View Full Version : Heating element help?
schrammd
Aug 27, 2015, 04:57 PM
I have two heating coils from car cigarette lighters and no batteries I have found will make them glow red hot which is what I need can you please help me with this?
cdad
Aug 28, 2015, 11:55 AM
Is this some sort of homework or what is it you are trying to accomplish ?
ma0641
Aug 29, 2015, 08:21 AM
Flashlight batteries won't work, you need something that can produce Amperage, a car battery, perhaps a smaller tractor battery.
smoothy
Aug 29, 2015, 09:23 AM
You aren't going to get them to glow red hot WITHOUT batteries or something that can push a LOT of current at the needed voltage.
YOU could fire up a propane torch...and aim it at the coils and they will get red and even orange hot....but I don't know what that would accomplish.
ebaines
Aug 31, 2015, 06:54 AM
I agree with the others that you need a 12-volt battery - you can't use ordinary flashlight batteries as the power heating up the cigarette lighter is equal to the voltage squared. And secondly, the power supply must be capable of pushing a fair amount of current - about one amp, so a large battery is required. The suggestion by ma0641 is right on - a garden tractor battery would be perfect, and is easily recharged using a standard car battery charger. You may find that a 12-volt lantern battery would work as well - it's much lighter but these are generally not rechargable, and would run out energy much quicker.