PID Controller for my Lee Melter Pot

It will seriously improve the consistency of the bullets you make. Once the mold is up to temperature I can cast hundreds with less than 0.5% weight variation.

My first one died then I made 3. Melting pot, lubesizer, and powder coating oven. Have parts to make a couple more but haven't gotten to it.
 
Once you make one you will find all sorts of uses for it. I control my weber smoky mountain smoker, my small toaster oven for powder coating, my old RCBS lead pot and even my bench soldering iron. Anything that needs precise temperature control.
 
While I think the PID controller is a great idea I have neither the time nor expertise to build one myself. Does anyone have any recommendations for a commercially manufactured one that can be easily hooked up to a Lee Pro 4 20 pound pot. There seem to be lots available on Amazon, etc. but with my limited knowledge of electronics they all seem the same.
 
ted_dent said:
While I think the PID controller is a great idea I have neither the time nor expertise to build one myself. Does anyone have any recommendations for a commercially manufactured one that can be easily hooked up to a Lee Pro 4 20 pound pot. There seem to be lots available on Amazon, etc. but with my limited knowledge of electronics they all seem the same.
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I can give you a BOM. If you buy the stuff I can put it together for you.
 
 
I just gutted an old power supply and used it as the encloser and most of the power plugs and wiring and fuse holder also.
 
I would save the space and not bother with the heat sink. The metal case is more than enough, and honestly, for the equipment used in reloading it's not needed. The SSR is rated for 40 Amps at 220 Volts. That's 8800 Watts of power. The most a regular household breaker is rated at is 15 Amps and Canadian household voltage is 110 Volts. That's a maximum of 1650 Watts. Most pots are designed to reach only 1000 Watts.

I have two PIDs that I put together and have done eight hour casting marathons and the SSR don't even get warm.
 
Save the space????? LOL.

What are you going to do with the extra 5/8"? Build a small cabin?

I use the pid controllers for all sorts of applications. Heat sinks are one of those " better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it"

With electronics the cooler ypu keep things the better.
 
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