Replacing a panel in my conveyor

[Frog]

So far I've ghetto rigged it as, A. I bought the wrong nuts for the bolts that I had (genius, I know) and B. I couldn't find high temp ring terminals yet.

If you have no local outlets, they should be available from  Grainger, or here they are at McMasterCarr. http://www.mcmaster.com/#high-temperature-terminals/=e28s0l

[Gilligan]

Thanks... I might pop into Grainger today.

[Gilligan]

GRRRRR!!!

So last night while I was printing a few shirts apparently my first panel went out (the last original one and the one with the temp probe in it).  So now I have no clue if those shirts got fully cured.

I run them back through and slow the dryer WAY down and open the side to see when they start smoking... well they smoked alright... Scorched the F out of that first little shirt... cranked the rest way up then ran them back through again and THINK I got them cured.

So... now how does that temp probe go?  Should I try to put it back in the INSIDE of the replacement panel or should/could I place it somewhere else in the dryer and let it measure "tunnel temp"?

I guess I should probably just pull it and see if I can fix it like the other one.  Still unsure of how to "weld" that part of the element back together on the one I broke at the bend/joint (haven't REALLY looked at it).

[JBLUE]

Pics would help. Post up some pics of the broken stuff.

[Gilligan]

Pics would help. Post up some pics of the broken stuff.

Soon as I get home I will take some.

I must have put a decimal point in the wrong place
or something. crap. I always do that. I always mess up some mundane
detail.

[Gilligan]

Long over due pics.

1st pic is the temp probe of the first panel and the hole that it went in.  It had a glass tube inside it (part of it is sitting on the side.)  The other 3rd panel that is also dead has the same hole.  I could easily pull either one and see about repairing them at this point.

2nd print is the element ends.  First problem was easy screw on the end had rusted and broken off.  Then I pulled a little too hard on the element ends and broke off the piece that went down into the panel.

The final pic is a close up of where the element I guess was "welded" to the rest of the element in the panel.

Any clue as the best way to get to and marry the two parts back together?

[Gilligan]

Also I have forced air in the dryer.  Should I be using that even though I'm using plastisol ink?

[Gilligan]

Bump

I just pulled apart the other two bad panels.  Both broken in the same fashion.

I probably can pass a bolt through the element on one for sure and use a high temp ring terminal.  But what can I do if that doesn't hold.  I there is better metal further up but I'm not sure about drilling another hole.  It will just weaken it.  Anyway to fuse to it or clamp to it?

And what about my temp probe?  Where should I put it... back inside the element once I fix it?  Or should I put it somewhere in the cabinet under the element?

[Frog]

It will probably never be as good a connection as the original spot weld, but perhaps you can make a clamp out of stainless fender washers and a small machine screw and nut.

Thing is, if the connection is at all dirty or tarnished or corroded, it exacerbates the problem because of the increased resistance and resulting heat, and it will fail again. So clean, clean, clean!

[Gilligan]

That is my concern with the main connections and where they failed.  They were just bolts and ring terminals.... and now they are very crusty.

[Gilligan]

Ok... got some parts to attempt to repair the panels in my dryer.

Back to the pressing question.  Do I put the temp probe back in the panel itself or do I rig it up outside the panel in the tunnel?

Under the panel?  How far away blah blah blah?

[ebscreen]

Any probe location and you'll have to learn what settings work for total cure anyways. Many
manufacturers go with panel temp, and I'd assume there's a reason for it.

You should use forced air for plastisol. I really think it helps with an even cure and no scorching.

[Gilligan]

Sounds like a plan!  Thanks for the answers!

I also bought a cheap oven gauge to stick up in there that I can check with a flash light or run through it at times... 4 bucks fun to play with.

[Gilligan]

Got all three panels in there!

36 amps of heat now!!