Glowing Nichrome project. But it is not glowing.

[Matienzo]

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to make a Nichrome wire to glow. I took apart a electric lighter (first 2 pics) to see how it works and it seems like the battery is connected directly to the Nichrome wire. But when I try to connect a Nichrome wire twice as long but the same gauge as the one in the lighter and a 18650 3.7V 2200mAh battery I only get it hot but not glowing. The 18650 battery has 10x the power of the original battery, still the length of wire I can make glow is just 1.5 times longer than the lighter. The battery in the lighter has a circuit embedded to it but not sure what that does (possibly safety circuit). Is the material of the wire in the lighter other than Nichrome? I'm really not sure what I'm missing.

Thank you in advance for any guidance.


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[Matienzo]

Battery Specs: **broken link removed**

 

[RODALCO]

Nichrome wire twice the length, twice the resistance. (as long it is the same size)
Cut it in half or fold over at midpoint and see if it glows.
The battery has the same 3.7 Volts at higher Amp rating so it should work fine.

 

[Matienzo]

I have a wire that is exactly 2x of that on the wire but it doesn't glow with the 18650 battery. Is there a chance the wire on the lighter is not Nichrome?

 

[spec]

When you have the nichrome wire connected to the 18650 battery measure the battery voltage with a multimeter set to volts (10V) and ensure the battery voltage is 3.5V or higher.

spec

 

[Matienzo]

Hi Spec,

I measured the v and it is just shy of 3v.

 

[spec]

Hi Spec,

I measured the v and it is just shy of 3v.

Hmm, that is low, but it is sufficient voltage.

Can you just keep shortening the nichrome wire gradually until the wire starts to glow, but keep monitoring the battery voltage to make sure it does not drop too much.

(don't cut the nichrome wire, just move one of the wires from the battery along the nichrome wire )

spec

 

[Matienzo]

I didn't clarify that what I need is for the wire to be about 3 inches. That is 3 times the length of the lighter wire. I can make it glow at about 1.5 in but nothing more.

 

[spec]

I didn't clarify that what I need is for the wire to be about 3 inches. That is 3 times the length of the lighter wire. I can make it glow at about 1.5 in but nothing more.

That is a function of your particular battery and nichrome wire- afraid that is set in concrete. The only way to make that particular 3 inches of wire glow is to use two batteries in series. Alternatively you can use thicker nichrome wire, and hence more battery current.

I expect that you know that the power consumed by a resistor is: (V * V)/R. So if you half the resistance you double the power, providing the battery can supply the current that is.

spec

 

[Dr_Doggy]

can you put ground wire in the middle, and 2 +ve wires on each end?

or
plan B) take 2 batteries and add in series.

 

[dr pepper]

There are a few kinds of resistance wire, the one in your lighter might not be nichrome.
Also 18650's certain ones have overcurrent protection in them, in this case you might not be able to get enough current to 'light' the wire.

 

[spec]

Also 18650's certain ones have overcurrent protection in them, in this case you might not be able to get enough current to 'light' the wire.

Measuring the voltage from the battery while it is delivering current to the load takes care of that. Also the battery will make a shorter wire glow which means that it does have sufficient current capacity.

spec