diy etching tank - any ideas for heating?

[spyghost]

hi,

i am planning to make a low - cost diy etching tank out of a small rectagular acquarium (large enough for hobbyist size pcb's).

my dad has an old 12v air pump used for car tires. i think the pressure of that would be enough to bubble the solution for the pcb.

here is the setup:

• the acquarium would contain the ferric choloride mixture

• i would lay down pvc tubings with holes below the acquarium. this is where air would come out to agitate the liquid. of course the pump would stay outside the acquarium

• there would be more than 1 pvc tubings below. these would be linked to each other using elbow joints and t-joints

the problem that i am now facing is heating the solution.

• how can i continuously heat it safely? acquarium glass is simply an ordinary glass which will break due to too much heat.

• how much heat would be required to heat up the whole solution?

i would also place a diy temp controller depending on the heating element that will be placed.

 

[andrew2022]

fish tank heater

 

[Oznog]

Halogen lightbulb.

 

[weegee]

:? you have a fish tank, so as in the reply above, a fish tank heater would be the Obvious choice :?

 

[Fu manchu]

Yes, i agree a fish tank heater is what i use and remember it doesn't have to be on all the time because the solution only has to reach 50 degrees C.

 

[weegee]

there are some thermostatic fish tank heaters as well, so you can just 'dial' in the required temp, then when the neon goes out - the solution is at the required temp

 

[Crofty]

Big glass test tube, with high wattage wire-wound resistor inside, rubber bung etc for cable out. Glass thermistor, epoxy protected, suspended in the solution to monitor temp, and control on/off power to resistor.

Been threatening to build this for my self for many moons.

I still end up bunging a jug in the microwave and warming it that way mind you most of my PCB's could be etched in a tea cup

Note: I don't use ferric, it's not too keen on the microwave, plus I always manage to stain something prefer the clear fine-etch stuff.


Steve