[Shop-talk] Is there an electrical engineer in the house?

[Brian Kennedy]

Scott, F or C? F would be easier. Temperature control range? If you only need
a few degrees, a simple bi-metallic thermal switch in series with the AC line
should do. Here's a Digikey link,
http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/67F100/723-1181-ND/1631948 for one of
many.

Or even easier, go to digikey.com and call them. I've found them to be very
helpful. I think you can find a heating element with internal temperature
control that will do what you want.

Good luck.

Brian K.




On Apr 11, 2013, at 8:35 PM, Scott wrote:

> Yeah, I've looked at food warmers (and cookers), those are the principle I
want to copy. That or an electric blanket.
>
> So I guess I could ask the question: I want to make my own miniature
electric blanket from wire (I don't want to buy something and cut it down), I
want to keep it at a constant temperature, and I want to permanently affix it
to a small plate of aluminum.
>
> Can anyone give me primer on how to do such a thing? What gauge wire to use,
should I weave it in a mat, and what sort of switches and thermostats should I
use?
>
> Or should I just hunt down an EE textbook and start reading?
>
> Thanks.
>
> On 4/11/2013 11:27 PM, skip albright wrote:
>>
>> a lot of fields, not to many concrete plans...
>>
>>
>> restaurant supply co
>>
>>
>> greenhouse supply co
>>
>>
>> they wont have the parts, but you can get ideas on how they keep things
warm
>>
>>
>> maybe lab supply companies?
>>
>>
>> how does a crockpot work?
>>
>>
>> we used to sell stick on,  oil pan engine warmers, might be some help in
that field.
>>
>>
>> Skip
>>
>>
>> On 4/11/2013 10:58 PM, Scott wrote:
>>> I would like to build several warmer 'pots' for SWMBO.
>>>
>>> They'll be made from 1/8 inch aluminum sheet, and they'll about 3x6x3
inches each. They'll have a lid, so they're more like boxes, I suppose.
>>>
>>> They'll be used to keep fluid warmed to about 100 degrees.
>>>
>>> I'd like to use an electric heating element with a thermostat permanently
set to that temperature, and it could go on the exterior bottom surface of the
box.
>>>
>>> The only thing I don't know how to do is the wire grid and thermostat,
switches, etc. What should I use to attach the wire to the box, that sort of
thing.
>>>
>>> EE1101 was a long time ago, so I thought I'd ask you guys. Is this
something that can be done? I don't mind if it takes a fair amount of work, I
want these to be nice, and lasting. I just don't know where to start looking
for the stuff, what to Google, etc.
>>>
>>> Thanks.
>>>
>>> Scott