Lyman Mold Master #61 Thermostat

[Southerngunner]

Can anyone tell me if there is a way to adjust the B200 thermostat that is on a #61 that I just picked up? When I plugged it in yesterday it started to warm up but then stopped . So I removed the thermostat and wired in directly to the heating coil and after being plugged in for 20 minutes there was 1/2 pot of lead melted. I left it plugged in yesterday for an hour and a half and the same lead would not melt with the knob turned all the way up. I am leaning toward ordering a replacement from http://orders.ppe.com/odr/rbpperetail.htm?p-part=B-200, it appears to be identical to what I pulled out. I seem to recall reading in one of the threads about an adjustment being made on the shaft but I haven't been able to find that thread. Any help would be appreciated .

[wv109323]

I think most of the thermostats between Lee and Lymans are a commonly available part.
Some of the units had a screw that increases the tension on the bi-metal strip so that it would react differently.
Those thermostats are not that accurate or reliable or enjoy longevity. The price on your web site seems high. At $27.50 for the thermostat, I would wire up a PID. A PID is more accurate and reliable. You will be doing yourself a favor in the long run.
When you use your thermostat does the element heat up at all. The thermostat relies on the ambient temperature around it(very hot close to the pot) to switch the element on or off. A common failure is the thermostat switches off before the lead is melted.( the pot gets warm but not enough to melt lead). Another thing that happens is the wiring gets loose due to the thermal cycling and loose connections result until the wiring burns up.

[Southerngunner]

The pot heated up enough to meld the lead eventually but it would not keep the temp constant . I did check the wiring and connections as well as the cord . The pot appears to have been refurbished before it was sold but the thermostat looks to original or at least not updated.
I do realize that a PID would be an advantage but I still want to have this furnace work the way it was originally designed

[Jeff Michel]

Your thermostat is toast, has happened to me a couple times. Go to the Bilbee web sight and order it from there. They make many, many styles of B-200 theromstats in many different temperature ranges and all are not adjustable. I found they have the best prices. Make sure you remove the thermostat and measure your stem length before you order, it's longer than you think. Good luck