wires to the PID controller, and the jumper. Refer to the PID diagram. You will need power to the controller. This is most easily done by using an extension cord and attaching short small awg leads to it.

Posted February 26, 2013 link

Key phrases, "checking the controller and most easily done" and I should have added, "for me." Actually I was checking the controller and my ability to use it, to understand the instructions. So, I made a test cord. I used it with bare ends to hook to the controller. The wire in my extension was a bit large, but I had an old cut off extension from something. You could accomplish the same with hooking up to the machine with just the PID controller and the RTD to the PID, or you could just put it together.

I used this to go through the controller and set temperatures and the sensor type and made sure that I understood what I was doing in the controller programs. Yes, power from the machine in real use. If no handy extension, hook up to the machine as per the Auber instructions and switch instructions to follow here. I still would check yourself and the RTD before install the RTD by going through the controller instructions.

If no extension, you could start by making a pare of say 3' leads that could be shortened to desired length for the actual install. Those would be extra long Auber power leads. After checking everything out, then shut of power and clip the leads to length, or, just put it all together. You get the bentfit of Auber instructions and this thread, but you still have to set up the controller. By doing it this way, you are not hooked up to SSR, or any output. You do not have to worry about powering up the SSR or machine/boiler.

(Click for larger image)

brianl
Senior Member

Joined: 1 Dec 2012
Posts: 152
Location: Chicago IL
Expertise: I love coffee

Espresso: Gaggia Classic (w/PID)
Grinder: Baratza Vario
Drip: chemex

Posted Tue Feb 26, 2013, 4:43pm Subject: Re: PID Controller supplies and How To Install PID on Gaggia

okay. Sorry, I didn't note that. So the primary purpose is to: 1) Connect the RTD Sensor to the PID (with jumper cable). 2) power up the PID. One piggyback goes from the PID to the on/off switch and the other piggyback goes from the PID to the back plug? The three wires (4 counting the OEM) for the full install is only for the back plug, correct? The one on the on/off switch will always just be just the PID wire and the OEM, right? 3) Enter a sensory code and ensure that temperature is approximately room temperature? Are there any other essential things to do now before full assembly?

D4F
Senior Member

Joined: 15 Mar 2012
Posts: 1,200
Location: USA
Expertise: I like coffee

Espresso: Gaggia Classic PID
Grinder: Preciso

Posted Tue Feb 26, 2013, 5:01pm Subject: Re: PID Controller supplies and How To Install PID on Gaggia

I will do each switch separately so don't worry about switch hook-up. But yes, one piggyback to the on-off switch. Back plug will have OEM and 3 wires, one each for PID controller and one for each charger/power supply. Yes, you are checking the PID controller, RTD, and yourself. Keep the RTD wires coiled as this helps with install, and IIRC the Auber instructions will cover that. I actually found that the difficult part was getting the OEM spades off of the Tstat, getting my hand down to get it out, and then installing the RTD without breaking off the wires, I believe 30 awg. I found the electronics easy. One final instruction to start early before the process. Ween youself from caffeine so that when the whole thing blows up and you can't get espresso, you don't get a headache :) We may not understand each others humor, so be sure no offense meant.

D4F
Senior Member

Joined: 15 Mar 2012
Posts: 1,200
Location: USA
Expertise: I like coffee

Espresso: Gaggia Classic PID
Grinder: Preciso

Posted Wed Feb 27, 2013, 11:14am Subject: Re: PID Controller supplies and How To Install PID on Gaggia

Next up for the Gaggia PID install, the front switches. The switch block is obviously 3 switches, on and off, steam, and brew. First, the on and off switch will be tapped to get switched power to the PID controller. My vintage has grey and blue wires at the back incoming plug. The grey is hot to the front switches, and would be always on, so not a help. The blue at the back will be the back tapped lead. The grey lead is hot to the switch and is used to switch the white wire on and off. Remove the switched wire, white for me, and piggyback there with the lead to power the PID controller. Grey is the top lead on the switch and white under it middle lead on the switch. If you have different colors or vintage, use a DMM and find the hot lead and the switched lead. You can remove the plug to the machine, and remove the supposed switched wire and confirm continuity and loss of continuity switching back and forth. You could also do a test "hot" by removing the supposed switched lead and confirming 110v with the switch, and then off. If you are going to be comofrtable wiring, you should be comfortable checking, or do not proceed. Or ask for help. Yes, you may have to remove the top grey lead to get to the white middle lead. Yes, to get room, you may have to squeeze the side switch clips and pull the switch block forward. You can leave the unaffected leads attached and make some room between the switches and the top of the boiler. Also assumed that if you are doing this, that you have figured out that the RTD, or you choice thermocouple will have to be installed. If you missed the humor in the last post about getting decaffeinated here is the install thread I thought about, the very reason that I like to test before installing. It made me think of caffeine withdrawal headache. http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055389457

brianl
Senior Member

Joined: 1 Dec 2012
Posts: 152
Location: Chicago IL
Expertise: I love coffee

Espresso: Gaggia Classic (w/PID)
Grinder: Baratza Vario
Drip: chemex

Posted Wed Feb 27, 2013, 11:51am Subject: Re: PID Controller supplies and How To Install PID on Gaggia

i am all for testing before install. I just need to figure out how to use the DMM, once it arrives. Checking for continuity seems easy enough but any other moves I should learn? Like when checking for 110V what mode is it and how to find hot leads? Also when checking continuity, where to touch with the two DMM probes? Small things that seem like common sense but until I understand it may be things i miss. The DMM should be here today, so maybe some easy tests i can do before taking it into the machine.

D4F
Senior Member

Joined: 15 Mar 2012
Posts: 1,200
Location: USA
Expertise: I like coffee

Espresso: Gaggia Classic PID
Grinder: Preciso

Posted Wed Feb 27, 2013, 12:07pm Subject: Re: PID Controller supplies and How To Install PID on Gaggia

DMM use becomes obvious when held in your hand. The better ones, more expensive, have auto switch to voltage ranges, not auto function. You can select function, AC, DC, continuity, resistance, and probably diode test. You will also need to select a voltage range and that is simple AC with 110v in the range and DC will have probably 2, 20, 200 ... We are in the 20 range. The meter does not register if too far out of range and in theory you could ruin the meter, but most are "overload" protected. I touch and if no response remove the contact and check the range. You can get used to the meter by testing an AC outlet and seeing that you understand the setting and selection. Continuity will beep when you touch the probes together. After I make a wire lead, I touch each ent to complete the circuit and make sure I have good contact. I then pull on the connection and test again. A bad solder or crimp joint may pull apart. I am not sure what you are using for DC output, but often you can test there by selecting DC 20V and touching the output. I do not worry about positive or negative much as the meter just reads in reverse, or negative DC voltage. I actually use a meter around the house. If something is not working, then I test the outlet for AC and lines for continuity and try to find the fault. I also let the meter check for power before I touch a line. Handy tool.

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