DIY Induction Heater Builds and References

[scy123]

Endless power on the go! You don't out vape the power, the power out vapes you!

Sorry, a little buzzed now

 

[TommyDee]

WhooHoo! Getting ahead on my shipments! We're down to one or two outstanding items. Today's 'gifts' brought split-pin female 5.5x2.1 sockets. These took awhile. Also got the angel-eye switches but they messed up the colors. And the 2S/3S hobby charger was refunded for lack of delivery. I'd say USA/China Post is doing well on the west coast since this stuff comes in through SanFran.

Nothing new on the IH front other than the A'20 is in the other room and I've been using HalfPint exclusively. Daily charge in the morning of about 6-7w/h which doesn't take long at an amp of charge current. I should look up the charge rate of the eFest cells. I did receive a second set.

Edit; Oh that's cool, they can tolerate a 2 amp charge rate and up to 4 amps! I think a 1 amp charge rate is fine. That makes my daily use about a 40 minute charge if you do the math.

 

[stark1]

Yo, TD. “happy skippy do da day”

Do you have a protected 4S 18350 battery pack for a Flip, or something small?

Perhaps you can fabricate some for $ALE.

 

[TommyDee]

Talk to me @stark1 . You lost me at 'Flip'

For a protected 4S 18350 project, I do not have any parts on-hand at this time. That means the store is 4 weeks away.

What are you thinking would require the 4S solution? I am still working the 3S angle on a variable supply. I'm just vegging on the FlatPack waiting for battery checkers. A'20 is in the other room. Not getting any love at all. However, I have designs on it.

Today I received a nice compact DC converter that should rock any IH with a cord. Can't wait to put it through a few paces.

And a word on the little digital DC converters with the meter and watts counter. They don't always boot up. Since I don't leave it running full time, mostly on demand, it seems to get confused on boot-up. Sometimes it will boot up right and other times the output is inhibited by something.

usable but problematic if you intend to use the user settable limits. These algo's don't account for spikes properly.
Does do a perfectly accurate job of holding voltages rock steady! That is what I was after.

 

[stark1]

Spelchek didn’t kick in, slightly more current.

TD, if you keep it up, I am finding more to like in your sometimes running sentences?

Like your take on VV, perhaps mated to a power pac. A universal V V / power pac for portable induction heaters.

That would be sick.

 

[TommyDee]

This is on the menu for consideration. This is a very sleek little inverter and back-light optional meter. It is boost and buck converter so it does regulate voltage to the IH. No more sag. It happens to be about the size of the meter so adding a pack to this is simple, or a brick for that matter.



I'm still having a real hard time getting a 'product definition' out of the inverter options.

I don't know that would dump 14.4V into the IH. With boost/buck converters like this one, your cell options go way up.

 

[TommyDee]

Heads up; the world ZVS mini modules shortage seem to be at a glut again. I've got two coming by different routes for $15 w/ speedpak.

 

[vapormachina]

Heads up; the world ZVS mini modules shortage seem to be at a glut again. I've got two coming by different routes for $15 w/ speedpak.

True, I got a couple of them that I bought recently but in one of the sellers it is no longer available

 

[TommyDee]

There is no guarantee either will come through. I just got the best SpeedPak offer I could get so by end Sept'20, I should have at least 1 more module in hand.

 

[RustyOldNail]

WTF: We want some clues at least.....

From Fluxer today:

“Another, as-yet-unnamed IH project also in the works: Finally, I have yet another IH in development, this one inspired by a conversation with @TommyDee, who is an evangelist for all sorts of interesting and promising technologies. I have a working prototype, so this project is already past the alpha stage and is quickly moving towards being ready for beta testing. I shared some pictures of the project and its progress with him last week, so this is real and not just pixie dust or wishful thinking. I'm very excited about it and hope share the details with the rest of you soon. The project is rapidly moving ahead...”

 

[TommyDee]

This is going to be wild - Dynatec bustin' at the seams and Fluxer stepping up the game. We might have an all out brawl on in our midst.

ToggenGear talking V2 already? ​

Safe your pennies boys and girls

Buckle up Dorthy.​

 

[vapormachina]

Honestly, Dynatec may have all the financial muscle in the world, but I think that when it comes to making induction heaters they are just kids playing with a wooden stick at your side

I'm anxious to see what comes out of there, and of course I already have my pennies ready

 

[TommyDee]

Yesterday was a hard day and the IH showed it. First day over 9w/h of usage. It kept up. The delayed heating of a low battery kicks in when the cells go below 10V. Works very well as an instinctive alarm.

This daily usage measure is quite handy. 1/2hr charge in the morning for the analysis and diagnostic feedback to start your day's haze.

 

[TommyDee]

Well, it works. Constant voltage work. Good sensitivity on the Const. Voltage pot. Connectors accepted 14 awg wire. I had to reset the other pots to not have a fault light. Not sure how the VV function is suppose to work but I suspect it is suppose to be the voltage cutoff for charging. Need more data or instructions. Also has CC mode. Anyone see what happens to an IH using a constant current supply? I figure it would drive one or the other bonkers.

I am hoping to get a reliable 2S combination with this converter. Maybe a 60 watt heater. The unit is fused to 15 amps toward the input end.

