New Oven Temp Control

[PhredAre]

Just finished building this oven which is a box within a box insulated with rock wool insulation. I used 6000 watts of heating elements and a Robert Shaw oven bulb type cotroller. My concern now is the controller has about a 10% control range. Can I get away with that great of a control range? Thanks.

[autobonifica]

if i understand you correctly...you mean that the temp can fluctuate +/- 10%?


that's an 80* swing. i personally think that's too much

[PhredAre]

Better said would be plus or minus 5% control range. I have checked it at 400 degrees and have a 35 degree swing in temp between off and on. It seems like after a few cycles the swings grow smaller.

[autobonifica]

there should be some settings where you can change that. and it's getting smaller because the controller is trying to figure out how to keep the temp level (cycle rate and time). does your controller have an auto-tuning feature? if so...use it.

i have mine set to a +/- 3* tolerance

[corecoatings]

A temperature swing of 10 degrees is not that critical in an oven environment. As long as your soak time is right.

[sawman]

Not to change the subject but what is the size of your oven


Thanks

[FigureLLC]

i'm just finishing an oven build, and i used a thermostat from a kitchen oven. it looks as though the swing is ~35deg. is there a way to adjust a basic kitchen oven thermostat to get a tighter tolerance?

[PhredAre]

I'm now changing to a PID, K thermocouple and a SSR, Looking forward to a constant temp control with good results in the powder finishs.

[corecoatings]

Pid, Now were talking, . I use mine on auto and after the ovens are to temp They are beautiful. Precision heating.

[PhredAre]

Its amazing, the PID controller is installed along with the SSR, the Temp comes to the setpoint and just stays put. The controller pulses the SSR to maintain the temp within one degree of setpoint. Now I have this old comercial 2 pole 30amp oven controller setting on my bench,anybody know a use for it? Its a bulb type of controller. Its not heavy enough for a boat anchor.