Hey all, any help would be appreciated with the following problem I'm trying to solve:

I have a power supply of about 500 Vrms at 1.1 Amps running through 5000+ ft. of copper wire and I need to know how I can convert enough of it to heat to reach at least 600°F. Also, the heating element must not take up more space than 1"x2" or so. Is tightly-coiled, very high gauge nichrome wire my best bet to meet such requirements?

Thanks.

 

Also, the heating element must not take up more space than 1"x2" or so. Is tightly-coiled, very high gauge nichrome wire my best bet to meet such requirements

If the nichrome were or could be insulated, perhaps.

Does the heater simply heat that volume, or is it expected to transfer heat to something larger?

 

If the nichrome were or could be insulated, perhaps.

Does the heater simply heat that volume, or is it expected to transfer heat to something larger?

It will need to heat something close to that volume up to that temperature. I'll probably have a cylinder that's an inch long and .75" in diameter that I'll wrap the wire around.

 

There might be an easier way to get there. My soldering iron, for instance, maintains a tip temperature at 600, 700, or 800 degrees depending on the rating of the tip. It uses 42 watts (low voltage) and the heater is considerably under 1" X 2".

Are you committed to that 500 volt supply?

 

There might be an easier way to get there. My soldering iron, for instance, maintains a tip temperature at 600, 700, or 800 degrees depending on the rating of the tip. It uses 42 watts (low voltage) and the heater is considerably under 1" X 2".

Are you committed to that 500 volt supply?

I am. Do you know how the tip of a soldering iron is able to get that hot? I'm not sure what it's composed of but it would be useful to know.

 

Just Google on "soldering iron heating element" - http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=9509

Find a couple and wire them in series to handle that strange voltage.

 

Just Google on "soldering iron heating element" - http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=9509

Find a couple and wire them in series to handle that strange voltage.

Do you happen to know what the soldering iron's tip is made out of? Really I just need to find something small like that that will get hot with the 1.1 Amps.

 

The tips are usually copper with a harder metal coating. They are indirectly heated, though.