PID Controller from Frozone

[pt4u2nv]

All I can say is WOW.....what a difference. Just hooked up my PID controller from Frozone and it is fantastic. Takes a lot of issues away from trying to keep my Lee 20# pot at the right temp. Boolits have improved dramatically and it is going 10 times faster not having to try to wait for pot to heat up if it gets too cold and I miss it , or too hot if I am not paying attention. All automatic now..... Thanks for the great unit Frozone, top quality to boot. The warning lights at too high or too low temp get your attention real quick if things get out of the "zone". Again, Thanks Frozone.

[Doc Highwall]

Now add a temperature probe to your mould for when you pre heat it and feel like you are in the 21st century, I know I do.

[pt4u2nv]

Actually thought about that....good idea. Man am I savin' a bunch of $$$ rolling my own ...[smilie=1:

[hogstad7]

Can you upload some pictures of the PID?

[Frozone]

I'm working on a design that would include a digital thermometer in the same unit.
About $35 - $40 more if any are interested.

Darn it, I was going to shoot pix of the last unit I built.
I took a fall on the ice a couple weeks ago, hurt bad enough I couldn't sit at the bench very long so I was running behind on delivery and skipped the pix.
I also lost the pix had of the unit when we did the server change.

[snuffy]

Frozone will have some competition;

http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/bullet-casting/mag25furnace.php

What I can't figure out is how they can put a pid on that Lyman pot for LESS than what the old pots cost?

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/162692/lyman-mag-20-electric-furnace-110-volt

If I didn't already have a pid that I built, that would be a great deal.:coffee:

[GRUMPA]

I don't think Frozone will have competition at all, I clicked on that link and the retail on the Lyman melter is $310. Think I'll be happy with my Drip-O-Matic and his PID at a lot less than that.

[Springfield]

Everybody does it different but mostly we use the same components, so here is a pic of mine. It is for a 220v Magma pot, 110 will be a bit different. I can't believe how much having this has increased my peace of mind. Kinda like having a speedo on a motorcycle, you can mostly judge your speed but it is so much nicer to actually KNOW. As you can see it isn't all THAT complicated but unless you are good with electrical stuff buying one already made is much easier and saves a BUNCH of time, looking for and ordering all the components, wire, outlets andplugs and a decent box to hold it all.

[Frozone]

Frozone will have some competition;......

Not really, That unit will ONLY run that pot.
My unit will run multiple devices, just plug in which ever one you want.

Lets see:
3 LEE 20#, a lubsizer (lets say a heated star), and your meat smoker, and a heat treating oven and my control unit.
Under a $1000.

You're close to that with just 3 of the lymans.

[1bluehorse]

Now I like the looks and sound of that melter....anyone want to buy a barely used Pro Melt?? Probably less than 3 pots through it...:mrgreen:

[popper]

Doc Highwall - you can just drill a proper sized hole in the mould and use the PID temp probe to measure mould temp. I use it to adjust the temp of the hot plate. My melt is usually liquid by the time the mould is at temp so I move the probe, give a few minutes to settle out and cast.

[Doc Highwall]

popper, I am using Al's (NOE) temperature probe that he sells for the mould, a PID from Frozone for the pot, and a Lyman/RCBS thermometer for the hot plate.

[Frozone]

I'll give ya a hundred for it.
Or maybe you'd want to trade it for a PID ;-)


....anyone want to buy a barely used Pro Melt??

[largom]

Just ordered my PID from Frozone, it's a better deal.

Larry

[snuffy]

Everybody does it different but mostly we use the same components, so here is a pic of mine. It is for a 220v Magma pot, 110 will be a bit different. I can't believe how much having this has increased my peace of mind. Kinda like having a speedo on a motorcycle, you can mostly judge your speed but it is so much nicer to actually KNOW. As you can see it isn't all THAT complicated but unless you are good with electrical stuff buying one already made is much easier and saves a BUNCH of time, looking for and ordering all the components, wire, outlets andplugs and a decent box to hold it all.

I sure hope you don't spill any molten lead on all those exposed wires. Or is there a lid that goes on there somewhere? Ask me what happens when hot lead drips on the connector panel of a pid!?¿ Never mind,PHFFTT![smilie=b::eek:---New pid installed and COVERED![smilie=1:

[scarry scarney]

Ok, I'm new to the whole PID thing. Ive got one of Frozone's PID's and it's great. I got it with a TC for the Lead Pot, and then I got two other TC's (small threaded ones). So far, I have only been using the PID to control my lead pot.

So are you guys screwing the smaller TC's into a alum block that sits on a hot plate to bring your molds up to temp. Then unplug the the TC from the PID, and then plug the TC in the lead pot into the PID. Or how are you checking the Lead Pot temp and the Mold temp?

[OuchHot!]

I bought two PID and boxed them so one is tuned for the pot and one is tuned for the hotplate.

