crashmeplease
New Member
Hi, does anyone have any experience using resistors to make a simple heating element?
I wish to make an aquarium heat stone. This is basically a heating element encased in plaster, shaped to look like a stone. I am probably looking at something rectangular, 100mm x 50mm, or circular, or maybe 90mm diameter, ideally not more than 25mm in thickness. When fully warm I would like it to be around 20degC.
I will be using a low voltage supply, between 12v and 20v depending on what a/c adaptors I can find, so there shouldn't be a problem with voltage?
Is it safe to embed a resistor (or bunch or resistors) directly into a lump of plaster to act as a heating element? Would it be safer to embed a resistor in potting compound, then set this in plaster instead?
What style of resistor packaging would be most suitable? Either as a heat transfer medium, or for durability, ie Wirewound, Ceramic, Aluminium?
I don't yet know what wattage will give off the required heat, and how much I would loose in the transfer, but I am thinking around the 5W mark using wirewound ones for the initial testing (as I have a couple lying about
. I think its safer to run it below it's maximum rating, say 4.5W don't you think?
Thanks for reading!
I wish to make an aquarium heat stone. This is basically a heating element encased in plaster, shaped to look like a stone. I am probably looking at something rectangular, 100mm x 50mm, or circular, or maybe 90mm diameter, ideally not more than 25mm in thickness. When fully warm I would like it to be around 20degC.
I will be using a low voltage supply, between 12v and 20v depending on what a/c adaptors I can find, so there shouldn't be a problem with voltage?
Is it safe to embed a resistor (or bunch or resistors) directly into a lump of plaster to act as a heating element? Would it be safer to embed a resistor in potting compound, then set this in plaster instead?
What style of resistor packaging would be most suitable? Either as a heat transfer medium, or for durability, ie Wirewound, Ceramic, Aluminium?
I don't yet know what wattage will give off the required heat, and how much I would loose in the transfer, but I am thinking around the 5W mark using wirewound ones for the initial testing (as I have a couple lying about
Thanks for reading!