[J-thehookaholic]

Screw it... I've been checking this thread repeatedly. Where are the pictures of this thing? based on what I've read this thing is like a yeti, theres claims but no proof.


PS. Sorry if I sound like an Asshole, just overly interested to see this thing in action.

[teq]

Screw it... I've been checking this thread repeatedly. Where are the pictures of this thing? based on what I've read this thing is like a yeti, theres claims but no proof.

Plain Old Me posted pictures of a trial using nichrome and dimmer switches here: http://www.hookahfor...showtopic=17022

The problem with his setup was the nichrome needed a way to regulate the current.

New dimmer switches don't work based on resistance, but rather by setting wait states in the voltage, which is why the dimmer didn't vary the temperature of the nichrome.

[J-thehookaholic]

Screw it... I've been checking this thread repeatedly. Where are the pictures of this thing? based on what I've read this thing is like a yeti, theres claims but no proof.

Plain Old Me posted pictures of a trial using nichrome and dimmer switches here: http://www.hookahfor...showtopic=17022

The problem with his setup was the nichrome needed a way to regulate the current.

New dimmer switches don't work based on resistance, but rather by setting wait states in the voltage, which is why the dimmer didn't vary the temperature of the nichrome.

interesting... this might sound dumb, but in that case the solution might be to find the optimal distance between coil and shisha to regualte the temp. since the farther away the less the heat will impact the shisha.

[teq]

The wire melted before even reaching the shisha.

[J-thehookaholic]

The wire melted before even reaching the shisha.

That, could be a problem.... I though this shit was functional and a done deal. anyone everthink think of using one the G4 or G5 processors from an apple powerbook? heard that shit could fry an egg. J//K

[teq]

Or a Prescott Pentium IV? lol


I'm still vouching for a soldering iron or a heat gun with the fan cut off.

[Plain Old Me]

The wire melted before even reaching the shisha.

It did not exactly melt in the sense that it was liquid metal, but it got sufficiently hot that the force of gravity was plenty to make the wire kinda fall off the crimps. I think this could easily be delt with if I surrounded the wire with something like clay though, but even so I am worried about the temperature. Because I would rather have 3 separate coils controlled by separate dials, I may go with pots+triacs to regulate voltage rather than pay for expensive rheostats (which run about $20 for one that can handle all 120V at 15A).

[WesleyPipes]

If these damn people would send me my nichrome I would have pics up.

But I can promise you guys the nichrome will work. When your shit melted, I'm sure you had the current from hell running through it.

If you have any nichrome left, check out that chart I posted on the last page about nichrome's needed current to maintain a temperature.

If you attached the nichrome straight to the wall, that's definitely the problem.

Find the guage of your wire on that chart, then as the currents seem linear, do 120V/Some resistance = the current needed.

She will serve those death shots.

And since I havn't been able to test this thing yet because of canadians and their shipping, if the coil keeps heating up past the temperature you want, you can stick a little 555 timer in there and have that run a relay that turns the power supply on and off at the best intervals.

[teq]

I think this could easily be delt with if I surrounded the wire with something like clay though, but even so I am worried about the temperature. Because I would rather have 3 separate coils controlled by separate dials, I may go with pots+triacs to regulate voltage rather than pay for expensive rheostats (which run about $20 for one that can handle all 120V at 15A).

Introducing another material between the nichrome and the bowl will just reduce the efficiency of conduction. If you must, however, the best way to do it would probably be by sandwiching it between two plates of clay or steel. Remember to use thermal paste or thermal glue.

Instead of feeding it 120V, what about using a power supply? It'll regulate the current, so you won't need a pot.

[Plain Old Me]

I have already done all the calculations and such and have tested using different gauges of nichrome wire and ribbon- I use less than 600 watts per coil (x3 coils). It should not be getting hot enough to melt, as nichrome has a melting point of 1400 degrees and I should not be getting over 1200 degrees with the highest gauge stuff. As for efficiency, I am thinking that if I use a thin enough layer of clay or whatever it should be plenty hot. I wouldn't use plates sandwiched because that would not allow for much airflow, but perhaps a perforated plate may work. I did another test with a straight wire of nichrome and it did not melt off until I really jerked around the crimps, and I think that a structure to support the nichrome would probably be the safest and best solution. As for the sandwiching material, I was thinking clay. I dunno if steel would be suitable, is its resistance more than nichrome?

