Thread: PID Controller for electric lead furnace/ pot

Looking at getting a couple of these for my Lee casting pots. there's a heap of them on Temu for different applications, like fish tanks etc. Cheap as. Keen to know what folk are using/recommend. I know nothing about them really. Did a forum search, nothing came up.

cheers

I'm using one on a Lee pot. Bought from Auber Instruments in the US maybe 10 or 12 years ago. Probably need a solid state relay and thermocouple

I use one from AliExpress with a solid state relay to run a lee pot. I'm not sure if the cheaper one I have would work for the same job if the thermo couple was changed to a high temp one, but the cheaper one does run a fridge ok.

This just the first one I clicked on, but the same as.

https://a.aliexpress.com/_mK9JUEp

This is the cheaper one

https://share.temu.com/4PDm53z7KbA

I'm doing the same with mine for hot salt annealing. Like you I bought the parts from aliexpress I'm not electronically gifted. The late Gadgetman put mine together for me. Works a charm and way better than the thermostat set up that the Lee pots come with.
I'll post pics later.

Be careful with the AliExpress SSR's. They have a habit of catching fire. Go bigger and maybe with a heatsink. How many amps are you drawing?
The controller would want a PWM out to drive the SSR. A standard thermostat will not have this function.
Also make sure your thermocouple is going to work with your controller. I had one supplied with a PT1000 and it would only allow PT100 at the controller.

Be careful with the AliExpress SSR's. They have a habit of catching fire. Go bigger and maybe with a heatsink. How many amps are you drawing?
The controller would want a PWM out to drive the SSR. A standard thermostat will not have this function.
Also make sure your thermocouple is going to work with your controller. I had one supplied with a PT1000 and it would only allow PT100 at the controller.

I think you lost me when you mentioned amps lol. Like @dannyb I lack gifts in this area. Sounds like Id best spend the money locally and get something reputable, and safe, off the shelf.

I use modified Lee pots for moulding the lead bodies for Super Kobra lures and also have a controller on the plastic injection moulder. I got a controller and temperature probe recently from intech instruments in CHCH. Not cheap but they know what they are talking about. Mine simply switch on and off but they have others suitable to match with a ssr.