Kanthal types

[Dusif]

What type of kanthal/nichrome do you consider the best and why?

And can anyone tell what the actual diffrence is between kanthal and nichrome?


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[Huckleberried]

Thanks for posting this. I'm going to follow this myself

 

[Enoch777]

None that I'm aware of, aside from the fact that they have different melting points. Nichrome clocks in at 2462°F whereas Kanthal melts at 2730°F.

This is different from intended usage, I think I've heard it thrown around you're unlikely to reach above 800°F.

I use 28GA Kanthal A-1. Why? It was $6.00 for a 100 foot roll from Temco and it was the first 28 gauge wire I found on eBay

 

[beckdg]

can't. make. nichrome. from. slowtech. glow. orange. without. coil. failing. permanently.

other than that, only used 28Ga and 32Ga A1 Kanthal. glows pretty good without a problem.

 

[Dusif]

None that I'm aware of, aside from the fact that they have different melting points. Nichrome clocks in at 2462°F whereas Kanthal melts at 2730°F.

This is different from intended usage, I think I've heard it thrown around you're unlikely to reach above 800°F.

I use 28GA Kanthal A-1. Why? It was $6.00 for a 100 foot roll from Temco and it was the first 28 gauge wire I found on eBay

Please link to that seller... All kanthal i have found on ebay has been quite expensive


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[Sthur]

I like the 30 gauge for micro coils builds.

Kanthal Wire 30 Gauge RW0107 - 100 FT 0.39oz Series A-1 Resistance AWG

 

[bikerbeagle]

There are quite a few differences, but for our purposes, only 2 that really matter: gauge (which dictates ohms per ft) and melting point.

Here is a data table I threw together from information found at Kanthal.com:

NIKROTHAL/NICHROME 60 (Nickel, Chromium, Iron Alloy)
675 Ohms Per Circular Mil Ft @ 68F
Max Continuous Operating Temp: 1150°C (2100°F)
Melting Point: 1390°C

GAUGE DIAMETER OHMS/FT
26 0.0159 2.670
27 0.0142 3.348
28 0.0126 4.251
29 0.0113 5.286
30 0.010 6.750
31 0.0089 8.523
32 0.0080 10.55
33 0.0071 13.39
34 0.0063 17.00

Kanthal A1 (Aluminum, Chromium, Iron alloy
872 Ohms Per Circular Mil Ft @ 68F
Max Continuous Operating Temp: 1400°C (2550°F)
Melting Point: 1500°C

GAUGE DIAMETER OHMS/FT
26 0.01590 3.44923
27 0.01420 4.32454
28 0.01260 5.49257
29 0.01130 6.82904
30 0.01000 8.72000
31 0.00890 11.00871
32 0.00800 13.62500
33 0.00710 17.29816
34 0.00630 21.97027

You can essentially get lower ohms with Nichrome 60 using the same gauge wire, but at a cost of a nominally lower melting point (which is what the 'safe zones' in many of the ohms charts are based on). Kanthal A1 is higher in ohms per ft, but has the higher melting point (and can, therefore, handle nominally more power) making it the clear choice if you are building/operating outside the 'normal' range.

 

[bgmat58]

There are quite a few differences, but for our purposes, only 2 that really matter: gauge (which dictates ohms per ft) and melting point.

Here is a data table I threw together from information found at Kanthal.com:

NIKROTHAL/NICHROME 60 (Nickel, Chromium, Iron Alloy)
675 Ohms Per Circular Mil Ft @ 68F
Max Continuous Operating Temp: 1150°C (2100°F)
Melting Point: 1390°C

GAUGE DIAMETER OHMS/FT
26 0.0159 2.670
27 0.0142 3.348
28 0.0126 4.251
29 0.0113 5.286
30 0.010 6.750
31 0.0089 8.523
32 0.0080 10.55
33 0.0071 13.39
34 0.0063 17.00

Kanthal A1 (Aluminum, Chromium, Iron alloy
872 Ohms Per Circular Mil Ft @ 68F
Max Continuous Operating Temp: 1400°C (2550°F)
Melting Point: 1500°C

GAUGE DIAMETER OHMS/FT
26 0.01590 3.44923
27 0.01420 4.32454
28 0.01260 5.49257
29 0.01130 6.82904
30 0.01000 8.72000
31 0.00890 11.00871
32 0.00800 13.62500
33 0.00710 17.29816
34 0.00630 21.97027

You can essentially get lower ohms with Nichrome 60 using the same gauge wire, but at a cost of a nominally lower melting point (which is what the 'safe zones' in many of the ohms charts are based on). Kanthal A1 is higher in ohms per ft, but has the higher melting point (and can, therefore, handle nominally more power) making it the clear choice if you are building/operating outside the 'normal' range.

Great post, very informative.

So let me get this straight, the higher the gauge Kanthal the higher the Ohm's your coil will be?

 

[Sickkboy]

Kanthal A1 28-30g are great for rebuilding.

 

[bikerbeagle]

Great post, very informative.

So let me get this straight, the higher the gauge Kanthal the higher the Ohm's your coil will be?

...given the lower and higher gauge are same length, yes, that is a correct statement.

 

[4star60]

Is it lower ga. Bigger wire, lower resistance?

 

[BulletStopper]

Is it lower ga. Bigger wire, lower resistance?

Correct. Bigger wire=lower resistance. Shorter wire length=lower resistance.