Temperature stability

[avrosmalen]

Hi there!

I can't find another way to contact you so hence this message.

I am new to this whole GutHub thing but I would like to help out on the Stoker firmware. Right now the temperature varies quite a bit. It looks like the blower is engaged when a certain temperature threshold is passed and shut down when an upper thershold is passed. When the blower is disengaged the temperature continues to rise for a while. After this the smokers gradually starts to cool but it takes a while for temperature to climb again after the blower is engaged. In other words the temp will vary which is is sort of contrary to the intended use. I think a better algorithm for controlling temperature can easily fix this.

The issue is discussed here: http://amazingribs.com/bbq_equipment_reviews_ratings/thermometers/rocks-bar-b-que-stoker

I would like to help out but it has been a while since I was programming. Solving this issue however has more to do with logic than the latest and greatest on programming but more on physics and math.

Could you share the code with me, especially the temperature controlling bit so I can think along and improve the Stoker?

Thanks

Anton

[kaytat]

Hi Anton,

I've been trying hard to share the code, but some of it is protected by
other parties and they have been unresponsive.

I can see if I can only release the control part.

FYI - it's a PID algorithm.

Thanks,
Ken

On 01/06/2015 04:27 PM, avrosmalen wrote:

Hi there!

I can't find another way to contact you so hence this message.

I am new to this whole GutHub thing but I would like to help out on
the Stoker firmware. Right now the temperature varies quite a bit. It
looks like the blower is engaged when a certain temperature threshold
is passed and shut down when an upper thershold is passed. When the
blower is disengaged the temperature continues to rise for a while.
After this the smokers gradually starts to cool but it takes a while
for temperature to climb again after the blower is engaged. In other
words the temp will vary which is is sort of contrary to the intended
use. I think a better algorithm for controlling temperature can easily
fix this.

The issue is discussed here:
http://amazingribs.com/bbq_equipment_reviews_ratings/thermometers/rocks-bar-b-que-stoker

I would like to help out but it has been a while since I was
programming. Solving this issue however has more to do with logic than
the latest and greatest on programming but more on physics and math.

Could you share the code with me, especially the temperature
controlling bit so I can think along and improve the Stoker?

Thanks

Anton

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#2.

[avrosmalen]

Thanks Ken,

I will look in to it!

Update: I cannot find code, am I looking in the right place or have you not been able to release this part of the code yet?

I was expecting a PID algorithm, because of the sort of response it looks like only the proportional gain is used. Is this correct?

Cheers

Anton

[BrunDog]

Hi, Hope you don't mind the contact... with Stoker OOB, is there any chance the Stoker code could be released, so we don't have dead units?

[kaytat]

Yeah, looking into it. It's based on the TINI OS source code from Maxim/Dallas Semi and I'm still exploring options regarding publishing my changes.

[RJ-Make]

Any progress on this @kaytat ?

Thanks for all your help

[BrunDog]

Likewise, I'd be interested in having access so we can keep our hardware working in the future.

[BrunDog]

Hi Ken,

Touching base on this again... in its current iteration, I can't connect my unit to WiFi due to security evolution of WiFi protocols.

If you can possibly provide the code, that would be great. If not, can you at least share what you know about the hardware (micro-controller, temp probe communications, etc.)?