Does anyone know this temp controller ?

[Meerkat]

I am building my own kiln and with the help of a freind that is an electronics geek he is helping me hook up a digital controller to relays and such and build it into a nice little box.

So I lookd on ebay and there were a lot of digial temp controllers for around $25 to $35.

I bid on and won one that comes with a themocouple for $35 USD, is fully programmable and has all my needs.

Here it is:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=010&item=200002001051

I however have not paid for it yet, not because I am waffling on the deal, I really want it and want it asap so I can finish my kiln. But before I bought it, I sent two emails to the seller asking for the manufactuer and model number so I could get the manual for it, and never got a reply. I checked on ebay and the seller has nothing but positive feedback and several hundred of them too, so I figure its not shady, and I really wanted this (especially at this price), so I went ahead and bought it. Since winning the item, I have sent two more emails asking if it comes with a manual or at least who the manufacturer/model is and still no reply (its been several days).

So if anyone knows this controller and knows where i can find the manual or if someone can tell me that controllers like these are pretty easy to figure out or use a standard way of programming in soak/ramp times and such... then I will simply pay for it and have it shipped.

I just dont want to pay the money and then find out I have a useless piece of electronics.

[LTD]

According to the specs it should work fine. K thermo couple, up to 2300 degrees...... I looked up the vtc number and all I came up with was rc parts?

[Swampy]

Take a look at the specifications where it says;

Operating Temperature 32 - 120 deg F / 0 - 50 Deg C.

Also this thread;

http://www.thegldg.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6331

Don't forget that if you decide not to pay for the item after winning it in an auction, you are breaking your contractual agreement with eBay and the seller.

Paul

[somewhere]

The good news, sounds like it will work if the description is correct.
The bad news, sounds like finding a manual might be impossible.

All controllers have there own language with a little time you may be able to figure it out.

"Operating Temperature 32 - 120 deg F / 0 - 50 Deg C."
This just refers to the ambient temp the controller is exposed to.

"oh and the thermocouple it comes with... can't take the heat... i head it in a ceramic tube with just the tip threads sticking out.. the whole thing crumbled to just the two little wires... no biggie but still"

sounds like the protective tube couldn't take the heat? The thermocouple is really just two wires. Type K will work fine

[somewhere]

IF it doesn't work out or you want a controller with tec support I highly recommend: http://www.ttiglobal.com/Default.aspx

Give them a call and ask about close out specials. I use al lot of the fuji controllers and although the language is difficult and the guaranteed soak might be an issue for fusers. They are cheap and tecs at tti know them in and out.

Good luck!

[Swampy]

I heard good recommendations about TTI too.

Paul

[Meerkat]

Take a look at the specifications where it says;

Operating Temperature 32 - 120 deg F / 0 - 50 Deg C.

Don't forget that if you decide not to pay for the item after winning it in an auction, you are breaking your contractual agreement with eBay and the seller.

Paul

Thats the operating temp though, the controller will be in its own box seperate from kiln and thus at room temp. The controller can handle -300 to 2300 F.

Also, I am not, not paying for it because I am trying to weasle out of the deal or my contractual obligation, but I am simply not paying *yet* because I am trying to get the seller to reply to my questions, as if this controller doenst have instructions, maybe he has another one for sale that does and I can pay that one instead, also since I am in Australia I have sent him enquiries about shipping methods, but there hasnt been a single reply to any of my emails, which is worrying me that the place is sketchy and that once I get the controller they will be of zero help of how to work it.

[Meerkat]

IF it doesn't work out or you want a controller with tec support I highly recommend: http://www.ttiglobal.com/Default.aspx

Give them a call and ask about close out specials. I use al lot of the fuji controllers and although the language is difficult and the guaranteed soak might be an issue for fusers. They are cheap and tecs at tti know them in and out.

Good luck!

Thanks, I will check them out

[Swampy]

Thats the operating temp though, the controller will be in its own box seperate from kiln and thus at room temp. The controller can handle -300 to 2300 F.

Also, I am not, not paying for it because I am trying to weasle out of the deal or my contractual obligation, but I am simply not paying *yet* because I am trying to get the seller to reply to my questions, as if this controller doenst have instructions, maybe he has another one for sale that does and I can pay that one instead, also since I am in Australia I have sent him enquiries about shipping methods, but there hasnt been a single reply to any of my emails, which is worrying me that the place is sketchy and that once I get the controller they will be of zero help of how to work it.


I like your strategy.

Definately it would be good to establish some kind of contact before carrying out the transaction.

How bout saying 'reply to this message or so I know you're genuine' or something like that.

Sorry I misread the spec, yes it must be the operating environment they are talking about there. It was a new day yesterday but by God it's an old day now... :-)

Good luck with the kiln and stuff, you can do it, just takes a bit of time.

[Meerkat]

Now if I was say buidling the controller into my kiln, it would probably not be good as surely the box would get hotter than the operating temperature.

I am going to take lots of pics and make a web page for others to see how I did it. Basically though its a variation on the mailbox kiln, so I cant claim total originality. Its actually pretty fun to build and I am jazzed about making my own kiln and other tools. I just made marble tweezers out of some heay guage steel wire too. Their not pretty, but they work, no more marbles slipping out of my regular tweezers and hitting the floor or worse yet bouncing off the bench and into my chest !

[Swampy]

Have you managed to make contact with anyone else in Oz and find out what they do?

I just put an enquiry on Craftweb for you about sourcing materials over there, if anyone replies I'll send them your way okay. Apparently they now have running water and letricity in some places :-)

I could do with some of your tweezers, good idea, I'm gonna recycle some bead mandrels. Good luck with the kiln.