Heater elements - what's out there?

[crandall crank]

I've used a cartridge heater, but in DC voltage. Typically the type used in 3D printers. As a power source, I re-use a laptop computer charger/convertor. Both the heater and the charger are 24vdc. If needed, the charger may be plugged into my PID.

Best thing is the heaters are only $10 for 5 of them. Computer charger was a salvage from work and the PID was already built.

The cartridge heater is inserted into a 1" thick aluminum plate, which is under the lube sizer.

[Mal Paso]

Wasn't aware of cartridge heaters..if I knew the wattage of a Lyman heater could just buy one.

20 Watts at 120 volts. I don't have it now but I think it was 3/8 in diameter.

[jsizemore]

I've got a 1" aluminum plate under my 2 sizers. I have a PID with a SSR output of 120V AC. That's hooked to a 30 watt 120V cartridge heater. I drilled a hole for the cartridge on the right side so it extends under the sizer. The thermocouple is one of those button types and seats in a drilled and taped hole on the left side of the plate. If I'm slow to preheat, I'll hit the lube pressure chamber with the hair dryer.

[AZ Pete]

Yesterday's reply went missing. I think this cup warmer would work well. Make a base of plywood with a recess to hold the warmer against the base of the lube-sizer with some heat transfer paste to ensure good contact.

I had one of these, surplus from my desk at work when I retired. I took the plastic off, and put it between a couple of pieces of aluminum plate. I did route out a recess for it. It heats my 450 just fine. I think the original purchase was less than $5 at a Walgreens sale.

[Land Owner]

I modified a cheap 1.9W x 120V x 60 Hz Glade Plugin Air Freshener with Warmer and coupled it to a magnet with JB Weld that is suitable to produce heat (temperature gradient) for continued use night and day sufficient to keep bees wax based lube running smooth.

[Mr_Sheesh]

I've heard of a lot of 3d printer cartridge heaters going kaput, so I would suggest not pushing them if you use one i.e. if it's a 12V cartridge, don't run it at 16V or the like. A little better would be to run more than one, at reduced voltage, to give redundancy and more lifespan. Say 10-11V for 12V cartridges.

I am not sure if it was the experiments they were doing, or the cartridges themselves being the cheapest junk they could find, to be honest, but - if you buy cheap ones you could have the same issue. (Or if you're using it at higher than specified voltage in a chemical reaction area, with the fumes destroying it slowly; one of these guys is into making his own chemicals for his farm and he does some fun if bizarre stuff.)

[8shot]

I've heard of a lot of 3d printer cartridge heaters going kaput, so I would suggest not pushing them if you use one i.e. if it's a 12V cartridge, don't run it at 16V or the like. A little better would be to run more than one, at reduced voltage, to give redundancy and more lifespan. Say 10-11V for 12V cartridges.

I am not sure if it was the experiments they were doing, or the cartridges themselves being the cheapest junk they could find, to be honest, but - if you buy cheap ones you could have the same issue. (Or if you're using it at higher than specified voltage in a chemical reaction area, with the fumes destroying it slowly; one of these guys is into making his own chemicals for his farm and he does some fun if bizarre stuff.)

Good points...I have recently read that proper fitting of the cartridge heater is important...they have to be snug to properly transfer the heat before burning themselves out. As a result of this (learning) topic I have ordered the hardware to make my own lube heater and look forward to assembly. I bought brand name parts.

[BNE]

Attachment 279504

I'm not proud of it but it works great.

Slim

That is excellent! I love the simplicity.
BNE.

[8shot]

From info gathered from this post I made a lube heater and casting sizing bench. Had a piece of 1/2" aluminum plate in my scrap pile, bought a Hotwatt 40 watt catridge heater, and after some drilling/milling have it mounted to my new rolling bench. Used a fireplace electric fan control...after 20 minutes the base plate is at 80F with controller fully open. Don't have the lube sizer dies yet so not sure what temp it will level out as, will calibrate when I actually start sizing.

Both the lead furnace and sizer power cords feed from the bottom. Used a piece of 1/2" grey schedule 40 conduit (flared end) to close the gap on the bottom of the Star lube sizer which guides the sized bullets into the pan below deck.

Learned that the 3/8" 40 watt cartridge heater is manufactured so that the hole from a standard 3/8" drill bit will leave the correct sizing tolerances, the catridge heater fit snugly as intended.

[Brassmonkey]

I have a 1000watt heating element from a fancy front load washer I can send ya for shipping cost. It's 110v and way overkill but would work if you cut a slot in the plate for it. It's 2"x6" roughly. You would need temperature control.

[Brassmonkey]

I modified a cheap 1.9W x 120V x 60 Hz Glade Plugin Air Freshener with Warmer and coupled it to a magnet with JB Weld that is suitable to produce heat (temperature gradient) for continued use night and day sufficient to keep bees wax based lube running smooth.

That's neat, I tried using one of them to keep my coffee warm, I had Terrible thermal transfer so didn't work so well

[Land Owner]

Yes, so I am finding out. The little 1.9W heating element gets plenty hot, but transferring that heat from its flat face to the round surface of the lube-sizer (across a line rather than a surface) as well as the significantly large mass of loading bench (heat sink), aluminum plate (Rock Dock), cast steel (lube-sizer), and wax to be heated in a temperature controlled (AC) environment of 76*F has turned out to be problematic.

I can create a small, local, thermal gradient in the lube-sizer around the die. As I use the sizer, the thermal gradient does not last, nor does it reach the "cold" lube in the barrel of the sizer. I'm working on the concept. It has potential, but is not yet ready for Prime Time...

If I can get it to transfer heat better and more efficiently, a 1.9W heater left on 24hr/day is significantly less energy over a month than a steam iron produces over the period of its use. I may go back to using a 40W light bulb under a towel for 20 minutes. That heat source worked real well.

[Mike W1]

Here's a pix of the innards of the old Midway Heater. I don't see any markings on the element but it measures about 11" in length and the outer diameter is about 1/4". Still works fine but I'd like to know the easiest place to find a spare element for it. Suppose with out knowing any more specs than that it might not be easy. Element Ohms are 117.

[jim147]

Diameter of the round part and wattage?

[pastera]

I've heard of a lot of 3d printer cartridge heaters going kaput, so I would suggest not pushing them if you use one i.e. if it's a 12V cartridge, don't run it at 16V or the like. A little better would be to run more than one, at reduced voltage, to give redundancy and more lifespan. Say 10-11V for 12V cartridges.

I am not sure if it was the experiments they were doing, or the cartridges themselves being the cheapest junk they could find, to be honest, but - if you buy cheap ones you could have the same issue. (Or if you're using it at higher than specified voltage in a chemical reaction area, with the fumes destroying it slowly; one of these guys is into making his own chemicals for his farm and he does some fun if bizarre stuff.)

A big part of the 3d printer issue is the controller fails heater on so the thing overheats and flames out.