Heating elemets - recommendation

Projects General Guidance
1

Hi People!

I am trying to get a temperature controlled box, need to get it to about 50 degrees celcius, I had a 5v heating pad like this one lying around (Heating Pad - 5x10cm (COM-11288) — Cool Components) but it hasn't got enough power to bring temp up. I am driving this via a logic level MOSFET, and drawing 5V from the board.

I just need a more powerful heat emmiting source, which consequentially may also require a different power supply, not sure I can stay with 5V and find something that draws more amps.

Any experiences with more powerful heating emiting components you would recommend? I am browsing the internet but not sure what to pull the trigger on..

thanks!

2

Hi,
Welcome to the forum.

Please read the post at the start of any forum , entitled "How to use this Forum".
OR
http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php/topic,148850.0.html.
Then look down to item #7 about how to post your code.
It will be formatted in a scrolling window that makes it easier to read.

Can you please post a copy of your circuit, in CAD or a picture of a hand drawn circuit in jpg, png?

That pad draws 750mA, where are you getting the current from?
Do you have a DMM?
What is your project, what are you trying to keep heated?

Thanks.. Tom.. :slight_smile:

3

A standard incandescent bulb.
A relay.
Preferably an ssr or solid state relay.

You can wrap the lamp in aaluminum Foil if you don't want light

4

Hi Tom

I attach a copy of the circuit (Controlling Heating Pads with Arduino Uno | Astronomers Anonymous)

Im trying to make a yoghurt making machine.

I have a DMM (I take it you mean Digital Multimeter?)

Power comes from the USB port , connected to the computer

thanks!

heat2.jpg
heat2.jpg1250×684 113 KB

5

Your heating pad has less than 4W power (5V*0.75A), not really much. You can use multiple pads or some bigger one, preferably for higher voltage. Higher voltage means less current means wires do not warm up as well.

Or use an old incandescent bulb or halogen lamp, available in a range of electric power. Or a peltier element transporting environmental heat into the box. Or get resistance wire and roll your own heating element...

Search for "heating elements" and remember that all electric power ends up in heat, regardless of the component kind.

And add a temperature sensor so that you can control the temperature!

6

Insulate the box to reduce the amount of energy required to heat it.

7

Hi,

Have you googled;

arduino yogurt making machine

Tom... :slight_smile:

8

You can also use a high power resistor as a heating element for the temperature range you require.

600×600 41.7 KB

Bolt several to a thermally insulated metal enclosure .

9

Hi Tom

TomGeorge:
Hi,

Have you googled;

arduino yogurt making machine

Tom... :slight_smile:

:wink: good tip... started the journey googling "digitally controlled enclosure thermal velocity logic level mosfet arduino"

10

JohnLincoln:
You can also use a high power resistor as a heating element for the temperature range you require.

600×600 41.7 KB

Bolt several to a thermally insulated metal enclosure .

Great! will order some of these..

thank yoU!

11

If you need PCB mountable, with tight space and high power requirements, these work great ... Ive used them in an industrial application.