Lyman Mag 20

[e15cap]

The pilot light on my Mag 20 is burned out and lyman wants me to send it to them to be replaced. Anyone done this and how much hassle is it? Do I pull the sheet metal off to access the bulb?
Thanx Roger

[crowbeaner]

I wouldn't even bother. All the light does is tell you when the heating element is on. You can hear an audible click when the light goes on and off signalling when the pot is turning on and off. Now if you had a Mag 20 like mine with a broken off drill bit clogging the pour spout it would be worth sending it back(I have to this winter). Can you say OOOPS? CB.

[fourarmed]

I predict that if you take it apart, you will wonder what in the hell to do with all the insulation you have left over when you finally get it back together. How they got all that in such a little space with those wires running through it, I can only speculate, but it was beyond my abilities. Send it back to them.

[anachronism]

Wow! They sold me a couple of spare heating elements for my Mag 20 a few years back. I suppose that's not going to happen any more.

[Lloyd Smale]

they sold me an element only after i told them i was an electrical lineman and could probably handle the high tech job of replacing it myself but i have to agree with forearmed after pulling it apart and trying to get all that insulation in right i was pulling my hair out. Then earlier this summer I had another element burn out on my other pot and the theromstat went on this one and sent them both into lyman and for 50 bucks a crack they replaced the bad thermostat on the one the element on the other. Put brand new pots and valves and even actuating handles on both of them and that was even with return shipping. There both basically new pots now. Only downside was i was finally conviced to buck for for a big magma but its acutally nice running 3 differnt pots. I can run 3 molds and use differnt alloys in all three or use one pot to feed the other pot with the same alloy. Now what id really like to do is keep both 20 lb lymans and reaplace my old 10lb bottom pour lyman with a magma. About the only need for that pilot light is to let you know that your therostat is broke :)

[e15cap]

What clicking sound????

[Lloyd Smale]

the sound would be the contacts on the thermostat.

[newfoundlander]

I predict that if you take it apart, you will wonder what in the hell to do with all the insulation you have left over when you finally get it back together. How they got all that in such a little space with those wires running through it, I can only speculate, but it was beyond my abilities. Send it back to them.

I acquired a Mag 20 on Eprey last year that had water damage from Hurricane Katrina. The black "hood" was quite rusted so I decided to sand blast it and apply an oven baked Krylon High Heat enamel finish. When I stripped it down I simply labeled all of the connections and reassembly was more or less uneventful. The only thing to keep in mind when reinserting the insulation is to make sure you put it all back in and distribute it evenly. As for changing the bulb I wouldn't bother as it's not a "drop in" item.