Ask Electronics

3316 readers

2 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

[email protected]

Microvawe transformer spotwelder. Is there a way to improve it? (lemmy.dbzer0.com)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

18 comments fedilink hide all child comments

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] 1 points 1 year ago

Are you able to measure the input current during a weld?

I suspect you might not have enough copper in the secondary. Fully insulated wires take up a lot of space; there's a reason magnet wire is commonly used. Several parallel turns of e.g. 6mm^2 magnet wire would be preferable.

Your SSR generally should be in the phase, not the neutral.