[tward]

Yea,got one of frozone's PID's last week. Wasn't casting and dying to try it out, so I turned on the heater (20 watt silicone pad) put the probe next to the main casting of the sizer and saw how long it took to get to 100. Great little device, and a very professional build! Tim

[leadman]

Just like Midway to have a higher price than suggested by the manufaucturer. It is usually the other way around. Magma also makes a pid but it kinda pricey.

the thermostat in my old RCBS pot at one time had a 10 degree range between on and off, then it increased to about 30 to 40 degrees. RCBS sent me a new thermostat but of a different manufacturer and it has about a 15 degree range. Seems to work just fine for me.
What is the on off range with freezone's pid?

[snuffy]

Frozone will have some competition;

http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/bullet-casting/mag25furnace.php

What I can't figure out is how they can put a pid on that Lyman pot for LESS than what the old pots cost?

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/162692/lyman-mag-20-electric-furnace-110-volt

If I didn't already have a pid that I built, that would be a great deal.:coffee:

I certainly didn't make this post to belittle Frozone's unit. Or in any way detract from it. Just sayin' the industry has "seen the light",, offered a better thermostat for a lead pot.

I'd be real interested to see how or where the TC senses lead temperature in the Lyman pot. I went with Horsemen's design over on the special projects forum. Drilled a hole in the bottom, then used the ¼ X 20 threaded TC to go through the pot metal to directly sense the lead.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?49410-Pid-temp-control-finished-!!!&highlight=PID


leadman

Just like Midway to have a higher price than suggested by the manufaucturer. It is usually the other way around. Magma also makes a pid but it kinda pricey.


???¿ The Midway price I linked to is for the presently made Lyman pot. The other linky was for the Lyman site announcement for the new PID controlled unit.

As Frozone points out, HIS unit can be used with/for other TC's to regulate hot plates, lubrisizers, or to sense mold temps. So can mine;

60225

Just be sure to use some of the wire from the TC, inside the cabinet to connect the female plug to the PID terminals. The wires are way too long anyway, and the connectors have to be cut off also. Frozone can comment on the why of this, in my very limited understanding is the resistance or impedance has to be the same all-the-way from the TC head to the PID.


Here's how I used a ¼ threaded TC to sense/control the temp of my Lyman 450 lubrisizer;

60226

I would hesitate to try to tap into the Lyman heater plate. I don't know just where the heater element runs in that plate, the drill might cut the wire!

[backroad]

I know very little about pid"s but don"t you have to recalibrate every time you switch uses.

[Frozone]

Yes, But all you have to do is go into the setting menu and record the P,I, and D settings for the device you are leaving.
After training to the new device, write down the P,I,D settings for it.

I mark the settings on the device.

Now, when you switch back, enter the settings by hand and you don't need to 'retrain' each time.
It takes about 30 seconds to switch between devices.

[Frozone]

...What is the on off range with freezone's pid?

I take it you meant Me.

On/Off range?
The Unit is programed for a control range between 0º - 1200º F by default, but that can be changed.
My warning light system is set for 10º F: 5º above and 5º below the set point - but that also is changeable and can be reduced to a 2º range.
The unit itself maintains temperature to +- 1º F as long as nothing major happens - like adding a few pound of cold lead to the pot ect.

[backroad]

I was not aware of that, thanks for making me smarter.I suppose i need one now have to save up.

[scarry scarney]

Frozone - You said to change the TC without having to have the PID relearn, enter the P,I,D manually. How can I find those settings for my PID?

Thanks

[Frozone]

I'm working on that, but I'm absolutely swamped right now.

I am trying put together a User Manual (with pictures) to explain all this.

Basically, go into the 'Primary Settings' menu (press and hold 'Set' for ~ 5 sec.),
Then press 'Set' to toggle through until you find the P,I, and D parameters and write down the values in the lower display.

To put em back in is the same steps except when you get to each parameter, you have to press 'AT' to enter 'Set' mode (leading zeros appear on the display)
Then enter your numbers and press 'set' to lock them in.

You then press 'set' again to go to the next parameter, repeat the steps.

[mbourbeau12]

I'm new to the world of casting. This past wkend I cast my very 1st boolits. Don't know why i waited 40 years to try it. But like most of you I have the Lee 4-20 and temp is very hard to maintain. So I will be following some of your leads and build my own controller. Now by no means am I an engineer, but I figure if I can fix the human body than I might be able to build one with your help. Can't wait for my PID, SSR, and TC to arrive in the mail, but in the mean time I will be scouring the curb sides and thrift stores for housing material. So far I have about $50 invested in this contraption thanks to Amazon.

[Springfield]

Yes, of course mine has a cover, just took it off, otherwise it would kinda hard to see how it was wired!

[scarry scarney]

One thing Lyman won't be able to do is offer the customer service that Frozone provides. Remember, he's one of us, and he treats you right, even when you induce the errors on one of his PID's. I know from first hand experience.