Chicken Thief
04-23-2013, 02:03 PM
Here’s my take on a PID Lee pot.
My first pot from 1985 and it is on it’s second heating element.
I used a PID from dx.com that came with a thermal probe delivered for just $17.80
http://dx.com/p/digital-temperature-controller-66334
It will go to 400degC~752degF
1: I started by dismantling the pot and polished a spot on the bottom for the probe mount.http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm153/Chickenthief/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011385_zpsfcd23534.jpg (http://s295.photobucket.com/user/Chickenthief/media/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011385_zpsfcd23534.jpg.html)
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm153/Chickenthief/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011386_zpsc51cb20c.jpg (http://s295.photobucket.com/user/Chickenthief/media/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011386_zpsc51cb20c.jpg.html)
2: The thread on the probe is ¼-20 and i made up a brass mount that i (high-temp) silver soldered onto the pot. (What I could with what I had!) You can weld 2 nuts onto the pot and achieve the same but remember to close the hole so the end of the thermal probe has something for proper contact.
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm153/Chickenthief/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011387_zps9f627a01.jpg (http://s295.photobucket.com/user/Chickenthief/media/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011387_zps9f627a01.jpg.html)
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm153/Chickenthief/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011389_zpsb7b707c3.jpg (http://s295.photobucket.com/user/Chickenthief/media/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011389_zpsb7b707c3.jpg.html)
3: The controller electronics will pop out and make mounting a breeze. I was lazy and used nuts and washers for spacing when I mounted the controller house onto the back of the pot stand. I added some holes for wires.
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm153/Chickenthief/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011388_zpsb1bda574.jpg (http://s295.photobucket.com/user/Chickenthief/media/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011388_zpsb1bda574.jpg.html)
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm153/Chickenthief/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011390_zps0e8cbc58.jpg (http://s295.photobucket.com/user/Chickenthief/media/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011390_zps0e8cbc58.jpg.html)
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm153/Chickenthief/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011391_zps6890d98f.jpg (http://s295.photobucket.com/user/Chickenthief/media/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011391_zps6890d98f.jpg.html)
4: To counteract the sad sagging from pic. 1 i used more nuts as spacers with some self tapping screws into the pot couling.
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm153/Chickenthief/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011394_zps801bcb6e.jpg (http://s295.photobucket.com/user/Chickenthief/media/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011394_zps801bcb6e.jpg.html)
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm153/Chickenthief/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011393_zps97e35262.jpg (http://s295.photobucket.com/user/Chickenthief/media/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011393_zps97e35262.jpg.html)
To be continued.
My first pot from 1985 and it is on it’s second heating element.
I used a PID from dx.com that came with a thermal probe delivered for just $17.80
http://dx.com/p/digital-temperature-controller-66334
It will go to 400degC~752degF
1: I started by dismantling the pot and polished a spot on the bottom for the probe mount.http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm153/Chickenthief/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011385_zpsfcd23534.jpg (http://s295.photobucket.com/user/Chickenthief/media/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011385_zpsfcd23534.jpg.html)
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm153/Chickenthief/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011386_zpsc51cb20c.jpg (http://s295.photobucket.com/user/Chickenthief/media/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011386_zpsc51cb20c.jpg.html)
2: The thread on the probe is ¼-20 and i made up a brass mount that i (high-temp) silver soldered onto the pot. (What I could with what I had!) You can weld 2 nuts onto the pot and achieve the same but remember to close the hole so the end of the thermal probe has something for proper contact.
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm153/Chickenthief/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011387_zps9f627a01.jpg (http://s295.photobucket.com/user/Chickenthief/media/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011387_zps9f627a01.jpg.html)
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm153/Chickenthief/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011389_zpsb7b707c3.jpg (http://s295.photobucket.com/user/Chickenthief/media/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011389_zpsb7b707c3.jpg.html)
3: The controller electronics will pop out and make mounting a breeze. I was lazy and used nuts and washers for spacing when I mounted the controller house onto the back of the pot stand. I added some holes for wires.
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm153/Chickenthief/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011388_zpsb1bda574.jpg (http://s295.photobucket.com/user/Chickenthief/media/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011388_zpsb1bda574.jpg.html)
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm153/Chickenthief/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011390_zps0e8cbc58.jpg (http://s295.photobucket.com/user/Chickenthief/media/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011390_zps0e8cbc58.jpg.html)
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm153/Chickenthief/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011391_zps6890d98f.jpg (http://s295.photobucket.com/user/Chickenthief/media/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011391_zps6890d98f.jpg.html)
4: To counteract the sad sagging from pic. 1 i used more nuts as spacers with some self tapping screws into the pot couling.
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm153/Chickenthief/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011394_zps801bcb6e.jpg (http://s295.photobucket.com/user/Chickenthief/media/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011394_zps801bcb6e.jpg.html)
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm153/Chickenthief/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011393_zps97e35262.jpg (http://s295.photobucket.com/user/Chickenthief/media/Skydning/PID%20controller/R0011393_zps97e35262.jpg.html)
To be continued.