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Thread: Am I the only one that puts a PID on his oven?

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    Am I the only one that puts a PID on his oven?

    So I have a cheap Hamiltonbeach (WallyWorld) toaster oven to cook my bullets. I think I paid the Rain Forrest $50 for it. I'm wedded to Hi-Tek Supercoat so I'm convinced that accurate temperatures are critical. The oven has no useful thermostat so I hook a PID to it. It works great.
    Here's my concern. The PID constantly cycles the oven on and off to keep the temperature. I mean it flips it on and off every 5 seconds or more.
    Is this constant on-and-off going to kill the oven? Or cause overheated wires or components? I mean it's not exactly Swiss quality.
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  2. #2
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    HATCH's Avatar
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    I have sold many PIDs to people that use it to control ovens.
    Ovens that have mechanical controls won’t have any issues but ones that have electronic controls might have issues.
    Don't like being hammered by the Cast Boolits Staff, then don't be a nail.
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  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    Good to know. I'll stop buying fire extinguishers.
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  4. #4
    Boolit Master redhawk0's Avatar
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    I use a PID on my pot and my oven. I put a K-Type connector on my PID so I can just swap sensors for my various needs. My oven was a $10 find at the Salvation Army. It's small but it can do about 200 boolits at a time.

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  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    I drilled a hole in the back of my oven and ran a sensor in there. I was surprised to see how completely off not only the oven was but also my cheap thermometer I put inside it. I would have thought my 99 cent thermometer would have been better than my $50 oven.
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  6. #6
    Boolit Grand Master OS OK's Avatar
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    I had a PID that only read out in centigrade, no option for Fahrenheit so I put it in my convection oven...a Chineee'liar oven it was...



    I used a kitchen analog thermometer to monitor the heat in the control area of the oven...thinking that these components will likely fry in there next to the oven but I added some insulation too....
    Then I added a computer fan to the side to blow ambient air directly in the control area...hoping to mitigate a melt down in there.

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  7. #7
    Boolit Master


    Walter Laich's Avatar
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    PID in cheap wally world oven

    mounted in a separate box, not inside the oven's enclosure

    °C only--cheap PID off ebay; set to 207°C = 400°F

    has been working for over 5 years without a problem

    holds within plus/minus 1°
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  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    Mine's been working for a while and it is what I would call "accurate". But it ain't plus/minus 1 degree. It might be 5 degrees but that would be the absolute best.
    [

  9. #9
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    Many PIDs out there-- it's just a question of what makes you feel good about your results. I don't use one, but I always set the oven to the exact same setting, keep the batch size the same always, and the time the same always, and always use the same type of powder.
    Hick: Iron sights!

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    I understand what you're saying and I may be wrong in what in my understanding of things. I use Hi-Tek Supercoat, which is kinda sorta powder coating but with some very significant differences. My understanding is that precise temperature control is required more with this stuff than with normal powder coating. I know for a fact that if the temperature is off you just wasted a lot of time and likely have to throw the bullets back in the pot for a re-do.
    [

  11. #11
    Boolit Bub D.Bullets's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by AbitNutz View Post
    So I have a cheap Hamiltonbeach (WallyWorld) toaster oven to cook my bullets. I think I paid the Rain Forrest $50 for it. I'm wedded to Hi-Tek Supercoat so I'm convinced that accurate temperatures are critical. The oven has no useful thermostat so I hook a PID to it. It works great.
    Here's my concern. The PID constantly cycles the oven on and off to keep the temperature. I mean it flips it on and off every 5 seconds or more.
    Is this constant on-and-off going to kill the oven? Or cause overheated wires or components? I mean it's not exactly Swiss quality.
    No mine has worked for 8 years now. Wire fan to be running continuously though so it doesnt go on and off with the oven.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by D.Bullets; 05-27-2023 at 02:08 AM.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    I didn't think of that. I may peel back the Chinesium back and wire the to bypass the plug. Hmm...or I could do nothing and wait for it to die and buy another for 40 bucks. Decisions decisions.
    [

  13. #13
    Boolit Grand Master popper's Avatar
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    I used a PID controlled oven for hitek but don't do hitek anymore. Actually tossed the oven (into trash) for a hot plate - S&B PC and cook on hot plate.
    Whatever!

  14. #14
    Boolit Master
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    I can't cook so that option is out. Last time I tried I was Googling the number for poison control.
    [

  15. #15
    Boolit Bub D.Bullets's Avatar
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    I am experimenting with Wet dipping Powder coat. Hopefully test them tomorrow.
    Click image for larger version. 

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  16. #16
    Boolit Bub D.Bullets's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by AbitNutz View Post
    I didn't think of that. I may peel back the Chinesium back and wire the to bypass the plug. Hmm...or I could do nothing and wait for it to die and buy another for 40 bucks. Decisions decisions.
    You installed a PID to have accurate control of the temperatures in the oven to get a good PC cure. Also the PID is not kicking out full power when cycling on (thats what they do). You will want the fan running at full speed all the time to circulating the heat evenly (factory thermostats have a larger temp variance for more fan circulation time, reducing hot spots) On mine once up to tempature the PID would start short cycling at a reduced power and would enen not turn the fan.
    Hooking the fan up directly to the power switch has really helped with all my oven cure issues. Hoped this helps you (everyone) out.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
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    I'm convinced. I'm going to wire the fan to always be on. After all, it's supposed to be a convection oven. It can't do that if the fan is off half the time.
    [

  18. #18
    Boolit Bub D.Bullets's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by D.Bullets View Post
    I am experimenting with Wet dipping Powder coat. Hopefully test them tomorrow.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    Shot these bullets today. I was not impressed. I thing the extra .0015 PC on the front lets them ride the bore more true. I may test that by dipping
    them up to the bend at the point. I do like how they look.

  19. #19
    Boolit Buddy Walstr's Avatar
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    Your PID Temp Cntrl'r need not cycle like a switch...

    Quote Originally Posted by D.Bullets View Post
    You installed a PID to have accurate control of the temperatures in the oven to get a good PC cure. Also the PID is not kicking out full power when cycling on (thats what they do). You will want the fan running at full speed all the time to circulating the heat evenly (factory thermostats have a larger temp variance for more fan circulation time, reducing hot spots) On mine once up to tempature the PID would start short cycling at a reduced power and would enen not turn the fan.
    Hooking the fan up directly to the power switch has really helped with all my oven cure issues. Hoped this helps you (everyone) out.
    Greetings,
    Some PID controllers can be configured as a "switch", but that wastes their programability, as it were.
    They are to be configured to reduce power output "proportional" (gain) to the difference between "setpoint" & "probe input."

    The "Intergral" action is added to the Gain so that the closer to the setpoint, the output slows to a crawl, ideally not overshooting to much, which calls for zero output.

    The "Derivitive" function & adjustments is too complex for this brief discussion.

    If your PID is cycling like a switch, it's setup incorrectly.
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  20. #20
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Walstr View Post
    Greetings,
    Some PID controllers can be configured as a "switch", but that wastes their programability, as it were.
    They are to be configured to reduce power output "proportional" (gain) to the difference between "setpoint" & "probe input."

    The "Intergral" action is added to the Gain so that the closer to the setpoint, the output slows to a crawl, ideally not overshooting to much, which calls for zero output.

    The "Derivitive" function & adjustments is too complex for this brief discussion.

    If your PID is cycling like a switch, it's setup incorrectly.
    Well, all I know is I set the temp and it does what it does. Beyond that I don't know.
    I was able to solder in a new cord to directly plug into the a 120v outlet after I confirmed it was 120v, and that works great.
    [

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check