Very good practice video! I am glad someone has well explained this machine, although not mine😁. The 15kva 40kva induction heater is almost the smallest machine in all our machines and is very suitable for small heating work. Because for its cooling, only need water tank and pump is enough. Eric just did forging, but this machine can do more. As we all know, all heating applications differ because of the speed temp cooling method. So, when you change those aspects, you can do more, like welding, hardening, etc., to gain good heating; making a proper coil and adjusting the machine's radio is very important. You might make a coil that seems perfect, but you have to adjust the ratio, then you can get better heating. There are still some more aspects like transformer adjustment and components adjustment we will do according to client requirements, but as those are complicated for home use, only matching coil with the ratio will be fine. Studying the heating requirements, making the proper coil, and customized adjusting the machine is the mystery and charms of the induction heating solution. Thanks again for Eric's video👍
Inspired by your videos, I got a similar machine. The machine is very useful. Practically you have instant heat at the push of a button. Used for forging stock up to 30-40 mm diameter and lots of other stuff. Faster than my charcoal forge, but compared to coal it oxidizes a little more (not a problem for forging, I did not try welding). It needs a cooling system and an electrical line that can handle about 30-32 amps at 220V (in practice 6 square mm copper wire is fine). I changed the automatic fuse on the machine to a C rated 25 amp one, to limit the input current, and it works just fine. I think it works because such fuses are designed for electric motors and have an overload protection for a limited time. It provides at full power just under 800 amps in the coil. Regarding the cooling system it needs enough pressure and flow, otherwise it would not work. I improvised a cooler using a 2 bar, 22 liters/ min, 120W pump (www.ibo-pompa.ro/267.ibo-wzi-100-hidrofor-1l-hidrofor.hidrofor.html), with an old car radiator on which I mounted a large computer fan. If one wants to use one at its full capacity, multiple coils are a must. I made my own coils from 6mm copper tube and made an adaptor with locally available flare nuts, because I did not find M14 ones to fit the machine. To fit on the machine I cut one of the coils it came with and reused its flare nuts to fit on the machine end.
Nice- I did the same thing with the 5 gallon bucket. So far I love the machine and I am thinking of getting a spare as I will need this to keep working and it wouldn't be good to have a breakdown that kept me from working for many days or weeks. What do you think about the reliability? Have you had any breakdowns or problems?
Many thanks for the review. I've been thinking of buying one, just needed to see it working. I think different coils will be required for different bar stock. Thanks again...
Hello, we are a big manufacturer of induction heating machine, we have been in this line for over 10 years. our website is www.lhinduction.com. email: lh-global@lihuachina.com wechat/whatapp: +86 159 7586 0724. Welcome to inquiry me!
Hi ej can I ask a potential silly question? I saw you touch the white insulation of the coil while it was on, can you also touch the copper tubes too? Or are they very dangerous and ‘live”? thanks!
It is live, but the voltages are pretty low even if the current is quite high and the resistance in the coil is low. You can easily short out the coil (from loop to loop) with steel. You can't with your finger because you just aren't a good enough conductor.
Great video. We have just bought this machine but do not have a clue how to plug it in. Can you please advise how we should do it? It will be greatly appreciated if you can answer this. Thanks in advance.
You will need to make your own cord. If you have the 220v model and are in the US, you connect both hot wires to the pair of posts under the flap near the top. Ground goes to the post near the bottom left.
one question: the high frequency e.m. field doesn't affect you? you touched the coil with your fingers, you stayed very close to the coil.... The magnetic field it is very strong inside, but it is also quite strong outside (lesser than inside, of course)
@@ejoftheanvil but we have enough iron in our blood ..... I asked mostly because of curiosity. They tell us to stay away from transformers and power grid because of EMF, at 60 Hz
nice video, thanks for producing it... i am a novice at best... so this is as much of a question as can be....but, with that foot pedal control, and the asbestos or similar sleeve on your coil... could you not turn, or have turned, a steel bushing of a type of steel that has good hot hardness and conductivity.. . maybe several bushings... with different bore diameters ... for producing magnetic couplings to quickly change between small stock sizes? just pop a bushing with a half inch bore in and stick your 3/8 piece of stock inside that bushing... and have it produce a heat as if you had a single piece of larger stock?... with the insulating sleeve would there be any shorting problems or anything like that?... if you've already tried please let me know what all you think. I am primarily interested in getting into casting metals... but i see these machines are pretty incredibly versatile ... and i guess is old hat, as now many use induction for cooking supper lol... I just don't know anything about it yet.. very much appreciate your video...and any tips. Thanks again
It's cheaper and easier to make different size coils. You might find this video interesting: th-cam.com/video/gzp4MvxLAag/w-d-xo.html . It shows how a better fit dramatically improves heating. The sleeve on the coil doesn't stand up to a high forging heat. Just bumping it melts it. The sleeve in the video had so many holes it fell off a year ago.
