hotplate problems

[pickler]

Swim has a corning pc351 hotplate/stirrer that has went all crazy. The problem is with the heating element of thew hotplate. It heats up fine, but the temp control doesn't seem to work anymore. If swim puts it on low, it will heat up to max temp like swim put it on high. Is there anyway to fix this or is it a total loss?

[Bandil]

Its probably the heat sensor thats blown. Its usually the part to go first. Unless you can identify it and replace it i dont think you can solve it elegantly.

Alternately you could bee a wiseass and connect an external thermosensor to a relay, which you then connect to the hotplate which is set on max at all times. The thermosensor could be dipped in the solvents during the reactions(if possible). If you can get some apparatus cabable of doing integral thermoregulation you have a device that able to regulate your temperature way more accurate than any commercial hotplate!

If you need more help just write...

Regards
Bandil

[jstcloud9]

Sounds like your thermostat melted or shorted inside and all the current has bipassed the switch that is controlling it. You could just buy one off the internet to replace it for cheap, unless it's digital (that would cost you).

[pickler]

Swim said the hell with it and bought a nice new digital one. Oohhh, sooo pretty!!!!