Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Using the Glass-col thermocouple

SWIM - 14-11-2021 at 16:53

Almost every Glass-col mantle I have has an Iron Constantan wire sticking out of it.
I always just run my mantles off a voltage controller, but it would be nice to have the option of thermostatic control.

However when it comes to electronics I'm just a primitive screwhead who doesn't understand stuff with alloys and compositions and molecular structures.

So here's the question: will any old J-type thermostatic controller be suitable for hooking up to that Iron Constantan wire as long as it can handle the mantle's voltage and current?

Edit: Crap, this really ought to be in the short questions thread.
Feel free to move it

Edit: I'm thinking this would be a good way to avoid overheating mantles during dry distillations and other very high temperature reactions.

[Edited on 15-11-2021 by SWIM]

[Edited on 15-11-2021 by SWIM]

macckone - 15-11-2021 at 11:08

put a K-type thermocouple inside the mantle and use a PID controller.
you can pick up a cheap set with SSR on amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-Temperature-Controller-Voltag...



[Edited on 15-11-2021 by macckone]

monolithic - 15-11-2021 at 13:19

Quote: Originally posted by SWIM  
Almost every Glass-col mantle I have has an Iron Constantan wire sticking out of it.
I always just run my mantles off a voltage controller, but it would be nice to have the option of thermostatic control.

However when it comes to electronics I'm just a primitive screwhead who doesn't understand stuff with alloys and compositions and molecular structures.

So here's the question: will any old J-type thermostatic controller be suitable for hooking up to that Iron Constantan wire as long as it can handle the mantle's voltage and current?

Edit: Crap, this really ought to be in the short questions thread.
Feel free to move it

Edit: I'm thinking this would be a good way to avoid overheating mantles during dry distillations and other very high temperature reactions.

[Edited on 15-11-2021 by SWIM]

[Edited on 15-11-2021 by SWIM]


I'd have to see what kind of a controller you're using, but I believe most of the time those outputs are meant to drive a relay (solid state or mechanical relay) and not the load itself.

S.C. Wack - 15-11-2021 at 16:25

...this is what happens when you ask if you can hook up type J output to type J input.

SWIM - 16-11-2021 at 10:04

Message received.

Thanks S.C. Wack.

Sometimes a word is worth a thousand words.

karlos³ - 16-11-2021 at 14:59

Quote: Originally posted by SWIM  

Sometimes a word is worth a thousand words.

Sometimes 1=1000?
Weird....
That does not sound logical :P

Sorry for the OT I couldn't resist, and yes I feel ashamed for it :P

S.C. Wack - 16-11-2021 at 15:55

What would be of value (the valuable value) and not in words is the display of the current temperature.

Whether thermocouple control will prevent overheating at high temperature is unclear; obviously the mantle will be running full blast when on.

One may find that their benchtop controller or standalone PID accepts different thermocouple types, or not.

SWIM - 16-11-2021 at 20:51

I was figuring on running the output through a Variac or a rheostat to control the heating rate.

I'm mostly interested in this thermocouple in the mantle as insurance against ruining mantles or flasks.

Setting it just below the maximum rated temperature for the mantle when I'm going for high temperatures or heating something that transmits heat poorly like a flask full of powder.

I see what you mean about some modern controllers being able to handle All kinds of signals.

I could use that with my K-type thermocouple probes as well (Just been using those as high temperature thermometers so far.)

I was figuring on getting something with that pre-1970s retro look but it looks like the advantages of something from this century are more important than style in this case.

Something with a current temperature readout.

S.C. Wack - 17-11-2021 at 15:08

Anything that one connects a thermocouple to should display the room temperature, if the thermocouple is correct. A decent controller will have a ramping function available already.