PID Instruction manual

[stu1ritter]

OK, I've built my PID temp controller for my Lee 4-20 pot. Works great, but, the instruction manual that came with this PID unit leaves "something" to be desired as the translations from Chinese are not quite translations I understand. I've downloaded a few manuals from the web but I'm wondering if anyone has any suggestions for any parameters they would change and the reason for changing them.
thanks,
Stu

[RobS]

What PID controller did you purchase?

[dragon813gt]

Run it in AutoTune. That's all you should need to do unless you want to set up alarm lights.

[stu1ritter]

RobS, from Amazon; AGPtek® Dual Digital F/C PID Temperature Control Controller TA4-SSR With 2 Alarms.
As I mentioned, it is working very well, I'm just wondering if anyone has done anything to make them work "better".
The eternal fiddler I guess.

Stu

[dragon813gt]

You can individually adjust the P, I and D settings if you wish. This is overkill for the application we're using it for.

[RobS]

101291
Maybe this could help

[stu1ritter]

THANK YOU RobS, exactly what I was looking for and couldn't find on the web.
Stu

[dikman]

I'm with dragon. I spent mucho time reading various manuals for different PID controllers, trying to figure out which of the other settings I could tweak. I came to the conclusion that there's little to be gained, at least for the way we use them. I don't even bother with any of the alarm settings/thresholds - once it's been run in Autotune and set itself up that's all that's needed.

[stu1ritter]

101363Oh yeah, I forgot, no photo and it didn't happen........photo

Stu

[RobS]

Looks good.

[dikman]

Looks like it might even work!;)

[stu1ritter]

It is working like a champ. Holds the liquid lead to within a couple of degrees. Sometimes when I'm casting and I look over at it, it always reads the same temp. I've quickly gotten so I don't even pay any attention to it any more.
I like that so much more than constantly looking up at a thermometer.
Stu

[RobS]

I've quickly gotten so I don't even pay any attention to it any more.
I like that so much more than constantly looking up at a thermometer.
Stu

It does make it easy. No more fiddling with adjusting the pot temperature controls as it lowers with alloy nor does a person have to change pace of casting tempo to accommodate temperature swings. My boolits are much more consistent which was not as big of a deal for short range handgunning but it sure is useful for the rifle boolits.

[uglysteve]

Whatever Robs posted is gone. Can someone repost whatever that was?

[stu1ritter]

uglysteve, if you are not able to download it, PM me an email address and I'll send you a copy. It's 740kb, approx.
Stu