LEE Element

[lead Foot]

I bought my LEE 10 pound pot about ten years ago used. Since then I have changed the element four times. It's a bit of a pain to change but can be done. How long does your element last.:drinks:
Lead foot;

[JeffinNZ]

Got 15 years out of mine before it when west.

[Echo]

I've had mine 30+ years, used intermittently, and still on the first element. I'm sure many on this board use theirs as much in a year as I have ever.

[dragonrider]

been using the same one for 20+ years.

[Screwbolts]

My Lee is 30+ and still on the first. I do run it about midway on the thermostat. a friend has replace 2 in that time in his pot. I unplug the pot when I walk away from it.

Ken

[imashooter2]

Bought mine well used and have had it for 8 years. No way this pot has ever been cracked. I call it the factory original element.

[454PB]

35 years on my first pot, 25 on the second, about 10 on the third, and they are all still on the same original elements.

Keep in mind the fact that turning the dial off does not shut it off. It will continue to heat.

[pdawg_shooter]

35 years on my first pot, 25 on the second, about 10 on the third, and they are all still on the same original elements.

Keep in mind the fact that turning the dial off does not shut it off. It will continue to heat.

I was unaware that Lee has been making pots for 70 years!

[imashooter2]

I was unaware that Lee has been making pots for 70 years!

More likely, he owns 3 pots.

[stubshaft]

I'm on 18yrs for my 10lb and 22yrs for the 20lb pot.

[DLCTEX]

My 10 lb. Lee has been used a lot in the 6 years I've had it, and I bought it used. Is your pot 120 volt or the 200 + volt model? That may make a difference.

[RP]

Something you may want to check is your voltage feeding your pot not so sure about a heating element but things like motors running on low voltage will not last long. Check voltage with a meter with pot plugged in and running and see if you have 90 volts or 125 volts that may be your problem.

[lead Foot]

Something you may want to check is your voltage feeding your pot not so sure about a heating element but things like motors running on low voltage will not last long. Check voltage with a meter with pot plugged in and running and see if you have 90 volts or 125 volts that may be your problem.

Yes you make a good point. In Australia we have 240 volts. I live in the bush and we are on a single wire earth return. As soon as granny down the line turns her oven on the voltage goes down. I have even had the spout freeze on HI. Also prone to lightning strike. So low voltage might be the problem. Thanks for the replys guys ~ just bought another one for next time.
Lead foot;

[454PB]

In a resistive element, low voltage will reduce BTU output, but won't shorten it's life. It's high voltage that shortens their life.

[Jim_Fleming]

Speaking of low voltages...

Folks, I have a Lee Production Pot, (bottom pour of course) It's about 22 years old... (I scratched the date I bought onto the bottom of the foot...)

Anyway, your thread fits EXACTLY into a problem I discovered while TRYING to start Casting, last friday...

Bear in mind two things, #1 over the recent winter I cast pure lead wire cores for .224 diameter, (about 55 grs. per core, 5 cores at a time) In fact I cast about 50 lbs of pure lead. Item #2 I did all this casting in my out building aka my barn, now here's where the more intuitive among you catch on quick... (read on) #3 I've not cast anything but pure lead for at least 15 years.

I decided I'm going to cast some .401 175 Lee Tumble Lube design bullets for my .40 S&W... I played utter havoc for 2.5 hours of sheer and total frustration. My pot would not heat up hot enough, no matter how long I waited, and no dang matter how much I cussed and tore up the air with blue language... [smilie=b: [smilie=b: [smilie=b:

I know how to cast, and I know cold lead when I see cold wrinkles, or unfilled mould cavities and I know how gritty/sludgy cold lead alloy looks when it just isn't hot enough... No I don't have a thermometer. What I'm saying is that after two hours of sheer horseradish kind of aggravation I gave up, and had to call it a night. Time for Jim to get to bed after all that fuss...

I was ready to buy a new 20 lb. pot, a lead thermometer, and pitch the 10 lb. pot... Meanwhile, while I'm on the Midway USA site, I read a little technical tidbit about Lee Production Pots... "low voltage can affect melter performance!" :idea:

I moved my Production Pot about 200 feet closer to the source of electricity for my house, and :bigsmyl2: guess what... I have so much voltage drop in my old barn that I can't run the Pot... I can run a torpedo heater in the winter, or a table saw or even my radial arm saw, but I can't run that Pot in the barn...

I'm in business! I'm in the midst of working up about 70 lbs. of alloy up for .40 S&W, going like gangbusters and tomorrow I'll run off the last two pots and finally start reloading... UGH!

I never dreamed line drop would have that affect, folks... You newcomers take heed, even us old war horses can learn a thing or three... Benefit from our/my experience and mind your line drop...

:kidding: :kidding: here, almost... I almost was seriously ready to buy a small 1500 watt generator just so I could run the Pot in the barn and not work lead so close to the house... But I'm literally outside on my back deck no roof or anything, so it should be fine...

[HeavyMetal]

Let's see Bought my Lee 10pounder when I started casting in 1975. The same one is now mounted above my Lyman 61 as a feeder pot.

he only thing I've ever done is clean the pot and drag a piece of match book through the contact points in the controller.

The unit is 110 volt bottom pour.

[shotman]

jim You will be getting new tools if you dont change the wire size to the barn

[Jim_Fleming]

You've gotta point, Shotman... fo' sho'...!



jim You will be getting new tools if you dont change the wire size to the barn