Toaster oven wiring question

[asmith80]

I'm looking at using my PID to control my toaster oven for coating cure. Ideally I'd like to be able to do it so the PID controls the heating elements and the convection fan is rewired to stay on all the time, but I'm having a hard time coming up with a solution that doesn't involve wiring the fan directly to a second power cord.

If you've done this to your toaster oven, what was your solution?

[303Guy]

That should not be difficult to achieve. I'm thinking of doing the same thing. Have you tried googling toaster oven wiring diagrams? I haven't - yet.

Ok, I've had a look and there is quite a variety out there.

[Neverhome]

I don’t know what your guts would look like but seems to me you could run wall power to a master switch. Then have two leads leaving that switch. One goes to fan which would always be on when master is on. The other lead goes to the pid which the powers the elements.

Definitely wouldn’t hurt to do as 303 says and find a wiring diagram. But I’d personally be tempted to just make my own from cracking it open. Again, I have NO idea what your guts look like!

[36Power]

I'm looking at using my PID to control my toaster oven for coating cure. Ideally I'd like to be able to do it so the PID controls the heating elements and the convection fan is rewired to stay on all the time, but I'm having a hard time coming up with a solution that doesn't involve wiring the fan directly to a second power cord.

If you've done this to your toaster oven, what was your solution?

Never done it, but...If the fan is 110v then just tap the incoming oven power to a separate switch and wire your fan directly to the switch. Mount switch wherever...Now all ya gotta do is remember to turn the fan off when you're done.

[popper]

I left the wiring normal for the oven and disconnected the heater rods - connected via extension to the PID. Everything in the oven as normal but the heat.

[asmith80]

I did look up a wiring diagram but I didn't get any bright ideas from it.

Popper, are you using a stand alone PID box or a PID wired directly to the oven?

I've got a PID box for my lead pot, and I'd like to just be able to use that on the oven as well

[mattw]

asmith80, that is exactly what I do. The PID box I built has standard a/c output plugs and a thermocouple probe jack... The wiring in them looks kinda hairy, but it is not bad. The elements are likely connected in parallel and a sub set of them may be on a different circuit so the unit can run with a top or bottom cook mode only. I ran a separate power cord for the elements out to the PID and leave the units main control set to convection to run the fan. It does require 2 power cables if you go this route. It just worked for me... It would be cleaner to mount the PID on the front panel and replace one of the knobs, but the inside gets very hot and it would not be good on the pid.

[asmith80]

OK, that makes sense. I was wracking my brain to figure out I could make everything work with only one power cord but it makes sense to use two. 36power's idea of wiring the fan to a switch sounds good, so I can be sure the fan is on when I want it

[popper]

I use 2 power cords for the oven. PID is normally for pot. Stick the probe in the side of the oven. Timer and everything in the oven works like normal except heating elements connect directly to cord for pid. PID actually has extension cord socket to connect pot or oven. I'm cheap, cut the extension cord in ~half, plug powers PID and receptical part runs the pot.

[10x]

I left the wiring normal for the oven and disconnected the heater rods - connected via extension to the PID. Everything in the oven as normal but the heat.

This would be the way to do it.
I got lucky and found a digital Quisinart toaster oven for $3 at a thrift store.
Before that I used a regular $3 toaster oven with a PID controlling the temperature.
The Thermocouple should measure the temperature just above the tray the bullets are on.
The tray can heat up from the bottom element and melt the base of the bullets while the Thermocouple only reads the air temperature above the bullets.

[ChuckO]

Run two wires from the oven's thermostat to the output terminals on the SSR in the PID controller. Wired up that way the PID can control the oven if you set the oven thermostat to it's coldest setting. Leave the PID off and the oven's thermostat will operate as normal. The oven's timer will also properly function.

Caution, these two wires will be have power when the oven is turned on, regardless of the operation of the PID controller.

[dave 45-90]

2 cords. 1 fan 1 PID Panel is for lead pot and oven

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[Conditor22]

Run 1 wire from the hot side of on/off switch that powers the PID to the oven for the fan and the other to the PID controler.

if the oven fan is not 110V then you need to put a transformer in line.