Fixing up an old kiln with PID control!

[@windsurfer3329]

Good video. I separated my electronics from the kiln by a 1" thick ceramic blanket acting as a thermal insulator. All cables inside the electronics box had flexible ceramic insulation because you have high temps all around the kiln close to 400-500F. I also had a fan that forced cool air into the box. Good luck!

[@JunctionRunner]

Yeah, that's definitely on my list, I have some thin fiberglass insulation to add in that I'm hoping will help but not sure how much it will, the thermocouple on the back of the box gets uncomfortably warm even if it's in spec still.

[@unionse7en]

@@JunctionRunner yep that SSR will probably actually be heated by the enclosure to a temp warmer than if it wasn't paired to the enclosure. Could have mounted it on the side of the enclosure, but still I think isolate the encloaure (ceramic stand off's -bushings so less thermal bridge to the stainless skin and also stuff some rockwall behind it. Tidy enclosure construction, good job! Btw , what is the "new" whiter looking firebrick very close to the heating coils? Is that a repair method ? Seems useful.

[@crackerbaythundercats5095]

I enjoyed all the F-bombs. I'm gonna convert a similar kiln in a similar manner. Thanks for making the vid.

[@tireballastserviceofflorid7771]

When assembling anything made from sheet metal. Always use the caleco temporary rivets. They are used in aircraft biluilding. It allows you to assemble the whole thing before any permanent rivets are set.

[@wonderwond]

ok still new to all this, but my kiln is an old skutt kiln type k,, im confused as to how you connected the PID controller to the original wiring and its controlled by which the pid or the sitter? you have both connected ,oh wait you bypassed it but didn't take it out, gotcha , some people used the same sitter hole for the thermocouple and do you have the parts list anywhere ?

[@JunctionRunner]

Video was too long but wanted to mention, that paint I used did get a little weird in terms of blockages near the end, mixing it often and keeping it nice and warm is definitely important so that the bits inside of it that give it the hammertone texture don't block up the straw. It cause some struggles but luckily those were on the inside of the two original boxes, so you can't see the extra thick paint drips. All in all the paint does an amazing job of hiding defects though.

[@tireballastserviceofflorid7771]

In your house you have what is called split phase also known as single phase. 110/220. Each 110 wire is referred to as a legg not a phase. 3 phase is generally industrial and each pase is called a phase. It's called split phase or single phase because it takes 1 phase of a 3 phase and splits it in to two. The heat sink grease must be applied in a thin even coat all over the the sink side. If you don't you create hot spots with in the SSR dramatically shortening it's life even in modest settings. Also that case it almost surely not enough sink area for much more than 5 to 8 amps max. You can buy sinks cheap. Sandwich it through the case to bare betal and heat sink grease on both sides. SSRs are awesome devices thay do crazy stuff. But they are very fragile and must have enough sink or they smoke fast. I have replaced hundreds and hundreds ot them used in welding robots, welder, and wire feeders. Also used them in the find industry for heating elements on packaging equipment and tank heaters.