Wires Burned off PED

[Dusty Ed]

Howdy Fellers
I'm hoping some on this form can help me out.
Yesterday I lit up my Magma Master Caster I went out of the room to do some other work an when I came back there was smoke in the room so when looked at PID it was off I then look at breaker it was blown so I switched back on an when flip the switch on the PID I had a dead short it burn the wires off, so I clean cut the **** off an put new ends on the wires but the wire for the temp control Was burned off so I clean that up an spliced the wires an does not work the temp stays at 65 an the pot does not get hot
I was wondering if I was to replace the temp control wire would that help, it is a plug in replacement an if I could get one from Magma?
Could it that have burn something in the PID?
Put the old Original Thermosate back on an now is operational .
If all else fails who could I send the PID to have it repaired.
I bought the pot new in 2003 paid $535.00
The PID I bought 6 Or 7 years ago $ 250.00
Thanks for any replies .
Dusty Ed

[hunter74]

Is the thermocouple ok? If it's burnt off the pid would stay on all the time at full blast.

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[hunter74]

Sounds like you need a new temp controller or a new relay.

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[Walter Laich]

glad nothing burned down (garage, house, car in garage)

I try to stay around the pot anytime it's plugged in for safety's sake

[lightman]

I'm not an expert on PID's but I am a retired electrician. Something caused it to burn up and you need to find out what it was. First of all I would plug your Master Caster in a wall receptacle, bypassing the PID completely. This will prove that it is either ok or has a problem. My next idea would be that a loose connection finally failed. Its been my experience that once you burn the end off of a wire that you never get as good of a connection as you had before and I would replace the wire and the device that it was connected to. I would gladly send you a piece of wire if you do not have a source. That kind of wire usually comes on 500ft or larger spools and you will never need that much.

If the parts survived in good enough condition that you can read the numbers you could order new and replace them yourself. Replace one wire at a time so that you get them back correctly. I've been known to take pictures with my cell phone for this reason. Hatch, on this forum, makes and sells PID's. You might contact him and inquire about repairs.

Oh yeah, glad nothing more serious happened when Your PID failed!

[Dusty Ed]

Howdy Lightman
I had hot lead leak down on the wires an rubber coating on a previous casting session unknown to me it then let the wires connect together an burn the wires off when I reset the breaker .
I then clean up everything an put new connectors on all of the wires . the thermo couple is burned off ,so spliced it back together,I then tried to fire up the Caster it didn't work ,all of the digital numbers on the PID worked but the Temp stayed 65 degrees. So I hung it up an put the original thermostat back on the caster an fired it up ,we cast 400+ 40-65 bullets with no problems. What I would like to know is where I could get a new Thermocouple wire.
It is a plug in that I would need even if I had send it away to be fixed.
Thanks For the Reply

[Grmps]

HATCH, a MOD here sells PID's for (I am guessing now) under $150

There are threads that tell/show you how to easily build your own PID for <$100

Pictures would help us see what you're talking about.

this???

Perfect-Prime TL0700, K-Type Sensor Probe for K-Type Thermocouple Thermometer / Meter in Temperature Range from -30 to 700 °C/ 1292°F

https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Prime-TL0700-Thermocouple-Thermometer-Temperature/dp/B01MU29Q3Z/ref=sr_1_7?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1525133650&sr=1-7&keywords=thermocouple+wire+with+k+type

[hunter74]

I think the problem could be the splicing of the thermocouple. I contacted Magma regarding a thermocouple problem some weeks back, and they told me that they could not be spliced. If they are they do not work right. When I installed a new thermocouple it worked right.

If you spliced it, the readings are no good because it's most likely affected by ambient temperature where it's spliced together.

I would try to change it out with a new one. It does not cost much compared to other electronic components. If nothing else is fried this should work for you.

On my BM I had to install new thermocouples, new temp controller, new relay, and heating elements, so I hope this facelift keeps it running [emoji16]

I purchased my thermocouples from Magma. That way I knew I got the ones they use for their machines. I'm not sure if they were 30 dollars for both or just for one. You can get thermocouple wires for approximately nothing from China, but I didn't have the time to wait for it. DHL delivers everything I order from Magma, on my doorstep, in 3-5 days. Not bad from Arizona to Norway🤣

[Dusty Ed]

Hunter
Thanks, that is the reply I was hoping for,I will call Magma today.

[Mal Paso]

Hunter is right, replace the thermocouple.

The last time we had a thermocouple shield wire burn up the Ungrounded Pot shorted to it's frame which was connected to a separate PID unit which DID have a Ground. I would check the ground on the Caster. If the PID ground wasn't there it could be You making the connection to ground.

[Dusty Ed]

Howdy Fellers
I received the new thermocouple in the mail today, haven't had the Time to try it , when I do I will let you folks know how I made out.

Dusty Ed

[HATCH]

sorry I didn't check this thread sooner.

The Magma PIDs use a J type thermocouple.
You can replace it with a K type but it will require you to reprogram (if possible) the PID that magma uses.

[Dusty Ed]

Howdy Hatch
That is what I got a K type I will send to Magma for their J type .
Will the new J type Magma have an eye on the end for a screw to mount it the pot?

[HATCH]

I am not sure what they send out.
Can you post the model # of the PID
Maybe I can tell you how to reprogram it for the K type.


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[hunter74]

Magma sends out a j type thermocouple with an eye on the end, but it's not for a screw to go through. On my BM the eye was clamped to the wall of the pot and not through the eye. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180516/dbd0bb7d0846ab8534debd7e13442592.jpg

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