rex-c100 settings help

[Forrest r]

I finely got time to get a rex-c100 pid setup to use for casting and pc'ing. Before I ventured into the setting (sl1/sl2/etc) I figured I'd ask here and see what others are using for settings.

Can someone help me with the setup that they are using with their rex-c100 to cast bullets with?

[bbogue1]

I use 2 Rex C100's. I, too, have thought about fiddling with the advanced settings and quickly realized I did not have enough information to make an educated customized program. Then I realized the PID was doing it's job with the factory settings. So, until I find a grievous error I will assume the engineers who made the default settings knew more than I about he operation of the PID and I would let it do it's thing while I enjoyed casting and PCing. After all that is what I got it for.
When melting clip on wheel weights I set the SV at 371 C which is in the middle between the melting points of lead (327C) and zinc (419C). My Pid heats the alloy up to 322 and holds it steady there (the 5 degree difference is to guard against over temp cycling). After a while it learns and moves the temp up a little closer to 371. The Rex C100 comes with the autotune turned on.
For casting I set the SV at 371C and let the pot and the PID work hand in hand to maintain the temp.
When I am PCing I set the SV at 204C (400 degrees F) although I watch the bullets and when the powder coat gets shiny I give it about 30 seconds to a minute more and remove the bullets from the oven.
Using that strategy it makes my life easier and I haven't screwed up the settings.
Some how in fooling around with the settings I ruined my first PID. The lights and numbers came on but it didn't work. I could set the SV but the PV always read 981 even when the thermocouple was in air where it should have read about 20. I even got a HHHH setting when I turned it on and that setting is not listed anywhere. I ended up replacing it after a month of back and forth ebay messages with the seller.

That said do you know what model PID you have and what the default settings are? Do you know how to set the SV? Do you know what the PV is showing you?

[Mike W1]

Here's a little cheat sheet I made for mine that may be of some help to you. All you really need to do is set the desired temperature (SV), turn the power on, and when the PV is around 20-30° below that push the AT button. It will flash while it's autotuning and turns off automatically when it has finished. They usually come set to read values from a K type probe so I suppose if you're having some problem you might want to check that setting. I am assuming you have the SSR output and not the relay output model. And BTW, there does seem to some differences in codes for the LCK settings between the various models too.

PV = Process Value SV = Set Value
Buttons - SET, RS or Shift Digits Key ◄
▲ = Raise the value ▼ = Lower the value
__________________________________
INITIAL POWER ON SCREENS
InP shows in PV screen first
°C K shows in SV screen
then goes to 400 in PV screen
and 0 in SV screen
then room temp in PV
and the set value in SV screen
If the TC isn't hooked up it flashes FOUR
Zeros in the PV screen
_________________________________________
To Set Desired Temperature
Press SET button
Press ◄ Button to select digits
When done selecting Press SET
_______________________________
TO AUTOTUNE UNIT
Press & Hold SET button till AL1 shows
Press SET to sequence to ATU
Change 0 to 1
Press SET
AT lamp will flash until autotune is completed
______________________________________________


To enter 1st Parameters
Press and Hold SET
LCK = 0
FACT MINE
AL1
ATU 0 0
P 30 30
I 240 240
D 60 60
Ar 25 25 (Note 2)
T 20 20
SC 0 -001 for offsetting TC error
LCK 0 0

1. Inst. Sheet showed OH following T - not in my PID!
Also showed AL2 but not in my PID either.

2. {Ar was 13 top pot, 38 lower pot} Some
manuals show factory set of 25 & some 100. It needs
some value or will shut off the I function and apparently
will change with PID action of some sort.}
To exit 1st Parameters Hold down SET
______________________________

To enter 2nd set of Parameters
Set LCK to 1000
Hold SET & SHIFT KEY ◄ till COD= 0 appears
Use SET to scroll
COD 0
SL1 0 K type TC
SL2 1 Celsius (no luck changing to F)
SL3 0
SL4 1
SL5 0
SL6 1 (inverse operation, heating)
SL7 0
SL8 0
SL9 0
SL10 1
SL11 0
_____________________________________________

To enter 3rd set of parameters
When COD = 1 use SET to select
SLH 0 Note 3
SLL 0
oH 2
AH1 2
dF 1
To Exit Parameters Hold SET and SHIFT KEY down
(no decimal place set on mine after SLL)

3. SLH value can be changed to let unit read a higher value.
Set mine at 450°C (842° F)

LOCK Settings (varies in different manuals)
0000 All can be modified
0001 Data can't be modified, except SV, AL1, AL2
0011 Data can't be modified, except SV
0111 Nothing can be modified

0100 No Data Locked
0101 Set data locked (All Parameters
changeable)
0110 SV changeable, set data locked

0100 Nothing Locked
0101 Set data locked
0110 All parameters locked except SV

0000 Any setting other than 0000 cannot
enter the initial set mode.
If set to initial set mode all outputs
are turned OFF
If controller exits from initial set mode,
confirm that that LCK setting is set to
0100

[Forrest r]

WOW!!!
Thank you, that's just what I was looking for.

[HATCH]

I would just run the autotune feature and let it set the settings

[Forrest r]

Mike,
Thank you for your help. I finely got time to do some casting today. I went over the setting before I used the pid. Everything looked good and the pid did an excellent job/it rained quality bullets for around 4 hours.