Project with buried heaters

[Alex]

Hello all,

I've inherited 10+1x buried heating elements, so called 'fire rods' (not the flame sensors). They are rated 750W 230VAC each. 8.5x1.3 cm. They appear to be custom made, but I believe the max temp is around 700-800 degC.

What would make a useful project for a number of these?

Due to lack of better ideas I am leaning towards a large area heating plate - A number of these mounted under an aluminium plate and a buried thermocouple tied to a PID controller.

The 11th one might make an overkill coffee mug heater or chocolate melter.



Alex.

[Balaur]

The 11th one might make an overkill coffee mug heater or chocolate melter.

You can always build an electric Samovar.

Although you should always be careful of samovars. Who knows what's inside them!

[Zero999]

An etch tank.

[Alex]

You can always build an electric Samovar.

Surely a proper Samovar uses charcoal.

An etch tank.

Good idea.

[Alexei.Polkhanov]

Although you should always be careful of samovars. Who knows what's inside them!

  That story about bugged Samovar is pretty amusing - why isn't anyone bother to xray damn thing?

[SeanB]

Not that uncommon, they are used as heater elements in extrusion moulders and other plastic injection moulding and forming equipment as a heat source, and to make heating plates. They are typically enclosed fully in a block though, not attached to the surface in a hole only slightly bigger than the element so that they are a firm slide fit but are not loose. Typically you run them up to 300c in the block.