this post was submitted on 18 Oct 2023
11 points (86.7% liked)

Ask Electronics

3316 readers
1 users here now

For questions about component-level electronic circuits, tools and equipment.

Rules

1: Be nice.

2: Be on-topic (eg: Electronic, not electrical).

3: No commercial stuff, buying, selling or valuations.

4: Be safe.


founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 

Hi, I have built a microvawe transformer spotwelder, I have put a single turn of welder wire for in the secondary and I'm timing it with arduino. Worth mentioning it was/is a 230V transformer. Electrodes are sharpened copper rods. I believe the voltage is still high. The spotwelds it produces are slightly discolored and not as strong as you would expect. Is this design fundamentally borked? Is there anything else I can make to make it better? Photo from test stage before it was built into a project box, it is less "shocking" now.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I don't have any improvements to offer but I want to mention that I saw a crazy video that used a circuit breaker as a spot welding device. The concept is pretty much right and it is as cheap as it can gets, but it is electroboom kind of crazy and the guy even hurt himself on camera while using it.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Where is the video? Electroboom craziness sounds entertaining.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_pD0W_Fm6g

He burnt himself off a 12v battery. Increase the voltage by the amount you want to live dangerously at the benefit of getting better weld. It also suggests using two MCBs in series in case one of them does not trip for any reason.