Temp measurement

[a.ash]

What are you guys using to measure the hot end and heated bed with?

[johnoly99]

Ash, i use a cheap multimeter with a thermocouple i found at walmart. They are about $20 and have proven priceless for 3d orinting.

[Polygonhell]

The only accurate way to measure hotend temperature is a thermocouple.
You can use an IR thermometer on the bed IF it has tape on it, IR thermometers at least the cheap ones read across too much area to give you a reasonable hotend reading.

[jbinion]

Can you post a picture of how you are doing it?
Thanks, Ellen and I are really close. Had to send her to the hardware store for a couple of 10-32 nylon nuts, but we hope to be ready to start experimenting by the weekend.

[a.ash]

In looking for measurement devices I stumbled onto some cheap PID controllers on EBAY. Bought 2 of those instead.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/250984126629?ss ... 1439.l2649

For $17.00 each I thought I would give them a try.

[jbinion]

Hi,
That looks like a 220v input for that one. I have been looking into getting one like that as well. There is a 12v version, but it is twice as much.
jim

[dougmsbbs]

I have a few of those around. They take 110 or 220 volts to run them. The output is separate from the operations voltage, and they switch the 12V heaters just fine.
I just need to get a few more thermocouples for them. Something I just keep forgetting to order...

[jbinion]

Do you wire them to a separate electric input? I know I'm pretty much a nubie on this stuff.

[dougmsbbs]

Power to run the controller hooks up to line in. The relay that controls the heater has different terminals for where you would hook up your 12 volt in and out. Looking at that ones terminal config your 110 volt lines hook up to terminals 2 and 3. The 12 volt + feed coming from your H1's power supply for your heater will go on terminal 5, and output to the heater terminal 6.

So, yeah, it's a separate electric hookup. The temp controller runs on 110 or 220, but it will not supply the 12 volts for the heaters. But you already have the H1's power supply for that, so no worries!

[drkow]

Thermocouple display + sensor, $5 shipped

I use these for engine tuning and they're very reliable.

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/TM-902C-Digital- ... 301wt_1173

Not as accurate as a thermistor with a narrower range but good enough for our purposes.