PID - not that expensive and quite useful

[RobS]

I've been known to not like change........you know if it isn't broke don't fix it however after my Dad started using a PID and telling me how nice it was he pulled me to the dark side. I had seen a few PID builders on the forum making units and I figured I could put one together myself.

I ordered a MyPin TA4-SNR controller, SSR 25amp relay with a heat sink and a type K 4" length thermocoupler probe from ebay. As to the housing unit I simply used a burnt out computer power supply unit that I received for free from my work's IT department (these computer guys were more than happy to give it to me). Since the power supply's on/off switch and fuse were good I used them in the simple wiring of the unit. None the less with all the odds and ends I put this one together for around $60-$65 and it is really nice. I use it for my melting pot and for my convection toaster oven since I heat treat/anneal boolits. Both the pot and the oven have their own "learned" PID settings but changing those is really easy and only takes about a minute to do.



My Dad made the lid that sits on top of the pot which keeps oxidation down but the lid also gives me a way to set up the probe dead center while keeping it about 3/8" off the bottom of the pot.

And a picture of it mounted through the top of my convection toaster oven:



The PID controller keeps the pot within a degree or less once up and going and keeps the oven typically at .1 - .3 degrees. Very stable temperatures and it is very nice knowing exactly what's happening. I've cast some really good boolits since adding this to my hobby and to be honest I'm liking the results.

[Walter Laich]

I enjoy my PID also. Use it just to keep lead temp constant. Might assemble another to use in powder coating bullets--keep the oven at a stable temp.

[RobS]

Yep, that would be another good use of a PID for oven work with powder coating boolits. This hobby is endless!!!

[sidecarmike]

Do you have a schematic I could use to build one of these?

[zuke]

Can you build me one of those?

[RobS]

Do you have a schematic I could use to build one of these?

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...my-PID-and-SSR
or
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...ol-temperature
Pretty much right there in those threads however you don't have to have a terminal or junction strip. Also I would follow the diagram on the PID itself. The Mypin PID I had and the directions were not the same with positive and negative terminals actually being switched etc.

[RobS]

Can you build me one of those?

I would like to have time to just go shooting but no time for that right now with work. Diving head first in may seem difficult but really it's not terribly difficult at all if you have some tools and are willing to explore and research a bit.

There was another good diagram that I found on the web but I can't seem to find it right now but will continue to look. If you need help there is a wealth of people here and I can also help too.

[sidecarmike]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...my-PID-and-SSR
or
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...ol-temperature
Pretty much right there in those threads however you don't have to have a terminal or junction strip. ....

Thanks. Interesting, I did a search and came up with a dozen pages but the only schematic I found was this one. My old eyes couldn't read it.

[RobS]

Here is one that's a bit larger, however the thermal coupler probe that is connected to terminals 7,8,9,& 10 would be different for a type K if using a Mypin TA4-SNR. The probe would be hooked to just terminal 7 & 8 for a type K thermal coupler.

[RobS]

I did ground my green ground wires to the box and also wired up the on/off switch & fuse before running wires into the rest of the unit. Again looking at the actual PID wiring diagram on the PID controller that you may be using and it should provide you with the needed directions however the general schematics are pretty much as they are in the above examples.

[leadmonkey]

[RobS]

Perfect leadmonkey thanks for contributing. Also this may seem obvious for most but maybe not; the 110 volt cord or 110 sockets going in and coming out of the unit are as such:
1. the longer slot on the male & female 110 VAC sockets are the neutral wire (white),
2. the smaller slot is the Hot wire (black), and
3. the round slot is the grounding wire (green).

[sidecarmike]

Thanks to everyone. This website is really starting to cut into my beer money. First a convection oven then a half dozen more molds, and now this!

[leadmonkey]

One correction.
The longer slot on the male & female 110 VAC sockets are the neutral wire (white),
The smaller slot is the HOT, not positive (it's AC) wire (black), and
The round slot is the grounding wire (green).

Look about two or three threads down, at my full write-up on it.

[RobS]

noted and changed above

One correction.
The longer slot on the male & female 110 VAC sockets are the neutral wire (white),
The smaller slot is the HOT, not positive (it's AC) wire (black), and
The round slot is the grounding wire (green).

Look about two or three threads down, at my full write-up on it.

Here is leadmonkey's link:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...emp-Controller

Perfect thanks