Thank you very much. It's the most helpful video about this model. This time I'm going to buy it. I tried to purchase other equipment by referring to your video, but because my English is not good(google help me now), I think there are some parts that I can not understand in your video. If you do not mind, I'd like you to answer a few questions. I do not know if I understood well when you explained electricity. Is it correct that you used a cable that you previously purchased to use the LTPDC2000D?(At first, I thought I should buy it) If I did, would I just buy a cable and plug it into a building outlet? (I live in South Korea and our country uses 220v 60Hz.) And I'm wondering if you are using a closed type or an open type when supplying cooling water. It looks like the outlet hose is connected to the bucket. Where is the inlet hose connected?
Hello, we are a big manufacturer of induction heating machine, we have been in this line for over 10 years. our website is www.lhinduction.com. email: lh-global@lihuachina.com wechat/whatapp: +86 159 7586 0724. Welcome to inquiry me!
This is a 7.5kW induction heater. (I'm very clear about that, but all the vendors lie / misquote the kVA specification. It really annoys me.) My supply is more like 240v, so 30A was enough for quite a while. I eventually upgraded to a 40A which has more than enough amperage.
Thanks Eric for the excellent video. It is the most useful I have found, from the perspective of somebody contemplating a purchase. I remain confused about the power requirements of these units though. Several vendors on Ebay are currently selling apparently identical machines to yours in either 110V or 220V supply configurations. They list identical power output specs for both versions, but say nothing about input current requirements. I'm unclear if the 110V version is actually 220V, requiring inputs from two circuits from opposite sides of a standard domestic single phase 220V service line, or if they are really running on 110V and require twice the input current. Or maybe the 110V version simply has significantly less output power? The various vendors can't answer questions this technical, because they don't know the answers, which I don't necessarily fault them for, but can anybody shed light on this?
Even that's confusing though. There is one Ebay seller with lots of current ads who is shipping LH-15A units from US stock in Ohio ($978, free shipping), and they give you a choice between "110-140V 60 Hz" or "220V 50 Hz". Either choice is perplexing. Other vendors spec their power requirements on the 220 as "200-260V, 50-60 Hz", which is more reassuring. They all use the same stock photos, so I assume they must be the Li Hua models, though there are so many knock-offs in China it is hard to tell. I can't get a straight answer out of any of them, but I suspect they honestly don't know. These guys are mostly selling lots of Chinese products. They are not specialists in induction heaters.
Ok, I finally got a clear response from the Ebay vendor I mentioned this morning. Here it is: "The output of 220V is actually a little higher. The input current of 110V is about 50A and that of 220V is about 30A. 220V/50HZ can be used in USA. We sell a lot of 220V machine to American customer. Frequency doesn't affect its influence." I can't imagine who has a 50A 110V circuit pre-wired in their house, and it sounds like the output is reduced in that model anyway (no violation of thermodynamic laws claimed). Most importantly, they are confirming that the input frequency isn't an issue for 60 Hz. The 220V machine is clearly the one to buy, even if you have to wire a supply (since you would anyway for the less powerful 110V model). It will be interesting to verify this with the manufacturer if you can.
hi Donovan, @@donovanbodishbaugh3077, the machine will work, but the power will be reduced when compared to a single phase 220v at the same workpiece and the same heating data. I am an induction heating machine manufacturer with 20 years of experience. any questions I'm happy to help.
Nice vid! I have a question and if you can answer i would be really thankfull: can you make the coil cig enough to fit a lets say 5 inch metal bar? Thank you sir!
5 inches long and, say 1/2" diameter or maybe 3/4" diameter? Yes. See: th-cam.com/video/rlydInoY6kA/w-d-xo.html. One of the coils is suitable for over 4". A slightly longer spacing would get 5".
I have an induction heater, i brazed the iron in 5 sec but delayed in copper case and take about 3 min Please tell me how to quikly brazing the copper metal in few seconds.
Can you share a picture of the copper you are joining? Please indicate the size of the metal. What is the brazing alloy? Copper does conduct heat away from the heated area faster than iron, but this should be faster than 3 minutes.
hi ,,, how i understand i can use 5 wire 220v 32amp owen line for it ? and another one is it possible to using quarc crucible to melt stainless steel let say wire 2mm in bits length 30 or so mm ,up to weight 0.5kg or 1 kg with right coil ?
I notice that your heater has a maximum current of 800 amps, however I have noticed that this model is often quoted as a maximum of 600 amp output. Do you have any thoughts or explanation as to why this may be?
I'm not sure. It may be that the 600 amp output is for the 110v model, which Li Hua tells me can't match the output of the 220v model even when connected to a nearly 70A circuit. The power output at 110v input is probably limited due to resistive losses which would be less at 220v rather than some fundamental difference in components. My unit is actually a 110v model re-wired for 110/220v operation.
