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Where do I buy Litz Wire — Parallax Forums

Where do I buy Litz Wire

CircuitsoftCircuitsoft Posts: 1,166
edited 2013-03-27 21:16 in General Discussion
I would like to build an induction cooktop for myself. The one challenge, as far as locating part is the Litz Wire for the heating surface. I can only find companies that sell it by the Km. Anyone know where I can find smaller amounts?

Comments

  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2012-11-15 15:29
    http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=litz+wire
  • davejamesdavejames Posts: 4,047
    edited 2012-11-15 16:08
    Circuitsoft wrote: »
    I would like to build an induction cooktop for myself. The one challenge, as far as locating part is the Litz Wire for the heating surface. I can only find companies that sell it by the Km. Anyone know where I can find smaller amounts?

    ...are you SURE you want Litz wire??? For an induction heater? Errrr..............
  • Mark_TMark_T Posts: 1,981
    edited 2012-11-15 16:29
    Lowering power loss in a high frequency coil - sounds like perfect application:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Induktionskochfeld_Spule.jpg
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2012-11-16 05:06
    Don't know if this is any use, but why not just harvest the nichrome wire out of a toaster heating element? It not Litz, but its free
  • LeonLeon Posts: 7,620
    edited 2012-11-16 05:49
    http://www.wires.co.uk/acatalog/litzwire.html
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2012-11-16 06:58
    There are lots of Calrod (r) heating elements that are ready made for a stove top, but I suppose you are trying induction heating rather than surface contact.
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2012-11-16 07:50
    Got to reading wiki for litz wire, now I'm starting to understand whats going on.

    What kind of frequency are you looking at? voltage and current?

    This looks really interesting.
  • Peter KG6LSEPeter KG6LSE Posts: 1,383
    edited 2012-11-16 08:21
    you can get some out of HF tanasformenrs used in some PC power supplys

    interesting use of Litz . I had a senior over last night advising him on his final project . Wireless I pod chager

    http://www.element14.com/community/events/3466 was the base Idea He is going off from . but both a iduct heater and the charger has a ton in common .


    some CRT necks are also known to use litz .


    Peter
  • CircuitsoftCircuitsoft Posts: 1,166
    edited 2013-03-27 19:28
    Frequency is 20~50KHz, power is <2KW, hoping to keep dissipation of output coil under 20 Watts. However, frequency may go up far beyond the typical case, since I am hoping to be able to heat copper and aluminum as well as iron/steel, and will need the individual strand size of the litz wire to be significantly smaller than the skin depth at any frequency I can actually drive.
  • RickBRickB Posts: 395
    edited 2013-03-27 20:03
    Induction heating at that power level typically uses water cooled copper tubing.

    http://inductionheatertutorial.com/
  • CircuitsoftCircuitsoft Posts: 1,166
    edited 2013-03-27 20:58
    The (cheap) 1.8KW stove I took apart just had (cheap) litz wire and some ferric powder cores behind it. I opened it up because it was making a funny noise. After re-flowing everything on the PCB, it quit making the funny noise and continues to work quite well to this day.
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2013-03-27 21:16
    Recent interest in metal detection has shown me another demand for Litz wire... the coils for the metal detector.

    It has been over 50 years since I played with an Litz wire, but as I clearly remember ... it is not easy to solder. Connections might best be made by mechanical means. Removing the insulating enamel is tricky.. maybe use a torch to burn it off or strong solvents.

    I suppose you could go the other direction and salvage Litz wire from an old metal detector. You might also salvage it from a CRT deflection yoke or a flourescent ballast.

    http://www.elektrisola.com/litz-wire.html
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