[teq]

1800 watts * an average two hour session is a pretty hefty use of electricity... I think coal has it beat...

[mj_b90]

While this seems like a nice experiment, I've come to terms with the practicality of using anything that needs constant power as a heat source. Coal is simply more cost effective than electricity or gas.

However, for the sake of experimentation, the simplest way to make this work seems to be by using a 15W soldering iron.

Glycerin boils at 550F/290C and a 15W soldering iron from Radio Shack can output up to 600F/320C, which happens to be the highpoint temperature of both natural and quicklight coals. The heat can be transferred by attaching a conductive material to the tip or by convection.

Wow I've never even thought of that...I might have to give it a try. Can everything but the main body of the soldering iron be removed/swapped? or is that stuff necessary for creating the heat, I'd like to mount it facing down into a bowl or windcover or somthing.

[WesleyPipes]

1800W is an amazing amount of power to be using for 45 minutes, your electric bill would get railed on if you use that many times.

I'm going with a 12VAC** power supply. This only gives 3W.

Clay should not be needed, you should be able to just set this on top of foil as it will act exactly the same way as coal.

[teq]

Wow I've never even thought of that...I might have to give it a try. Can everything but the main body of the soldering iron be removed/swapped? or is that stuff necessary for creating the heat, I'd like to mount it facing down into a bowl or windcover or somthing.

You need the tip, which is nickel plated copper, and the barrel.

In a pen style iron, the components occupy the entire casing. Gun style irons have a hollow handle.


If you used a pen style iron, all you would have to do is drill a hole through the top of the wind cover to accomodate the barrel. My iron has a plate with two screws near the handle, which you could use to mount to the wind cover. Keeping the plastic handle intact would allow you to move the unit safely.

[teq]

1800W is an amazing amount of power to be using for 45 minutes, your electric bill would get railed on if you use that many times.

I'm going with a 12VAC** power supply. This only gives 3W.

Clay should not be needed, you should be able to just set this on top of foil as it will act exactly the same way as coal.

Coal heats up to around 600F when excited, but idles at about 570F. How are you fluctuating this, so as to keep the glycerin from boiling when you aren't inhaling?

[mj_b90]

If you used a pen style iron, all you would have to do is drill a hole through the top of the wind cover to accomodate the barrel. My iron has a plate with two screws near the handle, which you could use to mount to the wind cover. Keeping the plastic handle intact would allow you to move the unit safely.

My thoughts exactly, will have to try this soon. I'll have to use the ghetto aluminum can wind cover at first however.

[Plain Old Me]

1800 watts would be the total peak that my device could get to. I would expect to have the lower coil almost of if not off completely, and the top 2 adjusted to be about 400-500 watts a piece, though to be honest cost reduction is not my main goal, as I would like to actually improve my smoking a bit. Not having to deal with coals would be nice, plus they give off some carbon monoxide which is not so great for ya... Also, a direct contact heater that would go on top of the foil or w/e (dunno if foil is a good conductor) would need much less power, and again to reiterate I am trying to use a convection heater rather than a direct radiation or contact heater.

[WesleyPipes]

Ah, got ya.

Well hopefully today will be the day for nichrome and we can try and get both types of heaters working.

[Cerritus]

I've been following this thread for a while now and decided to try it for myself. I took the easiest, cheapest way to get nichrome and bought a cheap toaster. In looking at its tiny circuit board I noticed that the wire itself was hooked straight to the power cord. The rest of the circuitry was only there to power the timing mechanism, which I don't need anyway. I wired up half of the nichrome from the toaster to a switch and a cord and plugged it in (taking safety into consideration and using mild precautions like a circuit breaker that I tested before hand). It heated up fine and nothing melted or caught fire. After this proof of concept I made a ceramic housing for the wire (sculpting clay that's nontoxic and safe to heat). It's baking now and will be done soon, pics to follow after I hook the wire back up.

[Cerritus]

It works, Needs a bit less power though. Taking only half the wire from the toaster made it burn too hot... way too hot. With some testing with lower voltages it'll work nicely.