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lowering temperature of a hot glue gun

M

Mike

Jan 1, 1970
0
I'd like to lower the temperature of a cheap $5 hot glue gun in order to
use bees wax.

Would a simple dimmer used for lighting work?
 
B

Bob Eld

Jan 1, 1970
0
Mike said:
I'd like to lower the temperature of a cheap $5 hot glue gun in order to
use bees wax.

Would a simple dimmer used for lighting work?

Yep, a triac type dimmer for incandescent lamps should work fine to control
a resistive load like a hot glue gun. Of course the power rating of the glue
gun cannot exceed the power rating of the dimmer.
Bob
 
D

Dan Akers

Jan 1, 1970
0
Mike said:
I'd like to lower the temperature of a cheap $5 hot glue gun in order to
use bees wax.

Would a simple dimmer used for lighting work?

Re:
The glue gun is typically just a resistive heating element device; so
yes, a light dimmer should work well as a power/temperature control.

Dan Akers
 
D

default

Jan 1, 1970
0
I'd like to lower the temperature of a cheap $5 hot glue gun in order to
use bees wax.

Would a simple dimmer used for lighting work?

I took several apart - there is a bimetallic switch inside with an
adjustment screw to set the temperature. Even the cheap tiny guns
have them.

You could use a dimmer to do it, but that would negate the advantage
provided by the thermostat - quick warm-up and fast recovery. The
faster you use the adhesive the more current the gun uses to replenish
the lost heat. Add a dimmer and you become the thermostat.

It is probably a matter of time before they start using PTC wire to
make the elements to lower the cost - just in case you tear into one
and don't find a thermostat. If they can do it to make heat tape to
keep pipes from freezing a glue gun should be next.

I bought and disassembled several a few years ago with the idea of
coating magnet wire with adhesive by feeding both wire and adhesive
through the nozzle - all had a thermostat from the $29.95 gun to the
$4.95 gun.
 
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