Hello to all! I am new to the forum and would like to ask for some advice.
I work with two stroke model engines and would like to build a heater to pre heat the motor to approximately 200F before starting the motor. Most of my motor wear ocurrs starting these engines cold, and preheating them will double there life.
Design musts:
1) MUST be able to utilize a 12volt power source.
2) I plan on machining a 3" in diameter aluminum sleeve with a 0.050 wall thickness to fit over the aluminum cooling head of the motor. The sleeve will be enclosed on one end. Through thermal transfer I hope to heat the motor.
3) I will be using a thermal insulator to keep the heat inside the sleeve.
The simplest method I know would be using nichrome wire to wrap the sleeve, and place the insulating material around the wrapped sleeve. Wrapping the sleeve with 1 foot of 30 awg nichrome wire yields a resistance of approximately 3 ohms.
I would like to have the sleeve reach an approximate temperature of 200 F, and stay there. If it takes 10 or so mins to gradually reach that temp would be fine. I don't really need to be able to regulate temperature.
Could someone help me with a circuit design? I thought about using power diodes to limit current which I think in turn should limit heat output, but are there better ways to accomplish this? I really don't know what current levels will be required until I experiment.
Anybody have any ideas? Thank-you in advance.
I work with two stroke model engines and would like to build a heater to pre heat the motor to approximately 200F before starting the motor. Most of my motor wear ocurrs starting these engines cold, and preheating them will double there life.
Design musts:
1) MUST be able to utilize a 12volt power source.
2) I plan on machining a 3" in diameter aluminum sleeve with a 0.050 wall thickness to fit over the aluminum cooling head of the motor. The sleeve will be enclosed on one end. Through thermal transfer I hope to heat the motor.
3) I will be using a thermal insulator to keep the heat inside the sleeve.
The simplest method I know would be using nichrome wire to wrap the sleeve, and place the insulating material around the wrapped sleeve. Wrapping the sleeve with 1 foot of 30 awg nichrome wire yields a resistance of approximately 3 ohms.
I would like to have the sleeve reach an approximate temperature of 200 F, and stay there. If it takes 10 or so mins to gradually reach that temp would be fine. I don't really need to be able to regulate temperature.
Could someone help me with a circuit design? I thought about using power diodes to limit current which I think in turn should limit heat output, but are there better ways to accomplish this? I really don't know what current levels will be required until I experiment.
Anybody have any ideas? Thank-you in advance.