2500 Watt ZVS Induction Heater Improved Setup and Initial Testing

[@francoismaltais7798]

Hello, i'm currently doing a setup with a cheap 80A 120VAC mig welder as power supply (34V no load), and plan to mount the ZVS assembly inside the spool compartment for a full portable kit. It seems that everything is there, including the 24v supply for the fans and pump... You inspired me! Many thanks!

[@marcotulioaltunap2643]

Frenchcreekvalley, Excellent work, I have a 2500w ZVS and a mosfet burned out. I couldn't find a schematic, so I developed it with reverse engineering, it's simple. I don't know how to upload a photo of it.

[@marcotulioaltunap2643]

Good afternoon, your videos are very interesting. I have a 2500W induction machine and I would like to ask you if it is possible to use a 150 ml crucible instead of the 70 ml that comes with the machine?

[@frenchcreekvalley]

The 70 ml graphite crucibles with "SiO2 liner" that I use barely fit into the coil that comes with the machines that I have. You would have to make a larger coil as a minimum. I am not certain about the current requirements for that much larger crucible. Sorry that I can't be more helpful. My guess is that if the 150 ml graphite crucible was full of copper, the current draw on the system would be too high and the unit would fail.

[@hebrewhammer1000]

Thank you for sharing! Awesome video

[@peternewcombe328]

Great video, thanks for doing this and for sharing your experience !! I am a foundry person but never had a melt unit at home. We are waiting on a 3D printer and I am going to pair it with a melt furnace. . . . Just one quick note to help people out with mould release. You can buy dry graphite lube at most auto or hardware stores. It is pure graphite and will work great as a mould release - I routinely use CRC red can is my preferred and will work with copper or aluminum. Carrier is usually something like isopropanol which will dry very easily with a torch or if placed top of the crucible during meltdown. Your melt power is limited by the load coupling. Nice and simple. Have you tried or thought about controlling the input voltage to the ZVS? Still wrapping my head around how these things work (as opposed to an industrial melt unit). Thanks again it looks like you're having fun . . . !

[@frenchcreekvalley]

Thank you for your kind words and your suggestions. Regarding controlling power by controlling input voltage FOR THESE ZVS INDUCTION HEATERS: Yes, I have considered that approach, but most people use fixed output voltage switched mode power supplies, so that isn't usually an option. Others have used heavy duty linear power supplies with large variacs for voltage control. It was pretty easy early on in my experiments when I was using car batteries. But I would never try to run these things on less than 24 volts.

[@joeylegaspi3515]

I have a 2.5kW induction heater from Aliexpress. The label on the heater says 48V input. Have you tried powering it up with more than 48v? I have a Huawei R4850G2 PSU and the measured output voltage is 53V. I can be lowered to 48 using CAN controls, but I don't have that capability yet.

[@frenchcreekvalley]

I think you will be okay at 53 volts, but I would not go any higher than that.

[@howardiko7156]

Another great job on this subject. Could you jump from 48 v to 12v for fast heat up and soak at lower temperature? Seems everybody heats brass to red heat.

[@frenchcreekvalley]

Yes, you can use lower voltages to reduce the overall power.

[@qx3V45p]

Fantastic video, sir

[@fedarahal1247]

Thank you for this useful video

[@ussmillerco]

Question...actually questions, can you instead of utilizing a tethered ac power supply, could you utilize 12v batteries (4s configuration, sufficiently sized) as long as you actively contained the current flow to below 50 amps max? Also, you have additional coils made up for this unit, what are the requirements to make addl coils of different sizes. I would assume gauge/size of tubing and number of turns, also is there a max diameter of the coils, reason a ask is that I would like this to assist in heating 3” steel tubing to aid in bending, for short bursts, and my assumption would be that a smaller coil that just fit over the steel pipe would overcurrent due to its close proximity to the coil. Your thoughts and suggestions.

