Anyone managed to build a wire zapper locally?

[dragonl]

Manage to build 2 units recently.

1st is this running on 1x 18650 battery, larger alligator clip.

And this the recent build, running on USB, with a digital voltage meter, smaller alligator clip.

Both running well, able to zap silver to kanthal which is what I'm most happy with. hahaha.. Next project, will make another which run on battery plus the voltage meter. Battery is much accessible and the voltage meter tells me it's fully charged up and ready to go.

Everything you see can be bought from SLT except for the chipset itself which have to be imported in. Not difficult to make but very time consuming when I wanna get it nicely box up, plus it needs some soldering skills.

Care to share on the circuitry of both zapper. What chip is being use? Found one on using disposable camera circuit and capacitor.

 

[earlgrey]

Sorry for late reply as I'm just back to SG, below shows what's inside the box.

Below are the parts you can get from Sim Lim Tower, I will list by the parts color as you see from the above pic.

White bar: 3.6 ohm resistor
Green that connect to the switch: MS2 Fuse, rating 125v
Super small Brown: Diode max 100v or can be replace by a 5v led bulb
Green with words: 50v Capacitor
Brown: Wire nut that use to connect the fuse, just in case the fuse gets burnt, you can easily replace it.
Rest is the wires, switch and alligator clip, at your own preference, many chioce at SLT.

Things you can't get from SLT are, the 18650 battery holder, this can be replace by the 9V battery holder and use a 9V battery which is available everywhere. Also you can't find the booster board, you gotta get from ebay, search LM2577

Hope this can helps.

 

[Outdated]

Hi earlgrey, if i want to add voltmeter, where should i attach that to? Does it require extra battery for this? Thanks

 

[dragonl]

Hi earlgrey, if i want to add voltmeter, where should i attach that to? Does it require extra battery for this? Thanks

I saw some with voltmeter already on the module. But looking at the specification is a killer. I am looking for a texas instrument equivalent that can be available from RS. Manage to find the chip in Texas Instrument. But when install in the module, they change the description. Hate electronics.....

 

[earlgrey]

Hi earlgrey, if i want to add voltmeter, where should i attach that to? Does it require extra battery for this? Thanks

There's 3 cables from the voltmeter. Usually Red, Black and white.

Red to the positive of your power source. (I connected it before the switch so that when I plug in the USB cable, the meter will be on.)
Black you gonna share, means parallel it with the negative of the power source and also to the output of the Capacitor.
White connects to the input of the capacitor.

You can have a separate power source which you see most are done that way. But for me I do it all with one power source. Most voltmeter need at least 5v to power up, and my 2nd custom box runs on 5v USB power so I'm able to have both with one power source.

 

[earlgrey]

Next project for me, find a higher volt rechargeable battery and holder and hook it up with the welder with voltmeter. Hate wires running around actually, hahaha..

 

[earlgrey]

One more issue I found out recently when I'm doing micro coils for ithaka, it will not zap any material bigger then 30awg, one of the wire will melt on the other wire and will not join. So if you're into micro coils, dump the zapper and do the old skool twist! ;-P

 

[dragonl]

Great info, bro.