Replace element

[Ben]

I have a bad heating element in my Lee Mag. Melter ( 20 lb. ladle cast pot ).

Yesterday my pot " went cold "........, I checked the voltage to the element with my voltmeter, it was 125 volts, but no heat, so......I guess I need to replace the element. I've had the pot about 5 yrs., so looks like if it gets repaired, I'll be doing it.

Anyone ever replaced one ? What is involved in the replacement ?

[kenjuudo]

Not that bad a job, done it on the ten and twenty pounder bottom pours. Sometimes fitting the sections of the pot housing makes you wish you had an extra hand. Good time to do a good cleaning.

You remove the cover plate with the thermostat for access to the element retaining nuts inside the case. And tha small hex screws holding the pot assembly together to exspose the guts. The pot is a tight fit in the coiled element.

Less than an hour's job including cleaning everything up. I keep spare elements on hand, they are reasonable.

[Ben]

Thanks,kenjuudo

It certainly doesn't look ( or sound like from your explanation ) like rocket science. I figure I can handle the replacement.

I'll give Lee a call and go ahead and order a pair of elements so I'll have a spare on hand for the future.

Thanks,

Ben

[Ben]

I decided that it was time to go into this one and see what was going on.

I think I found out why this one wouldn't heat up .

Lee will get a call on Monday, it looks like I'm in bad need of a heating element.
I can't complain , this one has heated lead for several hundred hours.

Ben

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Lee%2020%20pd%20Pot%20Bad%20Element/028800x600.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Lee%2020%20pd%20Pot%20Bad%20Element/025800x600.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Lee%2020%20pd%20Pot%20Bad%20Element/026800x600.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/Lee%2020%20pd%20Pot%20Bad%20Element/029800x600.jpg

[Ben]

I just got off the phone with Cathy at Lee Precision, very nice and very helpful.
The element is $9.00, I ordered 2 of them. I figure at that price it is a good idea to keep one as a spare on the wall " just in cast ".

Will keep you posted on how all this works out.

Ben