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PID tuning
The process of setting the P, I and D values in a PID controller to minimise temperature overshoot and settling time for a specific boiler.
Category: Boilers & Heating
The process of setting the proportional, integral, and derivative parameters of a PID controller so that it holds temperature stably without overshooting, undershooting, or oscillating.
Why it matters — A factory-tuned PID is usually fine, but ambient temperature, water hardness, and boiler condition shift the optimal parameters over time. Tuning brings the controller back into its sweet spot.
Good to know
- The auto-tune feature on most PIDs gets you 90% of the way there. Manual fine-tuning is for users chasing the last 10%.
- Symptoms of bad tuning: temperature swings of 3 °C+ during a shot, slow recovery after pulling, or constant element cycling at idle.