Hello, this is my first post here, and hopefully somebody is smarter than I am on this subject. I'm an Industrial Designer, not an Electrical Engineer, but I'm trying to build a fairly simple circuit, and need some help. I apologize in advance for using the wrong terms in describing this, please correct me.
Here's the scenario: My main hobby is Airsoft, which is played like Paintball. People have guns and shoot each other, all in fun. The guns I use are powered by Propane. Propane only has the correct PSI (Pounds per Square Inch) to propel the BB at above 70 degrees, so I can't play any games when it's cold outside, and in new Jersey, that's 4 months out of the year I can't engage in my favorite hobby.
So my idea is to make a warmer for the Magazine (which holds the Propane and BB's), which is battery powered, and maintains a specific, adjustable temperature. When I apply current to any wire (in this case 22 ga.), the wire produces heat, exactly like a pair of battery-operated heated socks or gloves, this will be used as the heating element for the magazine.
So the only chip, and diagram, I have so far (on advice of a ham radio guru at Radio Shack) is an Adjustable Voltage Regulator. The guy told me that in conjunction with that chip I can get another chip that regulates the current of the battery based on temperature; on and off (or lower/higher current), to maintain a specific temperature (which has to be adjustable).
So in the end, I need something that will heat up the wire to a temperature I can adjust, and tell the battery to give more or less current to the heated wire to maintain that temperature. If at all possible (and this is probably asking too much) I would like a simple 2-3 digit digital readout of the temperature (like the red numeric displays Radio Shack sells for a couple of bucks).
If anybody needs more info, please respond to this post or email me at jessedougherty(at)hotmail(dot)com.
The only thing I have to offer in return for helping me is a credit for this project (who knows, I may enter it into a contest at some point, or try to get it manufactured, I did win the 2004 I.D. magazine Annual Design Review last year, well 2nd place...). I'm also a Graphic/Web designer, if that would be of use to anybody.
Any help, or pointing me in the right direction, would be greatly appreciated. -Thanks, -J
Here's the scenario: My main hobby is Airsoft, which is played like Paintball. People have guns and shoot each other, all in fun. The guns I use are powered by Propane. Propane only has the correct PSI (Pounds per Square Inch) to propel the BB at above 70 degrees, so I can't play any games when it's cold outside, and in new Jersey, that's 4 months out of the year I can't engage in my favorite hobby.
So my idea is to make a warmer for the Magazine (which holds the Propane and BB's), which is battery powered, and maintains a specific, adjustable temperature. When I apply current to any wire (in this case 22 ga.), the wire produces heat, exactly like a pair of battery-operated heated socks or gloves, this will be used as the heating element for the magazine.
So the only chip, and diagram, I have so far (on advice of a ham radio guru at Radio Shack) is an Adjustable Voltage Regulator. The guy told me that in conjunction with that chip I can get another chip that regulates the current of the battery based on temperature; on and off (or lower/higher current), to maintain a specific temperature (which has to be adjustable).
So in the end, I need something that will heat up the wire to a temperature I can adjust, and tell the battery to give more or less current to the heated wire to maintain that temperature. If at all possible (and this is probably asking too much) I would like a simple 2-3 digit digital readout of the temperature (like the red numeric displays Radio Shack sells for a couple of bucks).
If anybody needs more info, please respond to this post or email me at jessedougherty(at)hotmail(dot)com.
The only thing I have to offer in return for helping me is a credit for this project (who knows, I may enter it into a contest at some point, or try to get it manufactured, I did win the 2004 I.D. magazine Annual Design Review last year, well 2nd place...). I'm also a Graphic/Web designer, if that would be of use to anybody.
Any help, or pointing me in the right direction, would be greatly appreciated. -Thanks, -J