PID Porn

[6bg6ga]

Now that I have your attention I'll show you my PID Control for my Star Sizer.:smile:

It holds the temp pretty well. The thermocouple is removable from the aluminum plate. A 6 1/4" deep hole was drilled into the plate for the probe and a larger diameter near the outside hold the probe securely but will still allow for removal so that it can be used for other duties on the melting pot. A Neutrik speakon connector allows for heater disconnection from the plate for duties at the melting pot when needed.

[DukeInFlorida]

HOLY ****!!!

I have attached a $5 six hundred watt lighting rheostat in a work box with cover, and that feeds a 15 amp outlet in the same box. I plug that into the workshop outlet, and then my Lyman 4500 Lubricizer into that. I have it calibrated (marked with Sharpie at temperature intervals that are useful to me) to handle most lube types.

I have less than $10 invested in my arrangement.

I'm scared to ask how much it would cost for a mere mortal to duplicate your system.

[6bg6ga]

I have $90 invested in the PID, SSR, and thermocouple shipped plus the cost of the heater. On the bright side it keeps the temp just right and will do double duty because I can use it to control my Lee melting pot.

If I had shopped right I could have purchased the stuff cheaper.

[oldtoolsniper]

6b,
The nice thing about your set up is you can use the PID to control your lead pot and or anything else you can come up with. I have built a PID for my lee pot and I used it to control an older iron without the auto shut off to heat an aluminum plate under my sizer. You used the heat control switch from an iron and built a PID. I built the PID and used the iron as a heater. I use a PID to control the fan on my wood burner as well!

[6bg6ga]

No, I scrapped the thermostat from the iron idea. It wouldn't control good enough so I purchased a thermcouple to monitor the temperature of the aluminum plate. The heater is a 4" long unit that is mounted right below the sizer inside the aluminum plate via a drilled hole. Mounted 2" to the right of the heater is the thermocouple unit which can be pulled out to do double duty on the melting pot. It resides in a hole drilled on the opposite side of the aluminum plate.

[cheese1566]

Love those salvaged computer power supply boxes and cords!