RobS
03-09-2014, 12:25 PM
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.
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt206/RobS01/PIDLeePot_zps0c870ab4.jpg (http://s612.photobucket.com/user/RobS01/media/PIDLeePot_zps0c870ab4.jpg.html)
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:
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt206/RobS01/PIDConvectionToasterOven_zpsa184c758.jpg (http://s612.photobucket.com/user/RobS01/media/PIDConvectionToasterOven_zpsa184c758.jpg.html)
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.
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.
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt206/RobS01/PIDLeePot_zps0c870ab4.jpg (http://s612.photobucket.com/user/RobS01/media/PIDLeePot_zps0c870ab4.jpg.html)
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:
http://i612.photobucket.com/albums/tt206/RobS01/PIDConvectionToasterOven_zpsa184c758.jpg (http://s612.photobucket.com/user/RobS01/media/PIDConvectionToasterOven_zpsa184c758.jpg.html)
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.