So, while I'm waiting for my La Pavoni PID video to upload to YouTube, I wanted to follow up on this thread a bit...

I ran the PID controller on the La Pavoni, using the Auber 100 amp SSR to control the 1000W heating element of the La Pavoni.

So in the real world, here's the results I have found thus far: the SSR runs colder than my ex-girlfriend. While the PID controller is maintaining the temperature, the heating element is only being switched on for about 500 milliseconds (i.e. 1/2 a second). Then it's switched off for 1.5 second (or more), depending on whether heat is required in the boiler. So the upshot of all this is that very little current is going heat is being generated at the SSR.

I'll double check when the La Pavoni is coming up to temperature, since this may place a larger demand on the SSR, but so far I don't see huge amounts of heat that would warrant some giant heatsink. If there SSR were on continually, pushing 10 amps all day long, then sure. However, in the PID configuration, it's on very briefly and then off about 75% or more of the time. This just doesn't produce much heat. In fact, the PID controller itself was actually operating at a higher temp. The PID controller was showing about 100 degrees F, while the SSR was more like 75 or 80 degrees.

Am I missing something?

I'll check the temperature next time I figure up the machine and see what sort of levels it reaches during the warm up mode (although, my plan is to use the "II" setting of the OEM switch to bypass the PID controller). This will allow the machine to "get up to temp" without involving the PID controller or the SSR. Then, once it's warmed up, I'll flip it down to the "I" setting, which will bring the PID controller and SSR into the mix. At that point, since the machine will be up to temperature, the PID controller will only have to maintain the target temperature, which should place very little demand on the heating element and thus SSR.

Anyway, that's the plan. I have to sit down and sort out the schematic in a minute here.

Ray

I added a ghetto heatsink to the SSR tonight - just to provide some additional cooling insurance

You can see it here, about 1/2 way down the thread

Ray