I've read about people using both of these and was wondering what the benefit of one over the other is. Sorry if this is in a thread and I missed it.
Kanthal vs nichrome
- Thread starter Thindle
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No, Kanthal is what the Germans have been using instead of nichrome wire as a heating element. I'm also interested to hear the difference between the two.
Hope you don't mind me popping in but I happened to be looking up the differences and found the Kanthal Handbook:
http://hitempproducts.thomasnet.com/Asset/The-Kanthal-Furnace-Mini-Handbook---Metric-version-.pdf
Page three summarises the differences. How important they are for our atomisers, I'm not sure. Perhaps you techies can make something of it. BTW Wikipedia has pages on both too.
Happy reading!
http://hitempproducts.thomasnet.com/Asset/The-Kanthal-Furnace-Mini-Handbook---Metric-version-.pdf
Page three summarises the differences. How important they are for our atomisers, I'm not sure. Perhaps you techies can make something of it. BTW Wikipedia has pages on both too.
Happy reading!
nickel-chromium is the oldest resistance heating alloy, the first patent being issued in 1905. Later, other formulations were developed which contained iron as a part replacement for the nickel. Nichrome elements are commonly used in kilns which are not required to operate above temperatures of 1100C. Above this temperature the element life very rapidly diminishes. Consequently, nichrome elements tend to be fitted in low temperature kilns. blah blah blah blah
Kanthal wire is an alloy of iron, aluminum, and chromium. It was first introduced in the early 1930s and enabled a substantial increase in the maximum temperature of metallic heating elements. blah blah blah Kanthal a-1 is used in temperature to 1300c.
The useful life of kanthal a-1 and kanthal af is between 2 and 4 times longer then that of NiCr alloys depending on the working temperature. Kanthal wire should last 3000 hours compared to 1200 hours for nichrome at 1150c.
So kanthal is more durable, though a noted disadvantage is kanthal is soft when hot and can lose shape or become brittle when cold vs nichrome
this info is from "The electric kiln: a user's manual"
Kanthal wire is an alloy of iron, aluminum, and chromium. It was first introduced in the early 1930s and enabled a substantial increase in the maximum temperature of metallic heating elements. blah blah blah Kanthal a-1 is used in temperature to 1300c.
The useful life of kanthal a-1 and kanthal af is between 2 and 4 times longer then that of NiCr alloys depending on the working temperature. Kanthal wire should last 3000 hours compared to 1200 hours for nichrome at 1150c.
So kanthal is more durable, though a noted disadvantage is kanthal is soft when hot and can lose shape or become brittle when cold vs nichrome
this info is from "The electric kiln: a user's manual"
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