Mash tun PID temperature controller UK: hold rests with a panel head

Mash tun PID temperature controller UK searches usually mean an all-grain brewer wants to hold 66 °C or 68 °C through a rest without babysitting a dial thermostat. A panel PID, external SSR, probe, and element form the common DIY pattern. This site sells the XMT7100 panel head at £108.25 inc. VAT — not a food-certified brew panel, not a turnkey HLT kit, and not a promise that wort contact parts are food-grade.

What mash tun builders actually search for

UK homebrew forums show the same parts list repeatedly: slim panel PID, Pt100 or K-type probe in the tun wall, 40A SSR on the element circuit, and auto-tune once the volume is filled. Buyers compare Rex kits against slim heads when the enclosure door is narrow. The job is heater control for a setpoint hold, not a sanitary design sign-off.

Typical parts pattern: head, probe, SSR, element

Published XMT7100 specs on this site list sensor inputs for K, E, J, N, Pt100, and Cu50, plus SSR pulse or 3A relay output. A mash build almost always wants SSR pulse into an external relay sized for the element. The SSR vs relay output guide explains why the internal 3A relay is not the element switch.

• Panel cutout published as 45 × 22 mm — measure your brew panel first.
• Probe type must match the menu selection on the controller.
• SSR, heatsink, and enclosure wiring are separate from the controller basket unless the live page bundles them.

Hold-rest workflow and auto-tune expectations

Practical workflow: fill tun, set SV near your rest target, run auto-tune once the liquid volume is stable, then watch PV settle. Auto-tune adjusts PID parameters; it does not certify overshoot-free performance or invent ±0.5% accuracy marketing. Log time, volume, and grain thickness when you tune — the same tun behaves differently half full.

No food-grade or overshoot-free promises

Brewers care about taste and repeatability. A PID controls heater power; it does not make a probe food-safe, certify stainless welds, or replace cleaning discipline. This article will not claim food-grade, food-contact, or “zero overshoot” language rejected in our editorial guardrails. If your club rules require documented sanitary design, that is a separate specification from buying a panel PID.

Controller-only versus full brew-panel kit

Shades-of-Coffee-style UK kits ship fascia, probe, SSR, and instructions for a named machine. This site's XMT7100 listing is the panel controller for builders who already know their panel size and wiring plan. Compare price and cutout in the XMT7100 UK buy guide before you assume parity with a bundled brew kit.

Review the XMT7100 detail page for the slim head

If you need a slim 45 × 22 mm panel PID for mash rests and you accept controller-only ordering, review sensor options and output type on the XMT7100 detail page. If you need a certified food panel or ramp/soak profiles, stop here and spec that job separately.

Is the XMT7100 food-grade for wort contact?

Food-grade status is not published for this controller listing. It switches heater power.

Pt100 or K-type for mash?

Both are listed sensor types on the product page. Match probe and menu setting.

Does buying the PID include SSR and probe?

Only if the live detail page names a kit. Default expectation is controller-only.