EJ of the Anvil Thanks for reply, yes it may be due to the voltage requirements, the Chinese don't always have the best specification listing. I did notice and have a look at your wiring modification, i wonder if the output is higher due to power side at 220v and control transformed from 110v (or earth in your case)...this may cause the control voltage to be a little higher and allowing a harder drive and control feed back to the power side. All very interesting, I will certainly be looking at getting one as and when money permits. Thank you for your useful insight to these machines. As you seem to have some electrical knowledge, would you consider doing a video about the inside of the machine, how it's constructed, component mounting, any stress on circuit boards etc? I have seen one or two views inside, but more would be better.
I have same machine but it is not heating to red hot out of box the current never goes upto 300amp although my heating power is full i dont know what to do there is no fault indication
I think the most likely problem is a bad board. If this is the case on a new system, ask for a replacement. Otherwise, if someone nearby has a working machine of the same model, you can swap boards to find the issue. The manufacturer has been good about providing replacement boards at reasonable cost. It is also possible that the stock your are trying to heat is too small. But, something like 1/2" (12mm) round rod should heat to white hot.
One of my viewers reported making a small Damascus billet with his. I recently took a class from Pep Gomez on making Damascus so I will be trying this. It is not ideal for Damascus, but I have some ideas to try. I will eventually make a video on Damascus with induction heat. I haven't done any crucible work with mine.
Thank you very much for these informations I think I will take the lh-25 to have more power. But I hesitate with the SP-25 which is sure Damascus and steel crucible but it is not the same price machine and I do not know their difference! Do you have an idea ? In any case, thank you for everything
@@tranbs The LH-25 requires 3-phase power. That is perhaps a problem at your shop. I have not seen an SP-25 from Li Hua, perhaps that is a model name from another manufacturer? It's likely of similar specifications including the 3-phase power requirement. The damascus issues come as much from coil design as power. I a LH-35 now again and the extra power doesn't make up for a poor fit in the coil. That just takes extra time in many cases but can prevent reaching a welding heat or at least a welding heat across the entire billet.
Cheap is tricky on this. TIG torch coolers are the typical approach. Here is one that would work: www.usaweld.com/Water-Coolers-for-TIG-Welders-p/watercooler.htm ($449 USD as of Apr 2019). Also, on eBay, I found PowerCool w300 for about $310 USD that would work.
He he. Mine intermittently stops beeping due to some kind of defect. Having experienced it both ways, I have mixed feelings about the beep. It's a bit disconcerting that the coil can be active with no indication. For what it's worth, my unit has lasted 4 years without issue except that one of the LED segments on the timer doesn't work 95% of the time and the beeper only works 95% of the time.
I am sure by now that you have figured out how to heat small diameter rod stock. you need to put the rod near the coil off center so the maximum lines of magnetic flux go thru the stock. there are less lines in the center.
There are some end / edge effects, but the Best Way(tm) is to use a smaller diameter coil. Take a look at th-cam.com/video/gzp4MvxLAag/w-d-xo.html. My reply to Jack on that video also has a reference that discusses flux distribution in a solenoid (like one of these coils). Short answer is it is approximately uniform (except for a little bit near the ends).
Steel isn't, as metals go, a great conductor of heat. So, it takes several minutes for the part I'm holding to get hot enough to be painful. If I dip the end I'm holding in my water bucket now and again that keeps it okay. If you're thinking about getting shocked, the current flow in the steel from induction is little loops internal to the steel. Tho, if I'm touching the anvil (a fairly decent "ground") and the metal while it's heating there is a little "bite" or "tingle" that I feel so there is a bit of current passing thru me :-O.
Can i use it to melt copper aluminium gold silver and so on with it :) can you make a video how you put everything together :) and how you make more coils
I have not used a crucible with mine, but melting non-ferrous metals is common. I'm currently editing a video on how I make coils. I hope to have it out soon.
@@ejoftheanvil love it hope you Can make one where you Can show me how to put everything together with water and so on :) and hope you Can melt som metal As well not much Just so i Can grasp the consept :)
The 15kW rating is not correct. It is a 7.5kW system. The 15kW misrepresentation comes from the 15kVA spec which, while probably technically true, is very misleading. This is true of *all* single-phase so-called "15kW".
@@ejoftheanvil Thanks, thought still getting an alarm with red power and water lack on...have contacted the Vevor company but they haven't been to helpful yet.. my pump is a 240v 6000 L/H which should be enough at 10L/m, would having too much water pressure and volume effect it...My Electrician seems to think it may be a faulty power relay, so have ordered some new ones.
@@jimpifarre4601 I suspect your pump can't supply enough flow given the back pressure of the tubing. That pump is probably designed for high volume at low pressure (head).
3+ years of good service. Two minor issues: some of the small internal screws loosed and the speaker quit working for about a week and then mysteriously resumed.
EJ of the Anvil Thanks! I see two main vendors on eBay. They look identical. One is LiHua at 1100-1300 and the other one is $533 or so. Hard to see what the difference is
@@derekmelton I'm not sure either, but I can't imagine that there is $500 of profit in the LiHua, so I suspect that the low priced unit is a much poorer build. Also, watch out for the 110v vs 220v problem.
