Is there an issue with my RCBS Pro-melt

[novalty]

My last casting session, I stopped a couple times to place my Mihec brass molds back on the hot-plate and return the sprues back into the melt and add additional lead. After letting the newly added lead melt, and running my stainless steel spoon around in the pot to get and dross of the bottom sides. When I went to pour more bullets and nothing would come out of the spout for an extended period of time. Even backed the stop up a little more so the flow would be greater, and still nothing. After what felt like an eternity, and several attempts the lead slowly started to come out, then everything was back to normal. My pot was set between 700-750 degrees. Is this just normal and caused by newly added lead cooling the melt, and thicken in the spout, or is there something wrong with the furnace?

[ph4570]

Normal, the snout needs to heat back up.

[wymanwinn]

^^^^^what ph4570 said^^^^

[Doc_Stihl]

1 of my pots gets spout freeze when I add sprues back or when I first turn it on. It sometimes takes 6 or 7 minutes after everthing is molten before it will pour when first turned on.
1 of my pots will start to drop lead before the lead on top of the pot is even melted and I can add sprues back during the session and it doesn't care.
1 of my pots is right in the middle. About a minute after everything is molten it will pour. If I drop a dozen sprues in it will take a minute to get going again.

This makes me think it's probably something to do with the insulation or some elements work better than others. My pots are all older. 84 on one and the others are likely late 80s.
The spout freeze is frustrating so I usually melt my sprues on a hot plate and when the pot gets low I add back to the pot with molten lead.

[novalty]

Thanks for the replies. I expected that was probably the issue, but was concerned because the lead was already completely melted in the pot--so figured it should be pouring out when the handle was lifted.

[Baja_Traveler]

It occasionally happens to my ProMelt pot - usually when I dump a big cup of sprues back in. I cast on my BBQ island, and have a propane torch out there that I use to light off the smoker, it frees the spout right up with a quick pass of the flame.

[375RUGER]

that's normal if you add a bunch of cool lead. I usually add a couple pounds of ingots or sprues as I go so it doesn't cool too much and to keep the lead level high, usually 3/4 full +/-.
You might want to run with a thermometer in the pot, my pro-melt dial is way off.

[Hardcast416taylor]

It occasionally happens to my ProMelt pot - usually when I dump a big cup of sprues back in. I cast on my BBQ island, and have a propane torch out there that I use to light off the smoker, it frees the spout right up with a quick pass of the flame.

Same way I approach the spout freeze.Robert

[dromia]

Concur, a quick zap with a blow torch and away you go.

Better that than the patented lee leak.

[cbrick]

You might want to run with a thermometer in the pot, my pro-melt dial is way off.

Yep, haven't seen an electric pot without a PID than was anywhere near close to actual temp on the dial. The thermometers will vary some also but not near as much as the pot's dial.

Rick

[bobthenailer]

It happens at times ! TIPS - keep the pot at leat 3/4 full at all times , preheat your ingots by some means , a few ingots on top of the pot or a hot plate work well, when adding ingots to the pot they sink to the bottom of the pot making the spout end cooler , keeping a extended type butane lighter handy to heat up the spout if it freezes also helps.

[novalty]

Thanks for the tip about preheating on the top of the furnace. The way I had been casting was stopping when I had a pile of sprues and the pot was getting around half-full. Will keep a couple ingots waiting on the top and add more frequently to avoid chilling the melt.

[dg31872]

I never thought about pre heating the ingots. Good idea.

[bobthenailer]

I add my sprues back into the pot about every 5 to 10 casts or so while wating for the sprue to set up from my last pouring cycle , that way they are still hot or at least very warm when added back to the pot.

[dilly]

My friend was casting using mine and the spout froze. I could tell it wasn't COLD because all the lead was already melted. I knew we could just wait, but he had a butane pocket lighter and that tipped the heat just enough to get the flow coming too. I don't think you need a blow torch.

[novalty]

I wonder if one of those creme brulee torches would work well for the job.
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/assets/product_images/230/2588213057451p.jpg

[Bad Water Bill]

Heat rises COLD goes to the bottom and freezes the spout.

Whenever you add anything it will lower the temperature of the lead at the lowest part of anyones pot. Even a dripolater will freeze up.

Now, a nice torch does come in handy from time to time also.

[BruceB]

Go to the "Stickies" forum, and 3/4 of the way down Page One is my article called "BruceB's Speedcasting Method".

It is organized around an RCBS furnace, and one section is called "Alloy Management".

No need to re-invent the wheel.

[jsizemore]

Butane grill lighter will work too.

[MT Chambers]

Mine will only freeze up if I try to add 2 ingots to a half full pot, it certainly will not freeze up if only adding sprues, I can add two ingots when the pot is 3/4 full and it will NOT freeze.