Using resistor wire as a heater.

[pjl83]

Hi All.

 

Does anybody know anything about using resistor wire as a heater element?

 

I will do my best to explain what I am thinking and then hopefully my question will make sense

 

If I had an area of tubular metal (such as a hand held whisk, just an example for size/shape) and I wanted to make it "heated" I would wrap resistor wire around it (approx. 1 mtr in total) and then connect an electrical supply to it. what kind of voltage/wire size would I need to achieve around 60 degrees c?

 

would this knid of wire work - http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?moduleno=2196

 

if this question makes no sense then please say and I will try my best to explain another way

 

Thanks

Paul

[Externet]

Hello.

Resistive wire is what you want; as the one in your bread toaster, the one that glows red.

Wrapping the tubular handle with a heat conducting - electricity insulator material and a few turns of the wire will warm thing up. Such wire is also used in hair dryers, electric blankets...

 

Depending if you want to warm up your hand or the stirrer, place some thermal insulation accordingly. Apply only the needed voltage to obtain the desired temperature depending on how long/thick is the wire.

 

I do not think that wire is the proper one. Nichrome is preferred for your application.

Miguel

[cameron marical]

long coiled resistor wire=heater.

[swansont]

V=IR gives you the characteristics of the circuit. P=IV tells you the power you will dissipate. You can estimate the temperature using the Stefan-Boltzmann law, assuming the heat loss is in the form of radiation.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stefan–Boltzmann_law

 

EDIT: S-B law won't work for a a liquid, since there will be significant conductive losses

Edited August 17, 2009 by swansont

[pjl83]

thanks for the replies guys,

 

so would I be able to stir liquid with a whisk wrapped in this type of wire? and am I right in thinking that the wire would need to be a comtinual length with no 2 parts touching along the length?

 

basically I am looking at heating liquid via a "whisk" such as I have described by slowly turning it through the liquid. if anybody else has any other ideas then I would be more than happy to hear them.

 

Thanks

Paul

[insane_alien]

well you could insulate the wires with another material(probably a ceramic) so that touching wires is not an issue.

[pjl83]

yeah good idea.

 

at the risk of going off topic slightly (sorry mods. please advise me of the correct forum to place this if i am straying too much) is ceramic coating something that can be done at home?