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Vacuum Chamber Heating Options

N

Nme2Me

New member
I know everyone has there own tech for making oil.

For purging I use a cheap griddle that isn't very practical to heat up the vacuum chamber. I don't like the chamber getting any hotter than 110 degrees so I sit there with the candy thermometer and ir temp gun constantly adjusting the temperature of the griddle.

I have read a few posts about using a reptile heating mat, I went to petsmart to get one but the package states that the max temp is 100 degrees. Is there a way to modify it?

I would like a better option to heat my chamber, any suggestions would be great.

Thank You
 
N

Nme2Me

New member
Hi SkyHighler I was hoping you would chime in. I searched for that post and had no luck.

Where did you place the probe exactly? Are you comfortable leaving the house with it on? I'm kinda just curious how much you monitor your chamber. Thanks for your help
 
SkyHighLer

SkyHighLer

Got me a stone bad Mana
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Top to bottom, stock pot vacuum chamber > heat mat > sensor > insulation > kitchen counter. The sensor must be in firm contact with the heat mat, and the heat mat must be in full, firm contact with the stock pot, not enough insulation and the kitchen counter will soak up the heat.

I only vacuum for an hour or so, and the temperature remains stable. Once the sides of the can and the lid warm up fully, the temperature of the bottom should be stable, unless the ambient temperature drastically changes.

There is one step further that would make for precise control, attach an IR temperature sensor on the inside of the stock pot wall pointed at the center of the oil. You'd need to drill a hole in the wall for the cable, and seal the gap with RTV and/or epoxy. The sensors are a couple of hundred dollars... http://www.omega.com/subsection/infrared-thermocouples.html
 
Kushed_

Kushed_

Member
Hydrofarm seedling with digital controller 68-108 degrees. We use a 4' mat with 2 chambers at 100 degrees, but sometimes run it a little higher.
 
N

nakadashi

Member
SkyHighLer said:
Top to bottom, stock pot vacuum chamber > heat mat > sensor > insulation > kitchen counter. The sensor must be in firm contact with the heat mat, and the heat mat must be in full, firm contact with the stock pot, not enough insulation and the kitchen counter will soak up the heat.

I only vacuum for an hour or so, and the temperature remains stable. Once the sides of the can and the lid warm up fully, the temperature of the bottom should be stable, unless the ambient temperature drastically changes.

There is one step further that would make for precise control, attach an IR temperature sensor on the inside of the stock pot wall pointed at the center of the oil. You'd need to drill a hole in the wall for the cable, and seal the gap with RTV and/or epoxy. The sensors are a couple of hundred dollars... http://www.omega.com/subsection/infrared-thermocouples.html
Click to expand...
I like this idea the best (of the IR sensor pointed right at the oil). Why have we not seen anybody ever do this?!
 
UNREGISTRD

UNREGISTRD

Active member
Kushed_ said:
Hydrofarm seedling with digital controller 68-108 degrees. We use a 4' mat with 2 chambers at 100 degrees, but sometimes run it a little higher.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a great inexpesive way..^^^ Might have to give that a shot.. I like putting equipment back to use when its not being used..

Do u ever see it going over 108??
 
N

Nme2Me

New member
I have a hydrofarm mat I didn't even think to use. I ordered a controller for it today. When I get it I'll have to post my results.

I do like SkyHighler's method but the controller was only 35$ for the hydrofarm seedling mat
 
SkyHighLer

SkyHighLer

Got me a stone bad Mana
ICMag Donor
Veteran
UNREGISTRD said:
NIce little setup there..^^ I like that fancy thermo too.. How come your using two of those mats? is it just to get hotter faster?
Click to expand...

Thanks, with one Flex Watt mat the maximum temperature I can get the oil to is about 100-105F, with two stacked as shown the maximum is about 125F. It takes a good forty-five minutes for the stock pot to come up to temperature using either one or two mats. The silicone heat mats will bring the stock pot up to temperature in 5-10 minutes.
 