Where can I get one!? Code enforcement told me they would jail me if I cranked up my forge again! I am (was ) the Southernmost Blacksmith -keyWest. .Fort Taylor State Park .Now in Jacksonville,fla. No problem in KeyWest...problem in jax.! I need to pound iron!!! The Judge said so! Help! Need the machine..got everything else.Hep- me! Cliff
I'm not sure exactly what you mean, but perhaps your question relates to electrical supply requirements. Yes, a 220v LH-15a uses a similar supply to an electric clothes dryer. You need 35A of 220v. Note: you should avoid the 110v units even if you are in the USA or similar locale. I do have a video on that: th-cam.com/video/0le4PK1sO8U/w-d-xo.html
@@ejoftheanvil so the 120 units can work with 220 volt power circuit wiring at 4x the current. They work even better on 220volt wiring? 120 can't even produce enough power and dividend enough amperage to make sufficient current for heating above 1300 Fahrenheit. That's barely enough to melt aluminum.
@@ejoftheanvil so you just left the display grounded and let the physical wiring power the machine from 220 volt adaptation? The processor (logic board) keeps the real time sync of the display? working in time? Why can't they just work?
@@zachjackson9263 I ran the transformer that supplies power to the logic and display circuitry on one 110v leg of the split phase 220v by cutting the other leg and grounding instead. I did the cut *after* the high-power side already was feed both 110v legs (for a combined 220v).
Do you mean the white insulation? It's fiberglass or aramid (kevlar) or something. It melts on contact with really hot steel and then makes a sticky mess on the steel, so I've quit bothering to put it on.
Hello, being thinking of getting this heater. What sort of peak or surge amps do you get on powering up. I was told it requires 63A due to a "Peak" or spike load on startup. When you are running full amps what is the Amps continuously, 32A?? Trying to figure out if i have to pay to get circuit upgraded or could i get by on a 220v 32A line (oven circuit) to shed.
Hello, we are a big manufacturer of induction heating machine, we have been in this line for over 10 years. our website is www.lhinduction.com. email: lh-global@lihuachina.com wechat/whatapp: +86 159 7586 0724. Welcome to inquiry me!
Eric - I just pulled the trigger and ordered one of these units from these guys: www.joyfay.com/15kw-30-80-khz-high-frequency-induction-heater-furnace-lh-15a $945, shipping from US stock included, so no long waits or risk of a customs bill, so I feel better about ordering from them than China. I order a fair number of things direct from China with very few problems, but this is a larger purchase than most. The vendor also has Google trusted store status, which provides another recourse beyond Paypal if you have a problem. I have one more quick question about your electrical hookup. This is a straight-up 220V AC appliance, so it only requires 2 hot wires on the service lead (no neutral). Did you ground yours? I see in the photos that there is a grounding lug on the case, but it is located away from the power inputs, obviously designed for an external ground, not through service wiring.
Hi again Eric. I now have my LH-15A, and am in the process of getting acquainted with it. Naturally, I'm already thinking about making some different working coils. Any tips along these lines? In both your videos, I see that you have a straight up 8mm tubing coil, and I assume that you have the 14mm 1.5 thread metric flare nuts on that. The coil that shipped with my unit is stepped. It is 8mm at the flare nuts, but the coil itself is 6mm OD tubing, soldered at each end to the larger tubing. I'm trying to settle on the best way to standardize my own coils. Given the difficulty in local sourcing of metric tubing and connectors, I'm thinking that going with standard American refrigeration tubing makes sense. 1/4" and 3/8" are in every hardware store. 5/16" would be closest to 8mm, and is available, but not as common. I'm not sure what the tradeoffs of tubing diameter are, other than cost, which isn't really a concern here. Then there is the question of connectors. Adapters are available to get from that 14mm flare stub on the machine to a standard SAE flare size (e.g., 1/2"-20 for 5/16" tubing). Again, that seems like a good option to avoid the need for metric flare nuts. Have you experimented with or considered such options? Sorry to monopolize your comment section so much, but I really appreciate your input. I don't know anybody with experience forging on this machine.
