Tech Question On Lead Temperature

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RonW

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This is probably a question for you instrumentation or electrical techs out there. Can I use a "K Type" thermocouple to measure the temperature of the lead in my electric melter? Will it be as accurate as a thermometer typically used for this purpose?

I have the thermocouple and instrumentation but no thermometer to compare it against. I'm also not sure if the probe was designed for immersion in melted metal although it's upper limit is +/- 2000 degrees.

I will certainly appreciate any help you can give me on this one.
 
RonW said:
This is probably a question for you instrumentation or electrical techs out there. Can I use a "K Type" thermocouple to measure the temperature of the lead in my electric melter? Will it be as accurate as a thermometer typically used for this purpose?

I have the thermocouple and instrumentation but no thermometer to compare it against. I'm also not sure if the probe was designed for immersion in melted metal although it's upper limit is +/- 2000 degrees.

I will certainly appreciate any help you can give me on this one.
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K type thermocouple is fine, good for submersion into a pot of lead as long as the junction and wires are protected from the lead; Most often the junction is protected by a metal sheath of some kind (i.e. stainless) to keep it from contacting the process fluid. It is unusual to come across one that is just bare wires unless you were making them up yourself. You could check the temperature accuracy by sticking it in a cup of boiling water, should read very close to 100°C. I use a K themocouple, a cheap PID controller and solid state relay to control lead pot temperature and it works great.
 
as long as there is a metal shield on it and the wires you will be fine, other wise i suspect the lead may mess with the resistance.

if you need a cheap probe, ebay has lots, i just got one for up to 1200C for $8 shipped i think
 
http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/foru...Temperature-Controller-for-Lead-Pot-Luber-etc

Only thing I have changed since I posted this was the SSR, I went with a 25 Amp version and that way I could control other stuff that needed a bigger relay. I also used the fan from the power supply and mounted it in the same spot it came from the factory but on the outside of the box and blowing in.

I bought a high temperature K type that I now use for inside the pot on my RCBS pot and it seems to control the temperature better as it is in direct contact with the lead. I made up a small bracket to hold the thermocouple vertical and about 1/4 of an inch off the bottom, it has a long probe so I can still fill up the pot with 20lb of lead.

So everything I want to control has it's own thermocouple and all I have to do is hook up the two wires, plug the device into the controller and the controller into the wall and set the temperature I want and away it goes.
 
Magnum_Tom said:
I tried searching all your posts and they don't go back that far. I then tried an Advanced search and although I chose the max age of 3 years, again nothing came up from before Jan 2011.
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click on a persons name, and on the left hand side, under there name (and just above there avatar) you will see search for posts, and search for threads started. use that and you will find it,
 
Thanks Hunter64.

Spawn-Inc: That works. Thanks. But it'd be nice of the Click Name -> View Forum Posts option and the Advanced Search functions would work too. If Hunter wouldn't have started that thread, there'd be no way for others to find it.
 
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