[@frenchcreekvalley]

Using 12 volt batteries instead of a "plug in to the wall" power supply: Sure! That's how i started out. I worked my way up from 2 and then 3 12 volt car batteries before I located the 48 volt server power supplies that I use now. With these induction heaters, their circuit sucks all the current it can get for the load it sees. You don't need to "actively" limit current but, In MY opinion, you MUST monitor current into the circuit and, in this case never allow it to go much beyond 50 amps. By the way, even "good" car batteries aren't going to last very long at 50 amps load, so you probably need a voltmeter, too. Regarding your work coil questions: Go to this webpage: spaco.org/Blacksmithing/ZVSInductionHeater/WorkCoilsForZVSInductionHeater.htm I think you will find answers to all of your questions there. Especially, click the link about 1/3 of the way down the page that says "Work Coil Data Observed, so far (Spreadsheet)". It will give you many examples of what works, why or why not, etc.. And if you still have questions, feel free to contact me. There's a contact link on the page.

[@awfab3517]

Dont you need a bigger wire to hold the 50 amp rather than 10 gauge?

[@frenchcreekvalley]

Great question! In open air, several sheath types of 10 Ga. copper wire are rated for as much as 50 to 55 amperes without exceeding 90°C. Adding to that, the runs are very short, so the voltage drop is minimal which means there won't be much heating of the leads themselves.

[@ivsongold322]

Hello colleague a doubt my ZVS and 2000W if I will use two switching sources of 24v 30a will serve

[@frenchcreekvalley]

(I already answered this question on my "1800 Watt to 2500 Watt transition Planning" video. But here, I simply duplicate my answer. I do not know exactly which 2000W induction heater you have bought. There are at least 3 different designs available at sites like banggood and aliexpress at this time (May 30, 2019. But, I assume that the driver circuits are similar to the ones that I own. I also assume that you bought the 2000 watt machine because you need that much power So here is my suggestion: You need 48 volts at 40 amperes or more to get full power from the system. Please study these two webpages to understand why this is necessary: spaco.org/Blacksmithing/ZVSInductionHeater/1000WattZVSInductionHeaterNotes.htm spaco.org/Blacksmithing/ZVSInductionHeater/ZVS1800Watt/1800-2500WattZVSInductionHeaterNotes.htm Therefore: If you have two switched 24 volt 30 amp power supplies, and you can successfully wire them in SERIES, that will provide 48 volts at 30 amperes, which will supply about 3/4 of full power. 48 volts at 17 amps will supply less than half of full power. An additional concern with that power supply is that it is very easy to draw much more than 17 amps with the 1800 watt and 2500 watt ZVS induction heaters that I have. When that occurs and the power supply can not supply enough current, its output voltage drops. If it drops too far, the Mosfets overheat and burn out rapidly.

[@soheylamohtadi484]

Hi Guys, I have already put few questions to our host and here is another one, is it possible to convert an Induction Stove into a relatively powerful Kiln Furnace to fire Clay and the like, the stove is much cheaper than the PCB Induction Heaters and includes the powersupply too, if it is possible that would be an excellent project to build, I was thinking of reaching around 1300°c by replacing the original coil with a copper pipe, hence for cooling it, so? Cheers Siamak

[@frenchcreekvalley]

Copper melts at 1084 C. The work (the clay in this case) needs to be part of the magnetic circuit which it won't be. You would have to have some sort of ferrous material inside the kiln. Much easier to do it with electrical resistance heating, I'd say. You might want to ask your question here: highvoltageforum.net/

[@lazersteve]

Love your setup so much I'm building one! Your website is very informative too, thank you. I will be melting gold with mine as other precious metals related materials. One question: Could you provide specific details on the radiator and where you sourced it. I'm looking at using an old heater core from a automobile. Steve

[@frenchcreekvalley]

Thank you for your kind words. I got several of that style of radiator from a local on-line auction a few years ago. Every now and then that auction house has water to air heat exchangers, but you never know when. FWIW, here's a link to that auction house, in Baldwin, Wisconsin: smithauctions.hibid.com/ I think your idea of using an automobile heater core should work well, as long as you have a reasonable sized cooling fan.

