Question for those who have a 12V wire embedding transformer

[DorsetB]

... would you mind letting me know what the wattage or rated Amps is please?

No rush, just next time you dig it out.

Many thanks.

 

[drstitson]

why go to the expense - old car battery does the job fine.

 

[DorsetB]

why go to the expense - old car battery does the job fine.

Correct, which is why I asked!

 

[Russel]

Under the right or should that be wrong conditions car batteries can give a nasty jolt even though they are only 12v xx amps, exercise care not to zap yourself or burn the place down.

 

[Tim1606]

I use an old battery charger. Much easier to control.

 

[drstitson]

"Under the right or should that be wrong conditions car batteries can give a nasty jolt even though they are only 12v xx amps"

that's why i said use an old battery - one that is too dead to start a car is still fine to heat wires for our purposes.

 

[oliver90owner]

nasty jolt even though they are only 12v xx amps,

12 volts is twelve volts wherever sourced from. The voltage of a battery charger has to be, by definition, higher than the battery it is charging but the current is limited by the fuse or the battery voltage (the back emf).

A lead acid accumulator (car battery) has a very low internal resistance, so will deliver a huge current if short circuited. Burns are the hazard.

Any embedder using a car battery should have an in-line fuse rated at a safe maximum current. This is a simple safety measure and should protect both the kit, the user and the surroundings. 'Should' is used because there is no guarantee that the item is used responsibly.

Common sense with safe systems is the responsible way to go. But remember a charging or recently charged lead acid battery can explode if their are any sparks nearby. A NiMH accumulator and a constant current charger (if doing any amount of embedding) is a good combination, if one is not simply going to use a power supply.

RAB

Edit sinusoidal A/C voltage will exceed the root mean square (DC) rating by a factor of 1.414 (the square root of 2).

 

[PaleoPerson]

I have not tried it for wax yet, but as I always seem to go OTT, this is what I have.

Max ranges 35V/3A or 15V/5A

Just dial in what you need.

Picked up from a factory closure.

 

[DorsetB]

Thanks for all your answers and your concern for my safety - worry not, as I tinker with voltages from 12V to 400V every day.

The plan is to use a 12V bench power supply or 12V battery, whichever is not being used for work,but I just wanted to know the rating so I could rate the fuse accordingly and build a suitable switching resistor box.

Hence my question about just knowing what the wattage or current consumption is so I can do my sums!

 

[viridens]

For a ballpark figure, commercial 'double W' wired super frames are about 30 Ohms end to end, drawing 0.4A from your 12V. It will of course depend on the gauge and composition of wire used. Stainless is higher.
I also prefer to work one section at a time, so maybe down to 5 Ohms or so for this.

You will need high wattage wirewound resistors for your switching box. You can wind your own using suitable coiled lengths of frame wire.
I use just another length of this wire (not the bit to be embedded) as a variable resistor with a croc clip which can be moved along to get exactly the right heat. This length will also get hot of course.
Another way is to drive screws down into the lead straps between the cells of your old car battery to give taps at 2, 4, 6V etc. -But you need to find the position of these straps...

Good luck!

 

[DorsetB]

Perfect, thank you Viridens, that's all I needed, I can work from there - I have several different part-rolls of wire, so will take an average resistance per m. and work on from there. I have a few old 12V Hornby rheostats lying around so may even be able to do away with the wirewounds.

Cheers

 

[fincaazul]

why a 12v battery?

For a ballpark figure, commercial 'double W' wired super frames are about 30 Ohms end to end, drawing 0.4A from your 12V. It will of course depend on the gauge and composition of wire used. Stainless is higher.
I also prefer to work one section at a time, so maybe down to 5 Ohms or so for this.

You will need high wattage wirewound resistors for your switching box. You can wind your own using suitable coiled lengths of frame wire.
I use just another length of this wire (not the bit to be embedded) as a variable resistor with a croc clip which can be moved along to get exactly the right heat. This length will also get hot of course.
Another way is to drive screws down into the lead straps between the cells of your old car battery to give taps at 2, 4, 6V etc. -But you need to find the position of these straps...

Good luck!

I have always found a spur embedder quite satisfactory, only needs slight heating, if any at all, any imperfections in foundation quickly rectified by bees. Small cost, mine has lasted 40 years , still going strong. Think that we are "over engineering" here, for the amateur at least. If you are wiring 50,000 sheets on a production line !!!! but most of us are not. UNIPART car spares used a computer programme called KISS, 'Keep It Simple Stupid,' and it worked. Why make a simple job more difficult?

 

[viridens]

I have always found a spur embedder quite satisfactory, only needs slight heating, if any at all, any imperfections in foundation quickly rectified by bees. Small cost, mine has lasted 40 years , still going strong. Think that we are "over engineering" here, for the amateur at least. If you are wiring 50,000 sheets on a production line !!!! but most of us are not. UNIPART car spares used a computer programme called KISS, 'Keep It Simple Stupid,' and it worked. Why make a simple job more difficult?

I think you will find that the 'KISS' principle goes back a lot further than Unipart and their Program. Try Lockheed in the 1950's...

I also own a spur embedder. However, some of us here also enjoy the experimental and DIY side of keeping bees such as alternative hives and novel kit. Sometimes better, sometimes not.

Tradition and Luddism also have their attractions and benefits, so I won't criticise you, just wish you all the best with our mutual hobby.

P.S. There's a topic for another thread in there somewhere!