You need a glass thermo well.
Yeah buddy! Make sure to measure it to get the right length. Beware of your stirrer striking it and breaking it. I’m sure your o ring seal on your thermocouple was a pretty good vaccum leak. It helps to put some oil in the well to conduct heat better to the probe.
Vacuum check: (welch duoseal fresh oil change)
No system: 20 micron. I think I need to add hose clamps.
empty system: 550 micron. obvious leaks.
Besides hose clamps, the thermo probes are an obvious weak point. In fact the one in the head is “frozen”.
I love the idea of the glass thermowell, but I do not understand how it will compensate for the short probe.
Thank you for all your help!!!
My DIY Chinese digital mantle kicks your Chinese mantle’s ass.
One has a common PID controller with adjustable parameters + adjustable power output knob to the heating wires, as well as a K-type thermocouple connection meaning easy & cheap wide range of replacements instead of the bullshit proprietary or otherwise hard to find.
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Nice hardware hack. 
cheap PIDs are awesome tools. @Beaker can tell you how they work. I just like to have them around to give shits & giggles something to keep them off the street.
I have a few Auber ramp/soak controllers with SESTOS (before it became INKBIRD) cycle timers as well, built into a Wiegmanm steel box. PITA to use vs standard PID unless you need the ramp/soak feature, and costs like 5x as much for the controller
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This is the Auber ramp/soak flavor, model # SYL-something. 2xxx IIRC.
I have another almost identical one with the cycle timer branded “INKBIRD” on the faceplate but otherwise identical.
And the regular cheap PID:
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I have lots of Frankenstein stuff like that! Good memories. …and pid’s…
Update:
I got a 40cm thermo probe from open source for $20. Works great. Fixed my vacuum issue with some hose clamps, and now i’m pulling pale piss at 198c. THANKS FOR YOU HELP @cyclopath @Soxhlet and everyone else!!
Awesome bro!
I just tried out putting the probe between the bf and mantle. Took a second to get used to reading the temps differently. Mantle was at 250c when i ended with vapor temps at 195. Still got a lot of burnt material in the flask, so the temps did the same thing. Mantle still overheats.
Your vapor temp will always be lower than the heat supplyed by the mantle. Perhaps you are ramping up too quick? 195 c is pretty high for the main body fraction. Either your pump isn’t up to snuff, there is a leak, or the volitlies haven’t been fully removed before hitting the main body. Keep in mind your success in achieving a deep vaccum hinges upon the vapor pressure your boiling compound is generating. Generally I see the vaccum improve once my vapor temp climbs above 140c . I back the mantle down at this point because of the increased vaccum. Then I creep back up into the cannabinoids and make my fraction cut.
Most probably. I was stuck trying to get vapor temps up to 155. Had the mantle at 205c, vapor was at 95c. Nothing happened, then at around 2 hours in i upped the temps to 215-220 and then vapor went up to 187 and i switched flasks. I think I’m def having issues teaching my mantle how to be stable. I either end up with it wobbling between ±5-10 degrees went set temp is hit, or it just drops or over shoots. It’s really frustrating. This run i was trying to see the reflux happen and it did so at 187c vapor. Dropping below that seemed to stop the flow. I was at 600 microns for most of the mains.
I have a question for you using the probe between the mantle and flask. Do you now use single necked boiling flasks? I need some new flasks and I’m undecided where to put the probe, so any input would be appreciated. I would think removing any joints would help improve the vac.
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I had the same problem with the probe that came with a Chinese mantle I just ordered a longer one from amazon has the same 3 pin connection
hey man im having the same issues with the jkem controller and the probe beneath the boiling flask, Im wondering what your solution was: 1. to keep the thermocouple underneath the rbf 2. To get a glass thermowell for the probe. I know im asking for a spoon feeding but I can pay you with an amazon giftcard before you answer. Much appreciated
@cyclopath Did you ever find out how to go from the 4 pin to the type k thermocouple? I have the 4 pin kind and the k type doesn’t read correctly.
My mantle has the 5 pin connector like urs cheap chinese…is there a flat probe I can put between the mantle and probe bc the oss 15" one doesnt work well unless 4-5" under the oil…im running 500ml mantle and bf so I only have 250ml in it
If you are having problems with a mantle that would be expensive to replace I think your best fix would be to disconnect the power out from your PID, purchase a used j-kam temperature controller (they’re fucking awesome) and then the power coming out of the temperature controller hook up to the power going into your mantles heating element.