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9v heating element "troubles"

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zach111us

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im building an electronic "cigarette" lighter using thin heating element "thin wire" across a basic 9v battery supply.
when i complete the circuit the element glows bright orange "desired effect" ...but within 2 seconds dims down to not working "undesired" ....
I read somewhere that this is caused by creating a dead zone in the battery from the shorting of it.
I would like to get it to stay on for maybe a total of 7-10 seconds.... Any help would be great!!
 
How much current are you drawing from the battery?
 
current!

How much current are you drawing from the battery?

thats the thing.. i dont know the answer to your question... im a bit new to electronics of this sort.
im much more comfortable with computers and not the circuitry.

i can tell u that im not running any resistors so its basicaly wired directly to the battery with a basic on off switch "breaking the circuit with unconnected wires"
 
The problem you are facing is 9 volt batteries are primarily designed for very low power draw applications like memory backup in clock radios and for smoke detectors.
The intended continuous current draw is in the 10 ma and below range usualy and preferably in 10's of uA level for longer term.
Thats mainly why they dont do well on heating element applications where a full amp or more is needed. The internal losses are greater than the external power they supply.

The "battery gods" here would have the exact details though.
 
A woman was giving a speech on a stage with a wireless microphone. Then she started to dance, jump around and scream.
The spare 9V alkaline battery for the wireless mic was in her pocket and was shorting to her keys and was burning her.

But I don't think it got hot enough to light a cigarette. It was the battery that heated, not the keys.
 
I have several lighters for kerosene heaters that run on two "c" cells. The hot wire glows a dull orange when lighting. You say yours is glowing bright orange? I'd say your drawing too much current. Try coiling the wire to increase the resistance. Usen I=V/R, and an ohmmeter to measure the resistance of your wire. Then see if the cigarette will light with the "dull" orange wire. My guess is that it wont.

You shouldn't smoke. It's bad for your health.
 
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His little 9V battery lasts for only 2 seconds as expected. He should use a huge and heavy car battery.
 
it is possible!

I have several lighters for kerosene heaters that run on two "c" cells. The hot wire glows a dull orange when lighting. You say yours is glowing bright orange? I'd say your drawing too much current. Try coiling the wire to increase the resistance. Usen I=V/R, and an ohmmeter to measure the resistance of your wire. Then see if the cigarette will light with the "dull" orange wire. My guess is that it wont.

You shouldn't smoke. It's bad for your health.


I know that it is possible to heat the wire of this gauge to the desired heat with two AAA batteries. I have just bought two electric "flameless lighters" that run of them.. heating a wire to an orange glow hot enough to light a cigarette!
Though i am trying to recreate them to create a device.
I do not know how to increase the length of the glow.
 
Why don't you try coiling the wire as suggested?


I will try that and see what results i can attain. Thank you!
I have been messing around with it and hae found that by using longer lead wires i can gain a second or two more before the battery stops giving power.
As i hae said befor i know that the battery is not being drained. it is simply "shorting out" i did some looking and found that this is common and can not find the solution... only that the batery will still work if i let it regain for a few moments.
 
Maybe if you make a switching converter and step down the voltage. You're 2x"AAA" batteries put out around 3V when connected in series. If you stepped down your 9V to 3V, you'll use much less current, and perhaps the battery can keep up.
 
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Maybe if you make a switching converter and step down the voltage. You're 2x"AAA" batteries put out around 3V. If you stepped down your 9V to 3V, you'll use much less current, and perhaps the battery can keep up.

Thanx i think i can get away with using 2 AAA's for this i also used a slightly thicker gauge wire as suggested and it seemed to help.. thought i may have to switch back to a smaller gauge once i step down to three volts
 
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