Heating Chamber Vac

[TwisTer46290]

Hello out there!
I'm looking for a couple of suggestions on what the best way is to heat my vacuum chamber? It's a 10.5 diameter, stainless steel Glass Vac. Currently I'm using a skillet with sand and would like to upgrade. I'm looking into a hot plate but struggling to find one with the temp ranges I'd like.
All suggestions are much appreciated!
Thank you

 

[DemonTrich]

I used a 3gal chamber from BVV. Its basilclly a stock pot, 1" plexiglas or lexan lid, gasket, and vac rail with gauge. I bought the heat pad that stuck to the bottom of the stock pot. Worked great. 500w pid controller came with it. Check out best value vacs site.

 

[TwisTer46290]

I used a 3gal chamber from BVV. Its basilclly a stock pot, 1" plexiglas or lexan lid, gasket, and vac rail with gauge. I bought the heat pad that stuck to the bottom of the stock pot. Worked great. 500w pid controller came with it. Check out best value vacs site.

I saw those, they even have the ones that you insert your chamber into. I just feel that $100 + is a little much for what it is. My thought, I guess, is a good hot plate is more universal, but there maybe a decent amount of wasted wattage with a heat plate.

 

[Graywolf]

We use a silicone heat mat with Type K thermocouple and a PID controller to heat our DIY chamber. Hot plates with finite controls at the low end typically are premium priced.

Most hot plates don't have the close control of temperatures in the range that we operate, but the CAT Scientific hot plate that we tested definitely does. Here is a picture of mine along side our original Thermodyne, which isn't controllable in that range.