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Muddydogs
03-06-2013, 11:27 AM
I currently have a NOE thermometer that I put in my Lee 20 pound pot. I don't have any trouble controling the pot temp so I don't think I want a PID controler just yet. My trouble is once I use 1/4 of the pot the thermometer starts showing a slow decrease in pot temp and by the time the pot is 1/2 empty the thermometer is reading 500 to 600 degrees instead of the 700 degrees it read when the pot was full. I figure that the area on the thermometer that reads the temp must be out of the lead and not able to give me the correct temp. I know my lead wasn't to far away from the 700 temp as I maintained my mold temp and continued to cast good bullets. I usually keep some lead melting on the side and keep the pot at least 3/4 full but last night I decided to run the pot out of lead as I am done casting for a bit and wanted to see how much crud was in the bottom of the pot.

Is there a better thermometer that will give me a reading on the temp at the bottom of the pot?

John Boy
03-06-2013, 12:00 PM
Is there a better thermometer that will give me a reading on the temp at the bottom of the pot?
No, the Tel-Tru thermometer that NOE sells is the best on the market only he sells it for 6 bucks more than one can buy it from the factory.

Anyway, the thermometer has a bi-metal stem. Look and you will see a strip of metal near the bottom of the stem. If the bi-metal strip is not kept in the melt - the temperature will vary

Muddydogs
03-06-2013, 12:45 PM
Then why does the thermometer start dropping off once the top 1/4 to 1/2 of the stem is exposed? The bottom of the stem is about 1/4 inch off the bottom of my pot.