Very good practice video! I am glad someone has well explained this machine, although not mine😁. The 15kva 40kva induction heater is almost the smallest machine in all our machines and is very suitable for small heating work. Because for its cooling, only need water tank and pump is enough. Eric just did forging, but this machine can do more. As we all know, all heating applications differ because of the speed temp cooling method. So, when you change those aspects, you can do more, like welding, hardening, etc., to gain good heating; making a proper coil and adjusting the machine's radio is very important. You might make a coil that seems perfect, but you have to adjust the ratio, then you can get better heating. There are still some more aspects like transformer adjustment and components adjustment we will do according to client requirements, but as those are complicated for home use, only matching coil with the ratio will be fine. Studying the heating requirements, making the proper coil, and customized adjusting the machine is the mystery and charms of the induction heating solution. Thanks again for Eric's video👍
Inspired by your videos, I got a similar machine. The machine is very useful. Practically you have instant heat at the push of a button. Used for forging stock up to 30-40 mm diameter and lots of other stuff. Faster than my charcoal forge, but compared to coal it oxidizes a little more (not a problem for forging, I did not try welding). It needs a cooling system and an electrical line that can handle about 30-32 amps at 220V (in practice 6 square mm copper wire is fine). I changed the automatic fuse on the machine to a C rated 25 amp one, to limit the input current, and it works just fine. I think it works because such fuses are designed for electric motors and have an overload protection for a limited time. It provides at full power just under 800 amps in the coil. Regarding the cooling system it needs enough pressure and flow, otherwise it would not work. I improvised a cooler using a 2 bar, 22 liters/ min, 120W pump (www.ibo-pompa.ro/267.ibo-wzi-100-hidrofor-1l-hidrofor.hidrofor.html), with an old car radiator on which I mounted a large computer fan. If one wants to use one at its full capacity, multiple coils are a must. I made my own coils from 6mm copper tube and made an adaptor with locally available flare nuts, because I did not find M14 ones to fit the machine. To fit on the machine I cut one of the coils it came with and reused its flare nuts to fit on the machine end.
Thanks for sharing! Helped me get a better feeling for the possible uses.
This is really cool. Very glad I found your channel. Liked, subscribed, and notified.
Nice- I did the same thing with the 5 gallon bucket. So far I love the machine and I am thinking of getting a spare as I will need this to keep working and it wouldn't be good to have a breakdown that kept me from working for many days or weeks. What do you think about the reliability? Have you had any breakdowns or problems?
Many thanks for the review. I've been thinking of buying one, just needed to see it working. I think different coils will be required for different bar stock. Thanks again...
I like the idea of different coils, it makes the machine more versatile.
Hello, we are a big manufacturer of induction heating machine, we have been in this line for over 10 years. our website is www.lhinduction.com. email: lh-global@lihuachina.com wechat/whatapp: +86 159 7586 0724. Welcome to inquiry me!
Hi Eric,
I've noticed that the LH-15a specifications shows 220 volts at 50 hertz rather than 60 hertz. Has this been a problem for you?
Thank you very much . Where do you purchase the tig water hoses
Hi ej can I ask a potential silly question? I saw you touch the white insulation of the coil while it was on, can you also touch the copper tubes too? Or are they very dangerous and ‘live”? thanks!
It is live, but the voltages are pretty low even if the current is quite high and the resistance in the coil is low. You can easily short out the coil (from loop to loop) with steel. You can't with your finger because you just aren't a good enough conductor.
@@ejoftheanvil ahhh ok so it’s quite safe thanks
Great video. We have just bought this machine but do not have a clue how to plug it in. Can you please advise how we should do it? It will be greatly appreciated if you can answer this. Thanks in advance.
You will need to make your own cord. If you have the 220v model and are in the US, you connect both hot wires to the pair of posts under the flap near the top. Ground goes to the post near the bottom left.
Very interesting!
really nice, but will it melt gold I'm looking for something like this for refining gold.
Yes, it will melt gold easily. Typically you use a graphite crucible inside a coil with a vertical orientation (mine are horizontal).
one question: the high frequency e.m. field doesn't affect you? you touched the coil with your fingers, you stayed very close to the coil....
The magnetic field it is very strong inside, but it is also quite strong outside (lesser than inside, of course)
Yeah, it's a bit mind blowing. The field doesn't affect me inside or out. But, I don't try that will a metal ring on!
@@ejoftheanvil but we have enough iron in our blood ..... I asked mostly because of curiosity. They tell us to stay away from transformers and power grid because of EMF, at 60 Hz
nice video, thanks for producing it... i am a novice at best... so this is as much of a question as can be....but, with that foot pedal control, and the asbestos or similar sleeve on your coil... could you not turn, or have turned, a steel bushing of a type of steel that has good hot hardness and conductivity.. . maybe several bushings... with different bore diameters ... for producing magnetic couplings to quickly change between small stock sizes? just pop a bushing with a half inch bore in and stick your 3/8 piece of stock inside that bushing... and have it produce a heat as if you had a single piece of larger stock?... with the insulating sleeve would there be any shorting problems or anything like that?... if you've already tried please let me know what all you think.
I am primarily interested in getting into casting metals... but i see these machines are pretty incredibly versatile ... and i guess is old hat, as now many use induction for cooking supper lol... I just don't know anything about it yet.. very much appreciate your video...and any tips. Thanks again
It's cheaper and easier to make different size coils. You might find this video interesting: th-cam.com/video/gzp4MvxLAag/w-d-xo.html . It shows how a better fit dramatically improves heating.
The sleeve on the coil doesn't stand up to a high forging heat. Just bumping it melts it. The sleeve in the video had so many holes it fell off a year ago.
thanks for your time
Thank you very much. It's the most helpful video about this model.
This time I'm going to buy it. I tried to purchase other equipment by referring to your video, but because my English is not good(google help me now), I think there are some parts that I can not understand in your video. If you do not mind, I'd like you to answer a few questions.
