Melting gold using resistive heating.

[Amol Gupta]

So I came across this video where individuals have used step down transformers to achieve high current flow at low voltages.



They are able to melt metal using such high currents.

I was wondering if I could use the same principle and connect the two ends of the wire to a graphite crucible which contains my metal, my intuition is it should be hot enough to melt gold without any significant metal loss.

Any thought on the idea would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Amol Gupta]

I know people use induction heating furnaces which work on the principle of induced current but the machines themselves cost a lot, this seems to be a good cheap alternative.

 

[Yggdrasil]

I know people use induction heating furnaces which work on the principle of induced current but the machines themselves cost a lot, this seems to be a good cheap alternative.

As long as the Graphite are protected from most of the Oxygen it should be ok.
I guess.

 

[Amol Gupta]

As long as the Graphite are protected from most of the Oxygen it should be ok.
I guess.

I guess I'll have to sacrifice a few crucibles to check that out.
Speaking of oxidation, the induction furnaces I was talking about, the manufacturers state the machine works in vaccume but also they use argon gas to fill the chamber, never understood why argon being inert may help reduce oxidation in that case I did understand the purpose of vaccume

 

[Yggdrasil]

I guess I'll have to sacrifice a few crucibles to check that out.
Speaking of oxidation, the induction furnaces I was talking about, the manufacturers state the machine works in vaccume but also they use argon gas to fill the chamber, never understood why argon being inert may help reduce oxidation in that case I did understand the purpose of vaccume

Argon do not react with anything no matter how hot.
Most of the gases in air do.
Vacuum works too but needs powerful vacuum pumps.

 

[Amol Gupta]

Argon do not react with anything no matter how hot.
Most of the gases in air do.
Vacuum works too but needs powerful vacuum pumps.

I'm not sure if it's just me being stupid but I have seen manufacturers state the induction furnaces is a vaccum induction melting machine but I have seen argon gas tanks attached to such machines.

 

[Yggdrasil]

I'm not sure if it's just me being stupid but I have seen manufacturers state the induction furnaces is a vaccum induction melting machine but I have seen argon gas tanks attached to such machines.

There are many types.
Some have vacuum and pressure.
Another thing is that if you introduce low pressure Argon you do not need the deep vacuum needed without.
Depending on application of course.

 

[Amol Gupta]

There are many types.
Some have vacuum and pressure.
Another thing is that if you introduce low pressure Argon you do not need the deep vacuum needed without.
Depending on application of course.

Oh ok, it always bugged me how can we state the machine as vaccum operated while still introducing argon, thanks for that.

Frankly I'm pretty excited on testing out melting some metal in my graphite crucible using high current either from a transformer or a high current power supply.