6v 10a 60w dc power supply

[John L. Perry]

Hi

What I need, is a schematic diagram of the above power supply, so that I can make a feather burner. For those not enlightened as to what it will be used for, I will explain.
As an (Archery) enthusiast, I enjoy making my own traditional equipment. A feather burner is a device that uses either nichrome wire, or music wire that is 0.025 of an inch in diameter, and is shaped to the contour of the feathers that you desire to use. A fixture is made to hold the arrow that was previously fletched with 3 feathers. The arrow sits in a hole on the left side. (nock end) And the right side sits in a (v groove) . The heating element wire fastens to a couple of stainless steel bolts that are about 2.5 inches away from the base of the fixture. The heating wire needs to glow red so as to burn the feather to shape, as you turn the arrow upward. Direct current works the best for this project.
Any help would be appreciated. Thankyou. John from Chesterfield Twp, Michigan.

 

[carbonzit]

First of all, it makes no difference whether you use AC or DC. There are no special, magical properties of DC. All you're doing is heating a piece of wire, and either will do just fine.

Having said that, let me propose something I've done that's really quick and easy.

The problem you're facing is the Goldilocks problem: you want the current flowing through your wire to be just right. Too little, no burning: too much, the wire melts.

I made myself a resistance-soldering rig several years ago out of readily-available components that works very well. (Same principle, heating metal by putting current through it.) My rig consists of a step-down transformer (I think I used the 12-volt secondary of a multi-tap transformer) with a light dimmer on the input (AC line) side.

Now, before I hear a chorus of replies saying "You can't do that! Dimmers are only supposed to be used on resistive loads! You can't use them with inductive loads like a transformer!", let me reassure you: it works fine. You can use the dimmer to fine-tune the voltage (and therefore the current) flowing though your wire so that it's just right. For a single piece of wire, I'm guessing you're going to need something like a 12 volt transformer that can deliver5-6 amps. (It might draw even less, but you want to confine your smoke to the wire, not the transformer!)

It would be a Good Idea to experiment to find out how much current you actually need. Couple ways of doing this:

• Measure the resistance of the wire:
  Theoretically sound, but very difficult to measure small resistances like this unless one has expensive test equipment.
• Measure the current:
  This is what I'd do. Get ahold of an AC ammeter that measures at least 10 amps, and put it in the circuit, and see how much current you need.

I suppose you could look up the resistance of your gauge of music wire and use that as at least a rough guide. Anyone have that info handy?

 

[Reloadron]

I would use CZs suggestion. Also as to the dimmer driving an inductive load (transformer) I have used both everyday dimmers as well as these units designed for a ceiling fan. The cost about $10 USD at any Lowes or similar home improvement store. The transformer might be a headache because of the current, however since this is just a hot wire setup you could likely use something like this. It would give you 5 volts up to 15 amps. You are looking at about $32. That or try to find a transformer in a scrap heap somewhere.

Like CZ I have used setups like this and they worked just fine.

Ron

 

[carbonzit]

Ron, I can guarantee that 5V @ 15@ is going to vaporize that wire in short order!

BTW, the dimmer I used was just an ordinary light dimmer, nothing special. Probably $5 or so at either the big-box home-improvement store, or better yet at a real electrical supply place.

 

[Reloadron]

CZ, the 5 volt 15 amp is just the rating of the transformer. He would drive the transformer using the dimmer as you suggested. He would increase the output of the dimmer and subsequently the transformer till his hot wire was where he wanted it. The only reason I picked that transformer was because in the original post he mentioned 6 volts 10 amps. I assumed he got that number from somewhere? I couldn't find a 6 volt 10 amp but saw the 5 volt 15 amp. Anyway as he increases the drive to the transformer the wire (load) will only draw the current it needs to get hot. The voltage and subsequent current to the load will slowly increase as the dimmer is turned up. So it isn't like there will instantly be 5 volts with a current of 15 amps there. Even at 5 volts the wire will only draw what it wants to draw. I said to do as you suggest and added a few links for the parts.

Ron

 

[carbonzit]

Well, I was just pointing out that the O.P. probably doesn't need that beefy a transformer. I'd be curious, though, to know just how much current it takes to heat a wire like that. May have to do an experiment in my laboratory.

 

[tcmtech]

If you need a cheap step down transformer thats easy to find just buy one of those units that powers the low voltage yard and garden walkway light sets. They are 12 volt output and come in many different VA ratings from around 25 VA to over 500 VA.

Or us a cheap automotive battery charger.

 

[carbonzit]

If you need a cheap step down transformer thats easy to find just buy one of those units that powers the low voltage yard and garden walkway light sets. They are 12 volt output and come in many different VA ratings from around 25 VA to over 500 VA.

Those are absolutely perfect. They come in a weatherproof case with screw terminals, ready-made for a safely-constructed circuit.

I've got a couple of those, both acquired for free as discards (one's an Intermatic, the other a Toro, two name brands here in the U.S.).

 

[John L. Perry]

Feather Burner Power Supply

Thanks for all of the valuable information put forth on this site. I will put it to good use.
John

 

[carbonzit]

If you want to make it fairly bulletproof, put a circuit breaker on the secondary side, like this one from Digi-Key (be sure to size the breaker to the rating of the transformer secondary). That way, all the smoke will come from your burner and not the transformer!

 

[squishy36]

A similar thing is done with foam cutting wire setups. Google those and you'll find additional information.