 

[TommyDee]

And I finally ordered some glass for the IHs. I went to the local glass shop and lo, no 14/18 adapters that were short.

I need to see how coils wrap around these since they are popular with DIY. Also to see how deep the VC sits.

Can anyone help me out here? I could use a pic of the VC parked in the two standard adapers;

 

[dynasam]

And I finally ordered some glass for the IHs. I went to the local glass shop and lo, no 14/18 adapters that were short.

I need to see how coils wrap around these since they are popular with DIY. Also to see how deep the VC sits.

Can anyone help me out here? I could use a pic of the VC parked in the two standard adapers;

Not sure my adapter is exactly the same as right one but just incase it helps...

 

[TommyDee]

You ROCK @dynasam ! Thank you. That is the one on the slow boat. The square edged one should be here today.

I also order some precut lengths of some b-glass 7740 5/8" tubing. A bit spendy but should be worth the extra effort. Wanted to see what quality level they deliver.

 

[TommyDee]

- and the mail brought me what was suppose to be the piece on the left but it was very literally the piece on the right. Short and a 11.4mm through hole. Not good enough to stop the VC from going through. Also some very large diameters on the OD. I'll have to test the implications as most of the recent cork has been 16mm ID coils. Glass I ordered the cut lengths.

Anyone have reservations about the gritty insides of these glass inserts?

No I didn't double post! Honest! But feel free to merge mods.

 

[TommyDee]

I love the mail! Don't Tread on the USPS! Blazing speed - these little trinkets found their way to me;



CenturySales got me these in record time from their eBay account. Just under $20 where better than a 1/3rd of that cost was shipping. These b-glass tubes were sawn and unfinished. Some chipping on all the edges, one more severe than the remainder. All 4 tubes have an "A"-side.

I chose the "thin wall" and the "11mm ID" "5/8" 7740 tubing. It is $1/inch and $2/cut so my order was 12" with notes in PayPal. We had repore prior to the order. Very prompt and informative. If the finish of these is to your liking, we have a custom tube cutter in CenturySales.
Short lengths are not their preferred lengths but they will do their best.

I don't know what it takes to flame treat the ends. Anyone have a few words of warning before I crack $20 into little fake diamonds?

 

[RustyOldNail]

I love the mail! Don't Tread on the USPS! Blazing speed - these little trinkets found their way to me;

View attachment 2053

CenturySales got me these in record time from their eBay account. Just under $20 where better than a 1/3rd of that cost was shipping. These b-glass tubes were sawn and unfinished. Some chipping on all the edges, one more severe than the remainder. All 4 tubes have an "A"-side.

I chose the "thin wall" and the "11mm ID" "5/8" 7740 tubing. It is $1/inch and $2/cut so my order was 12" with notes in PayPal. We had repore prior to the order. Very prompt and informative. If the finish of these is to your liking, we have a custom tube cutter in CenturySales.
Short lengths are not their preferred lengths but they will do their best.

I don't know what it takes to flame treat the ends. Anyone have a few words of warning before I crack $20 into little fake diamonds?

Ask Jeff, Fluxer. If I recall he does the flame polish in one of his videos.

 

[TommyDee]

Thanks!

 

[Razzle]

I just wanna pop in here and say how fucking awesome and energizing it is to see this crew building IH’s of their dreams.

 

[TommyDee]

Now we're cooking with gas. Sure enough, a basic Coleman's torch setup did the job of smoothing out the saw marks.



You actually have the option to keep it square or let it round a bit. I like the square edges. Still not the prettiest pieces but certainly functional.
The seller definitely did a better job with the thin-wall pieces. That is typically the ID I prefer.

I have a question for users... is your cup diameter small or large and what do you like and dislike about it?
I've kept my cups at 1/2" ID but wondered if that is other people's preference.

And of course with a newly discovered DIY skills we had to try the next level.
Ever get concerned with that ground glass finish in the IH glass adapter?
Took some work but the grit is a lot more tolerable. I flamed this for nearly 10 minutes to soften the ground glass.
The bonus is that the end of the adapter use to be bigger than the VC. The heat had brought the lip in just enough to hold the right at the end.

 

[stark1]

You are rocking with glass/gas !

 

[RustyOldNail]

Now we're cooking with gas. Sure enough, a basic Coleman's torch setup did the job of smoothing out the saw marks.

View attachment 2063

You actually have the option to keep it square or let it round a bit. I like the square edges. Still not the prettiest pieces but certainly functional.
The seller definitely did a better job with the thin-wall pieces. That is typically the ID I prefer.

I have a question for users... is your cup diameter small or large and what do you like and dislike about it?
I've kept my cups at 1/2" ID but wondered if that is other people's preference.

And of course with a newly discovered DIY skills we had to try the next level.
Ever get concerned with that ground glass finish in the IH glass adapter?
Took some work but the grit is a lot more tolerable. I flamed this for nearly 10 minutes to soften the ground glass.
The bonus is that the end of the adapter use to be bigger than the VC. The heat had brought the lip in just enough to hold the right at the end.

View attachment 2065

Curious, you said “Ever get concerned with that ground glass finish in the IH glass adapter?”

What IH units are you using these adapters on?