Question about Nichrome

[_Goku_]

Hello,

I have the following question : I have a circuit using 3 AA batteries (to generate current) conected to a nichrome wire. The heat is enough to work well on EPS however I wonder if there is a way to convert that local heat to a heater, to make a low energy portable heater for cold weather.

 

[chemelec]

What is EPS?
And How long do you expect the Batteries to last?

 

[_Goku_]

EPS: expanded polystyrene
15-30 minutes, is only a heater to help engine start on cold weather.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Low energy means low power, and thus low heat. You'd need a LOT more power (thousands of times more?) to preheat an engine.

 

[_Goku_]

not the the whole engine! but components, what I need is to generate heat (from the wire) like 60-80 °C, here is a table **broken link removed**
So, how to generate such heat @ 1cm distance using 3 AA batteries? the diameter of the wire will only determine the energy that will be used because the temperature is local, by itself alone is not a heater, not interested on make it contact with surface to heat.

 

[dknguyen]

not the the whole engine! but components, what I need is to generate heat (from the wire) like 60-80 °C, here is a table **broken link removed**
So, how to generate such heat @ 1cm distance using 3 AA batteries? the diameter of the wire will only determine the energy that will be used because the temperature is local, by itself alone is not a heater, not interested on make it contact with surface to heat.

What are you trying to do exactly? Tell us in enough detail that it is at least 5 sentences. Because heating an engine's components is the same as heating the engine since the rest of the cold engine will suck heat away from the parts you are warming until they are all the same temperature. Not to mention the heating the oil and battery which are the main reasons why an engine is difficult to start when it's cold.

 

[_Goku_]

Is about motorcycle carburetor. On cold weather with humid air it make difficult to start. I had that idea because may be useful to help avoid cold moisture. If can use AA batteries will be nice and low cost. Can be attached and when on warm weather can be uninstalled.

 

[MikeMl]

I preheat my aircraft engine(s) when the ambient air temperature is below about 5degC. This is to reduce the demand on the starter, the battery, reduce the oil viscosity so that the oil pressure comes up quickly after start, to reduce friction due to different expansion coefficients between steel and aluminum, promote fuel evaporation, etc. i.e. I need to warm the entire mass of the engine which weighs >100kg.

It takes a 350Watt AC-line powered heater several hours to do that, so more than 3kWh of energy. An AA battery contains about 0.001kWh of energy...

 

[dknguyen]

I preheat my aircraft engine(s) when the ambient air temperature is below about 5degC. This is to reduce the demand on the starter, the battery, reduce the oil viscosity so that the oil pressure comes up quickly after start, to reduce friction due to different expansion coefficients between steel and aluminum, promote fuel evaporation, etc. i.e. I need to warm the entire mass of the engine which weighs >100kg.

It takes a 350Watt AC-line powered heater several hours to do that, so more than 3kWh of energy. An AA battery contains about 0.001kWh of energy...

Heck, AA batteries can barely even heat their own mass without damaging themselves.

 

[chemelec]

Is about motorcycle carburetor. On cold weather with humid air it make difficult to start. I had that idea because may be useful to help avoid cold moisture. If can use AA batteries will be nice and low cost. Can be attached and when on warm weather can be uninstalled.

So you just want to heat the AIR at the Intake?
Even if the wire gets warm, it must get hotter to heat the surrounding air.
Why the 3, AA batteries?
Why not the Motor cycle battery for more power?

 

[_Goku_]

I don't want to heat whole engine or batteries, just want to know if the idea can work and if posible.

 

[_Goku_]

I prefer to use an external souce instead to use the motorcycle's battery, just in case.

 

[dknguyen]

A motor cycle carbuerator is a big piece of metal and takes a lot of energy to warm up. Even if it wasn't in contact with the rest of the cold engine, AA batteries might still not be enough. Even the motor cycle's own battery won't be enough. You're better off just carrying around a power cord.

 

[_Goku_]

Not the carburetor but the air, ok the idea was nice on paper but not on practice.

 

[Pommie]

I don't want to heat whole engine or batteries, just want to know if the idea can work and if posible.

No.

Mike.

 

[gophert]

Not the carburetor but the air, ok the idea was nice on paper but not on practice.

Use a lower viscosity motor oil.
The viscosity of cold oil is the biggest reason the engine is hard to turn. I understand the concern for not wanting to use lower viscosity oil in an airplane engine summer vs winter but a motorcycle - find some oil with lower numbers on the can. In the old days, people were worried about too much engine wear from low viscosity oils but that is no longer true. The low viscosity oils build oil pressure immediately and lubricate everything. It even becomes a fairly good solvent to dissolve scorched tars and varnishes from heavier oils and fuel additives.

What bike are you driving and what weight oil are you currently using ?

20w50 will pour like glass while 0W20 will pour like milk. In between, there is 10W40, 10W30 (both similar in cold weather) and 5W30 (thinner) and 0W20 (thinnest).

If you are running an air cooled bike, check the oil often if you run thinner oil because you will burn a little. Change the plugs in the spring and go back to standard viscosity oil.