I do not know if I understood well when you explained electricity. Is it correct that you used a cable that you previously purchased to use the LTPDC2000D?(At first, I thought I should buy it) If I did, would I just buy a cable and plug it into a building outlet? (I live in South Korea and our country uses 220v 60Hz.)
And I'm wondering if you are using a closed type or an open type when supplying cooling water. It looks like the outlet hose is connected to the bucket. Where is the inlet hose connected?
Hello, we are a big manufacturer of induction heating machine, we have been in this line for over 10 years. our website is www.lhinduction.com. email: lh-global@lihuachina.com wechat/whatapp: +86 159 7586 0724. Welcome to inquiry me!
So you were using this induction heater (15kw) with a 220v 30A breaker which is 6.6kw.
How does that work ?
This is a 7.5kW induction heater. (I'm very clear about that, but all the vendors lie / misquote the kVA specification. It really annoys me.) My supply is more like 240v, so 30A was enough for quite a while. I eventually upgraded to a 40A which has more than enough amperage.
@@ejoftheanvil Ah thanks for the answer.
That makes buying one a lot cheaper.
Thanks Eric for the excellent video. It is the most useful I have found, from the perspective of somebody contemplating a purchase. I remain confused about the power requirements of these units though. Several vendors on Ebay are currently selling apparently identical machines to yours in either 110V or 220V supply configurations. They list identical power output specs for both versions, but say nothing about input current requirements. I'm unclear if the 110V version is actually 220V, requiring inputs from two circuits from opposite sides of a standard domestic single phase 220V service line, or if they are really running on 110V and require twice the input current. Or maybe the 110V version simply has significantly less output power? The various vendors can't answer questions this technical, because they don't know the answers, which I don't necessarily fault them for, but can anybody shed light on this?
Even that's confusing though. There is one Ebay seller with lots of current ads who is shipping LH-15A units from US stock in Ohio ($978, free shipping), and they give you a choice between "110-140V 60 Hz" or "220V 50 Hz". Either choice is perplexing. Other vendors spec their power requirements on the 220 as "200-260V, 50-60 Hz", which is more reassuring. They all use the same stock photos, so I assume they must be the Li Hua models, though there are so many knock-offs in China it is hard to tell. I can't get a straight answer out of any of them, but I suspect they honestly don't know. These guys are mostly selling lots of Chinese products. They are not specialists in induction heaters.
Ok, I finally got a clear response from the Ebay vendor I mentioned this morning. Here it is: "The output of 220V is actually a little higher. The input current of 110V is about 50A and that of 220V is about 30A. 220V/50HZ can be used in USA. We sell a lot of 220V machine to American customer. Frequency doesn't affect its influence."
I can't imagine who has a 50A 110V circuit pre-wired in their house, and it sounds like the output is reduced in that model anyway (no violation of thermodynamic laws claimed). Most importantly, they are confirming that the input frequency isn't an issue for 60 Hz. The 220V machine is clearly the one to buy, even if you have to wire a supply (since you would anyway for the less powerful 110V model). It will be interesting to verify this with the manufacturer if you can.
Donovan Bodishbaugh, I almost ordered one yesterday. I would like to know how the unit is working for you.
hi Donovan, @@donovanbodishbaugh3077, the machine will work, but the power will be reduced when compared to a single phase 220v at the same workpiece and the same heating data. I am an induction heating machine manufacturer with 20 years of experience. any questions I'm happy to help.
Nice vid! I have a question and if you can answer i would be really thankfull: can you make the coil cig enough to fit a lets say 5 inch metal bar? Thank you sir!
5 inches long and, say 1/2" diameter or maybe 3/4" diameter? Yes. See: th-cam.com/video/rlydInoY6kA/w-d-xo.html. One of the coils is suitable for over 4". A slightly longer spacing would get 5".
I have an induction heater, i brazed the iron in 5 sec but delayed in copper case and take about 3 min
Please tell me how to quikly brazing the copper metal in few seconds.
Can you share a picture of the copper you are joining? Please indicate the size of the metal. What is the brazing alloy? Copper does conduct heat away from the heated area faster than iron, but this should be faster than 3 minutes.
hi ,,, how i understand i can use 5 wire 220v 32amp owen line for it ? and another one is it possible to using quarc crucible to melt stainless steel let say wire 2mm in bits length 30 or so mm ,up to weight 0.5kg or 1 kg with right coil ?
You only need 3 wires and it does run a little over 32 amps. I'm not experienced with steel melting. It would provide enough heat to do it, tho.
I notice that your heater has a maximum current of 800 amps, however I have noticed that this model is often quoted as a maximum of 600 amp output. Do you have any thoughts or explanation as to why this may be?
I'm not sure. It may be that the 600 amp output is for the 110v model, which Li Hua tells me can't match the output of the 220v model even when connected to a nearly 70A circuit.
