Low voltage Low heat, battery powered heater

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the design and feasibility of a battery-powered heater intended to maintain a temperature between 40 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit, with a focus on using Nichrome wire as the heating element. Participants explore various aspects such as battery types, configurations, heating loads, and energy requirements, while also considering the practicality of the design for specific applications.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Experimental/applied

Main Points Raised

  • One participant proposes using 36 inches of Nichrome wire to achieve the desired heating, but expresses uncertainty about the battery type and wire gauge needed.
  • Another participant questions the heating load and emphasizes that it is crucial to consider the energy required to maintain the desired temperature.
  • A different participant suggests that ignoring the heating load is not feasible, as it directly impacts energy requirements.
  • Some participants discuss the possibility of using D batteries or lantern batteries in series to increase capacity while expressing concerns about weight.
  • One participant mentions the potential benefits of enclosing the Nichrome wire in an insulated container to retain heat, although they note that this would not function as a traditional heater.
  • Another participant raises the idea of adding insulation around the heated space to reduce battery demand.
  • A participant shares their experience with a similar project involving a battery-powered fan heater, detailing their specifications and energy constraints.
  • Concerns are raised regarding the energy efficiency of heating, with one participant noting that heating is a high-energy demand activity.
  • Another participant expresses uncertainty about calculating the energy requirements for heating a specific volume of air, while referencing existing products like hand warmers.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants exhibit a mix of agreement and disagreement, particularly regarding the importance of heating load and energy requirements. Some participants emphasize the necessity of considering these factors, while others express a desire to focus on achieving the desired temperature without fully addressing the heating load.

Contextual Notes

Participants acknowledge limitations related to the energy capacity of batteries and the efficiency of heating methods. There is also uncertainty about the specific energy requirements for raising the temperature of air in a defined space.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to individuals working on battery-powered heating solutions, those exploring energy-efficient designs, or hobbyists experimenting with DIY heating projects.

nmeeker87
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Hey guys! I have been following the forum for quite some time now. With all of you smart people out there, I am hoping you can help me design a heater, or at least lead me in the right direction.

What I am attempting to create is a battery powered heater, to maintain a temperature of between 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 60 degrees fahrenheit. I have done quite a bit of research. I have thought to use Nichrome wire, a total of about 36 inches.

So the known so far is, 36 inches, and a temperature of about 50 degrees. However here is the kicker:

I need to power this via battery, during the winter. I will use thermal switches to begin and end the circuit. So it will not run constantly. I estimate it will run 8 hours a day. So at 8 hours a day, I need 36 inches of nichrome wire to heat at 50 degrees with NO maintenance for around 4 months. 8 hours x 120 days is 960 hours run time. I realize this is quite a demand, and I'm not sure if i can get this done, but I'm sure its possible. Problems are made to solve right?! The battery type is an unknown, and the gauge of the wire unknown.

Any advice guys would help. Battery type? Configuration? Nichrome Wire gauge?

Thanks guys!
 
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What's the heating load? Or, the heat leak you're fighting with this heater? No maintenance? You're running fairly heavy duty automotive batteries flat at 5 watts over 4 mos. at a 1/3 duty cycle.
 
So, the heating load I would like to ignore, and just maintain the goal of heating that wire to 50 degrees. And I was hoping not to use such a heavy (weight) battery. I thought possibly using D batteries in a series or lantern batteries in series to increase maH. Possible ?
 
nmeeker87 said:
the heating load I would like to ignore,
You can't --- it defines how much energy is required.
 
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nmeeker87 said:
So, the heating load I would like to ignore, and just maintain the goal of heating that wire to 50 degrees. And I was hoping not to use such a heavy (weight) battery. I thought possibly using D batteries in a series or lantern batteries in series to increase maH. Possible ?
You need to indicate what it will be heating and how fast it will be losing heat. If you were to enclose the nichrome in an ideal thermos flask then once the wire reached desired temperature you could (in theory) disconnect the electricity and the nichrome wire would remain at that temperature!
But it could hardly be termed a heater when it isn't heating anything. http://thumbnails112.imagebam.com/37333/0363e9373324851.jpg
 
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Are you heating some type of shack deep in the woods?

If so, may want to consider insulation around whatever you are trying to keep warm. This will keep your battery demand down.
 
This is interesting - I've been working on something similar, and I'm building a protoype right now.

I've got the same issue, however - I don't know what to do about a heat source.

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but to explain quickly - I'm building a battery powered fan heater, designed to run for 2 - 3 hours / day, on a 12v 5500 mAh battery, to be recharged w/solar power. Fan is 0.48W, 0.04A, so that shouldn't take up much battery time.
My goal is to heat a space of about 12 m3 to ~35F in 2-3 hours, from as low as 14F.

Now, I don't know if it's possible (having NO science background or foundation), but I'd like to try it. :D

-S-
 
Sommerfeld said:
This is interesting - I've been working on something similar, and I'm building a protoype right now.

I've got the same issue, however - I don't know what to do about a heat source.

I don't mean to hijack the thread, but to explain quickly - I'm building a battery powered fan heater, designed to run for 2 - 3 hours / day, on a 12v 5500 mAh battery, to be recharged w/solar power. Fan is 0.48W, 0.04A, so that shouldn't take up much battery time.
My goal is to heat a space of about 12 m3 to ~35F in 2-3 hours, from as low as 14F.

Now, I don't know if it's possible (having NO science background or foundation), but I'd like to try it. :D

-S-
Hi, and again ... http://img96.imageshack.us/img96/5725/red5e5etimes5e5e45e5e25.gif

Your 5.5AH 12V battery is approx 60 watt-hours max. So the absolute best you can hope for is that it will operate a 30 watt light globe for 2 hours. You can picture the amount of heat, it's the same as a 30 watt incandescent bulb in your house lighting. It will be hot to touch, but probably not take the chill off a room, alas. Heating is a greedy use of energy.
 
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Hi! Thanks, and thanks for the reply.

Heating is an energy hog for sure, that's the massive issue. However, it's not for a room per se, it only about 12 m3, which isn't very big at all. Would it be possible to somehow calculate the energy requirement to raise the temperature in that kind of space from say 15 to 35 F?

60 Wh isn't much, but there are hand warmers w/ ~5000mAh which keep the heat for about 3 hours - I don't know how that would translate int raising the temperature of air, though. :P

-S-
 

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