[@oddsman01]

Anyone have luck heating small copper tubing to brazing temps with a setup like this? My understanding is due to the inefficiencies with heating copper this way, large 5kw systems are normally used. It seems like 12mm and under tubing could get by with less wattage.

[@Made2hack]

I'd love to see this melt the copper. Does the crucible rest on the wood tray you built? Or on the copper coils? Thanks for sharing!

[@frenchcreekvalley]

There is a 1/4" thick ceramic plate that is about 6 inches square sitting under the work coil. That leaves about 3/4" between the bottom of the coil and that plate. In this case, I have a 1" high pedestal sitting under the work coil. It just so happens that this particular crucible just barely contacts that pedestal when the lip on the crucible rests on the top turn of the coil. I have a few other "pedestals" of varying heights, so I can adjust the maximum depth that any workpiece can go into the coil, so I don't exceed the maximum current that the system can support. Regarding melting of the copper: I am preparing another video where I will melt some copper and talk about my previous "Induction Heater" copper melts. That video will cover a few other miscellaneous topics, too. Might be a week or so before that one gets uploaded.

[@davidmccauley7068]

What kind of power supply did you use?

[@frenchcreekvalley]

Emerson R48 2900U. It is a 48 volt DC output power supply with maximum output of 62 amps. It uses 220 volt mains to get that current.

[@caeiranir-dk4rw]

Hi, Can i run this module (or 1800W or 1000W) with 54 Volt PSU? If not, any suggestion to run with it? Thanks

[@frenchcreekvalley]

I have not run any of my induction heaters on more than 48 volts, so I can only speculate about using a 54 volt power supply. I do think it would work, but I would cut back on the maximum current by 10 or 15 percent. I have had excellent success with the "server" power supplies that I am presently using. It is the Emerson 48-2900u 48 volt, 2900 watt power supply.

[@ussmillerco]

How about using 4 car batteries in series for a truly portable design? Would that work provided you monitored current.

[@garciapatrickdaniels.7568]

Im just curious what is the name of power supply you are using?

[@frenchcreekvalley]

The power supply is the Emerson R48-2900U.

[@garciapatrickdaniels.7568]

Can i use a 24v and 20A power supply for that?

[@frenchcreekvalley]

Yes, you can use a 24 volt 20 amp power supply, but you won't be able to heat as much material. You will only have about 500 watts available instead of 2500 watts.

[@garciapatrickdaniels.7568]

Thank you so much for replying

[@garciapatrickdaniels.7568]

How many amps is your power supply

[@seymourpro6097]

An AC rated circuit breaker may or may not trip when running DC.

[@frenchcreekvalley]

Take a look around at circuit breakers of the class that I used. They are often rated for DC, too, but at a much lower maximum voltage. From a practical standpoint, I'd rely more upon the current limiting capabilities of the power supply that I am using anyway. So, I mainly use this circuit breaker for an On-Off Switch for the DC to the board, rather than an actual over-current circuit interrupter. And, just in case anyone missed the point, this particular switched mode power supply does NOT supply any output for the first 4 1/2 seconds or so after it is powered up, so, when it DOES begin to output, it is already fully capable of holding it full voltage output.

[@aamirhanif8077]

Hi how are you sir if possible please make video with schematic circuit and for us please we will be looking forward Regards Aamir

[@frenchcreekvalley]

The schematic for the 2500 watt unit is essentially the same as the schematic for the 1000 watt unit with these exceptions: -The 2500 watt unit has 3 Mosfets with 3 identical gate circuits in parallel in each half of the circuit. These gate circuits use the same value components as do the 1000 watt gate circuits. -Instead of the six 0.33 mfd capacitors on the 1000 watt unit, the 2500 watt unit has twelve 0.33 mfd capacitors. -Instead of the 6 Turn 2 inch ID work coil on the 1000 watt unit, the 2500 watt units usually have a 10 turn 2 5/8" ID work coil. The schematic for the 1000 watt unit can be found just below the top of this webpage: spaco.org/Blacksmithing/ZVSInductionHeater/1000WattZVSInductionHeaterNotes.htm If you need more information, please ask me.

[@arashzergan3741]

Oh please move the camera