The power output at 110v input is probably limited due to resistive losses which would be less at 220v rather than some fundamental difference in components. My unit is actually a 110v model re-wired for 110/220v operation.
EJ of the Anvil Thanks for reply, yes it may be due to the voltage requirements, the Chinese don't always have the best specification listing. I did notice and have a look at your wiring modification, i wonder if the output is higher due to power side at 220v and control transformed from 110v (or earth in your case)...this may cause the control voltage to be a little higher and allowing a harder drive and control feed back to the power side. All very interesting, I will certainly be looking at getting one as and when money permits. Thank you for your useful insight to these machines. As you seem to have some electrical knowledge, would you consider doing a video about the inside of the machine, how it's constructed, component mounting, any stress on circuit boards etc? I have seen one or two views inside, but more would be better.
I have same machine but it is not heating to red hot out of box the current never goes upto 300amp although my heating power is full i dont know what to do there is no fault indication
I think the most likely problem is a bad board. If this is the case on a new system, ask for a replacement. Otherwise, if someone nearby has a working machine of the same model, you can swap boards to find the issue. The manufacturer has been good about providing replacement boards at reasonable cost.
It is also possible that the stock your are trying to heat is too small. But, something like 1/2" (12mm) round rod should heat to white hot.
Hello
Can you make Damascus with? Does it get hot enough? And a crucible steel? Can it make liquid steel come?
Thank you
One of my viewers reported making a small Damascus billet with his. I recently took a class from Pep Gomez on making Damascus so I will be trying this. It is not ideal for Damascus, but I have some ideas to try. I will eventually make a video on Damascus with induction heat.
I haven't done any crucible work with mine.
Thank you very much for these informations
I think I will take the lh-25 to have more power.
But I hesitate with the SP-25 which is sure Damascus and steel crucible but it is not the same price machine and I do not know their difference! Do you have an idea ?
In any case, thank you for everything
@@tranbs The LH-25 requires 3-phase power. That is perhaps a problem at your shop. I have not seen an SP-25 from Li Hua, perhaps that is a model name from another manufacturer? It's likely of similar specifications including the 3-phase power requirement.
The damascus issues come as much from coil design as power. I a LH-35 now again and the extra power doesn't make up for a poor fit in the coil. That just takes extra time in many cases but can prevent reaching a welding heat or at least a welding heat across the entire billet.
video about changing the coil safely would be great
Good idea.
were could I buy a water cooling system ready to setup and run with this same induction heater cheapest?
Cheap is tricky on this. TIG torch coolers are the typical approach. Here is one that would work: www.usaweld.com/Water-Coolers-for-TIG-Welders-p/watercooler.htm ($449 USD as of Apr 2019). Also, on eBay, I found PowerCool w300 for about $310 USD that would work.
Can it run in the vertical orientation? like for a graphite crucible?
Yes, that's a common usage.
Excellent machine, although for me, that beeper would very quickly be de-soldered from the PCB.
He he. Mine intermittently stops beeping due to some kind of defect.
Having experienced it both ways, I have mixed feelings about the beep. It's a bit disconcerting that the coil can be active with no indication.
For what it's worth, my unit has lasted 4 years without issue except that one of the LED segments on the timer doesn't work 95% of the time and the beeper only works 95% of the time.
I am sure by now that you have figured out how to heat small diameter rod stock. you need to put the rod near the coil off center so the maximum lines of magnetic flux go thru the stock. there are less lines in the center.
There are some end / edge effects, but the Best Way(tm) is to use a smaller diameter coil. Take a look at th-cam.com/video/gzp4MvxLAag/w-d-xo.html. My reply to Jack on that video also has a reference that discusses flux distribution in a solenoid (like one of these coils). Short answer is it is approximately uniform (except for a little bit near the ends).
Can cobalt, chrome or nickel be melted with that heating equipment?
Probably small quantities of cobalt or nickel. Maybe not chrome. Of course, you need appropriate crucibles.
How are you able to hold the work pieces with your bare hands?
Steel isn't, as metals go, a great conductor of heat. So, it takes several minutes for the part I'm holding to get hot enough to be painful. If I dip the end I'm holding in my water bucket now and again that keeps it okay.
If you're thinking about getting shocked, the current flow in the steel from induction is little loops internal to the steel. Tho, if I'm touching the anvil (a fairly decent "ground") and the metal while it's heating there is a little "bite" or "tingle" that I feel so there is a bit of current passing thru me :-O.
Can i use it to melt copper aluminium gold silver and so on with it :) can you make a video how you put everything together :) and how you make more coils
I have not used a crucible with mine, but melting non-ferrous metals is common. I'm currently editing a video on how I make coils. I hope to have it out soon.
@@ejoftheanvil love it hope you Can make one where you Can show me how to put everything together with water and so on :) and hope you Can melt som metal As well not much Just so i Can grasp the consept :)
Can you tell me if it can levitate a small piece of any metal?
Yes. It requires a coil designed to do it (which will not be useful for general purpose heating).