UNREGISTRD

UNREGISTRD

Active member
SkyHighLer said:
Thanks, with one Flex Watt mat the maximum temperature I can get the oil to is about 100-105F, with two stacked as shown the maximum is about 125F. It takes a good forty-five minutes for the stock pot to come up to temperature using either one or two mats. The silicone heat mats will bring the stock pot up to temperature in 5-10 minutes.
Click to expand...

ya that makes sense..I plugged in a heat mat tonight and been monitoring it and it took 5hours Plus to get even 95F per my laser therm. I think thats a little too long and i need more direct fast heat.
Im thinking i should order a couple of those reptile pads to do my purging to replace my griddles for the initial purge before going into the oven...Theres lots of material to be processed so IM thinking of using the chamber to muffin it off then throw in the oven so Im curious to see if you still prefer that round omega pad with the dork thermo for your chamber or if you have found anything different since..:thank you:
 
Kushed_

Kushed_

Member
You need to be in a warm room and insulate under chamber (if needed). Keep it plugged-in and it will always be warm.
 
SkyHighLer

SkyHighLer

Got me a stone bad Mana
ICMag Donor
Veteran
UNREGISTRD said:
ya that makes sense..I plugged in a heat mat tonight and been monitoring it and it took 5hours Plus to get even 95F per my laser therm. I think thats a little too long and i need more direct fast heat.
Im thinking i should order a couple of those reptile pads to do my purging to replace my griddles for the initial purge before going into the oven...Theres lots of material to be processed so IM thinking of using the chamber to muffin it off then throw in the oven so Im curious to see if you still prefer that round omega pad with the dork thermo for your chamber or if you have found anything different since..:thank you:
Click to expand...

I'm using the round Omega under the vacuum chamber still, but switched out the Dorkfood DSV temperature controller for a DIY PID controller with solid state relay. The Dorkfood DSV gets the job done, the unlocked, programmable PID controller gets it done with more finesse...I suggest the Dorkfood DSV, and then when you've got time, experiment with putting together your own DIY PID controller.

DIY PID,

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showpost.php?p=5935324&postcount=152


You might want to try a dimmer to control the mat(s) first, before shelling out the big bucks for a temperature controller. I put another together yesterday using the cheapest twist on/off (rather than push on/off) style single pole rotary wall dimmer I could find and a fancy electrical box. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003AUI374/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 

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L

LiquidJunglist

New member
SkyHighLer said:
I'm using the round Omega under the vacuum chamber still, but switched out the Dorkfood DSV temperature controller for a DIY PID controller with solid state relay. The Dorkfood DSV gets the job done, the unlocked, programmable PID controller gets it done with more finesse...I suggest the Dorkfood DSV, and then when you've got time, experiment with putting together your own DIY PID controller.

DIY PID,

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showpost.php?p=5935324&postcount=152


You might want to try a dimmer to control the mat(s) first, before shelling out the big bucks for a temperature controller. I put another together yesterday using the cheapest twist on/off (rather than push on/off) style single pole rotary wall dimmer I could find and a fancy electrical box. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003AUI374/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Click to expand...

Do you have a diagram on how to wire that DIY PID temperature controller? I am about to make my own enail and after that wanted to make one of these. I'm familiar with the brand of pid you used thanks.
 
SkyHighLer

SkyHighLer

Got me a stone bad Mana
ICMag Donor
Veteran
L

LiquidJunglist

New member
So you have to program the PT100 before installing right? I've heard if you wire a J type to K settings in huge PID it will blow the Coils didn't know if this was the same.

I'm going to get mine from a dealer in China or a coil from a persons I know on Instagram. I know I know, buy American and Be American. But it's hard find someone to sell 1. You have a IG? The use is kansanchronic on Instagram. I think there flat coils to so if you have a Infiniti Nail it's going to be money. $75 I think pre order I'm about to hit it just have to get the money to him. J Type coils. So it should be easy for you being a Auber PID user you good.

Let me know brother. Thanks again.
 
SkyHighLer

SkyHighLer

Got me a stone bad Mana
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Oil Coil store still has some coils in stock, some good info to be gleaned concerning putting a setup together yourself, no matter where you buy the components.
http://www.oil-coil.com
http://www.oil-coil.com/faq/
http://www.oil-coil.com/support/

Seems to me they're saying to never power up the coil without a nail in place, and that the coil's running at near maximum temperature, so don't auto-calibrate the PID controller at normal temperature, as the deliberate overshoot of the controller (to find the rate of heating/cooling) is enough to burn out the heater. Should be simple enough to run the auto-calibration at a lower temperature and then dial it up for use. Once you run the auto-calibration you'll have seen how high your PID controller overshoots during auto-cal and can then do an auto-cal much closer to your normal operating temperature.
 
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