Diy Star Heater

[6bg6ga]

I'm too cheap to pop for yet another piece to go with my new Star Sizer so here is my Diy parts list for doing it on the cheap and dirty.

One new heater from Omega and one used thermostat courtesy of my wifes tired old iron. It beats the cost of a new one and should perform in a like manor. The only things left to do are to drill a 1/4'' hole for the heater and wire it up neatly and to scrounge a piece of sheet metal in which to cover everything up nicely. Now, to find the time to complete this.

[Russ in WY]

Could you post the wattage & Part #, & the cost ??? Tks Russ

Will this fit a 4500 heater hole ???

[angus6]

Star / Magma uses a 175w heater, should run under $25

[6bg6ga]

I ordered PN CSH-104300/120V and it is a 300 watt heater. The purchase price was $29.00 for the heater plus $8.00 shipping cost. I went with the 300 watt unit because it didn't cost that much more and it will allow for a much faster heat up when used with my surplus thermostat out of a iron.

I will remove the sizer and feeder and drill a hole 4" deep on the edge of the aluminum plate that I have that will place the body of the heater under the lube cavity for maximum effect.

I haven't seen a 4500 heater except in a picture but I was under the impression that the 4500 heater is a pad that mounts below the sizer.

I PURCHASED IT FROM OMEGA ENGINEERING,INC in Stamford,CT

I'm sure the smaller wattage unit will work fine in almost any application. I however have a larger aluminum plate to heat.

[6bg6ga]

Picture of heating element seated in the aluminum base.

[6bg6ga]

I tried out the heater last night and well I wasn't happy with using the iron thermostat. I ordered a PID, thermocouple, and SSR this morning. The heater element was extremely quick to heat up so I'm sure it wasn't a waste ordering the larger element. When I am done I will have $127 tied up in what will be a more controlable heater that I don't have to waste a lot of time waiting for it to heat up.

[6bg6ga]

Picture of completed PID setup. Found out the variation was too great in the primitive bimetal thermostat. I didn't like the idea of having a dimmer burning up power all the time so the regulated PID control seemed like the solution.

If I have been more selective in purchasing the PID, SSR, and thermocouple the cost could have been cut. It beats the hell out of a dimmer.