TC or Thermometer placement in pot?

I have a Lee 4 20, and put the complete upgrade kit on it from My2ndRight...really made it nice with the rest and mold guide. I am assuming the lid will help the temp get up faster but being a total novice I don't know any difference. My question is on placement of either a TC or Thermometer....it appears in my search results here that most like to have it about 1/2" from the bottom, would you say this is correct?

What about distance from the side? Seems like if it was flat against the pot that it would be in the way the least amount for fluxing and adding ingots to the pot but I don't read about anybody putting it right against the side. What is the ideal distance to mount this thing from the side of the pot? I'm going to rig something up and want to make it the best distance possible.

Thanks for all the help getting started guys. My PID will be finished tonight.

Keith

Can't tell you ideal distance from side . I use the same 1/2-3/4" from bottom and side ..
So far it has worked great for me..

Can tell you this I went thru about 3 TC's real fast till I hard mounted one .. haven't replaced one since ..

seems the moving it around bending wire even just a little tended to kill it .. First sign would be inconsistent temp readings

Good to know, I think I will be proactive and order a spare or two now. :) I'm a great example of Murphy's Law!

Perfect example why my "seat-o-the-pants" temperature measurement I use in my casting pots has worked for many MANY years! No T/C's, no wires, no runs, no drips, no errors!


banger

I would think 1/2" from the pot bottom or sides would give you an accurate temperature of the molten lead. Or at least it would be consistent so you could adjust temp. accordingly. A TC touching the pot would be hotter than the temp. of the metal.

I use a bracket from a Brownell's bluing thermometer. Clips over the side no prob, and angles the probe in at about 15 or so degrees. The hole in the bracket is a bit oversized, so you periodically have to pull the probe up a bit.

1/2" from the side and 1/2" from the bottom is good. I stole an idea from someone else and wrapped a piece of #12 wire around a Philips head screwdriver of the correct size for the TC, cut the end and put a U shape on the end and stuck it under one of the pots' screws. Has worked fine for 2 years now.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Yodogsandman

I stole an idea from someone else and wrapped a piece of #12 wire around a Philips head screwdriver of the correct size for the TC, cut the end and put a U shape on the end and stuck it under one of the pots' screws.

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I saw that one and will probably do that at least to start with.

Thanks to those who had suggestions. All are appreciated.

Mine sit 1/2" from both bottom and side. Read it someplace or another and haven't seen any good reason to change positions.

What he just said.

Something to consider is if the lead level goes below the TC your controller is going to flog the heat to the pot to make set point. I've seen this happen before and the little bit of lead left in the pot definitely reached dangerous temps. Still you cant have the TC touching the pot itself, so they only way around it is to just be mindful.

I drilled a hole and mounted mine in the bottom. Never again. 1) it leaked. 2) it didn't last long. As I said, I will never again bottom mount a tc in the bottom of a Lee pot.
YMMV

I took a wire coat hanger and just bent a holder out of it. Approx 1/2" from the side and 1" from the bottom. That's typically lower than I let the pot get anyways, I usually refill at the 1/2 way point and take a break.

I was instructed by the fellow who made my PID and sold me the thermocouple to mountit as close to the outlet nozzle as I could and that it should be 1/4" off the bottom of the pot. He didn't mention how close to the side, but I'd imagine 1/4" for that would be fine also.