It says it's Single phase power input...but for 15kw you need 64amp system 3 phase...? even 30amp is 3phase
The 15kW rating is not correct. It is a 7.5kW system. The 15kW misrepresentation comes from the 15kVA spec which, while probably technically true, is very misleading. This is true of *all* single-phase so-called "15kW".
@@ejoftheanvil can you tell me how much psi and liters/min the water cooling requires. thanks
@@jimpifarre4601 0.06-0.12Mpa,7.5L/min (that's about 9 to 17psi)
@@ejoftheanvil Thanks, thought still getting an alarm with red power and water lack on...have contacted the Vevor company but they haven't been to helpful yet.. my pump is a 240v 6000 L/H which should be enough at 10L/m, would having too much water pressure and volume effect it...My Electrician seems to think it may be a faulty power relay, so have ordered some new ones.
@@jimpifarre4601 I suspect your pump can't supply enough flow given the back pressure of the tubing. That pump is probably designed for high volume at low pressure (head).
Had any issues with the induction forge since this video?
3+ years of good service. Two minor issues: some of the small internal screws loosed and the speaker quit working for about a week and then mysteriously resumed.
EJ of the Anvil Thanks! I see two main vendors on eBay. They look identical. One is LiHua at 1100-1300 and the other one is $533 or so. Hard to see what the difference is
@@derekmelton I'm not sure either, but I can't imagine that there is $500 of profit in the LiHua, so I suspect that the low priced unit is a much poorer build. Also, watch out for the 110v vs 220v problem.
Where can I get one!? Code enforcement told me they would jail me if I cranked up my forge again! I am (was ) the Southernmost Blacksmith -keyWest.
.Fort Taylor State Park .Now in Jacksonville,fla. No problem in KeyWest...problem in jax.! I need to pound iron!!! The Judge said so! Help! Need the machine..got everything else.Hep- me! Cliff
US Solid sells one. Make sure you get 220v! I've never purchased from US Solid, but I know of a few people who have and they had good results.
Is it true that this machine can only heat with a drying machine heater?
I'm not sure exactly what you mean, but perhaps your question relates to electrical supply requirements. Yes, a 220v LH-15a uses a similar supply to an electric clothes dryer. You need 35A of 220v.
Note: you should avoid the 110v units even if you are in the USA or similar locale. I do have a video on that: th-cam.com/video/0le4PK1sO8U/w-d-xo.html
@@ejoftheanvil so the 120 units can work with 220 volt power circuit wiring at 4x the current. They work even better on 220volt wiring? 120 can't even produce enough power and dividend enough amperage to make sufficient current for heating above 1300 Fahrenheit. That's barely enough to melt aluminum.
@@zachjackson9263 The 110v (or 120v) to 220 conversion only works on USA-style split phase power. It will cut the current requirement in half.
@@ejoftheanvil so you just left the display grounded and let the physical wiring power the machine from 220 volt adaptation? The processor (logic board) keeps the real time sync of the display? working in time? Why can't they just work?
@@zachjackson9263 I ran the transformer that supplies power to the logic and display circuitry on one 110v leg of the split phase 220v by cutting the other leg and grounding instead. I did the cut *after* the high-power side already was feed both 110v legs (for a combined 220v).
Why don't you create a different coil? I'd have an Idea.
I have 13 coils so far. th-cam.com/video/kezjbEZRtU4/w-d-xo.html shows most of them.
What are you thinking? I'm always interested in ideas!
does it work on stainless steel ?
Yes. And aluminum, brass, bronze ... any decent electrical conductor.
what u use to isolate coper tube ?
Do you mean the white insulation? It's fiberglass or aramid (kevlar) or something. It melts on contact with really hot steel and then makes a sticky mess on the steel, so I've quit bothering to put it on.
Your induction machine price tell me I am India & I am forging work
As of June 2020, prices are about US$950. You will also need a cooler at US$300 or so.
Hello, being thinking of getting this heater. What sort of peak or surge amps do you get on powering up. I was told it requires 63A due to a "Peak" or spike load on startup. When you are running full amps what is the Amps continuously, 32A??
Trying to figure out if i have to pay to get circuit upgraded or could i get by on a 220v 32A line (oven circuit) to shed.
Thanks for taking the time to reply and are you going to upload more induction videos.
What was the answer to this? Im curious myself. is 32A ok?
Hello, we are a big manufacturer of induction heating machine, we have been in this line for over 10 years. our website is www.lhinduction.com. email: lh-global@lihuachina.com wechat/whatapp: +86 159 7586 0724. Welcome to inquiry me!
Eric - I just pulled the trigger and ordered one of these units from these guys: www.joyfay.com/15kw-30-80-khz-high-frequency-induction-heater-furnace-lh-15a
$945, shipping from US stock included, so no long waits or risk of a customs bill, so I feel better about ordering from them than China. I order a fair number of things direct from China with very few problems, but this is a larger purchase than most. The vendor also has Google trusted store status, which provides another recourse beyond Paypal if you have a problem.
I have one more quick question about your electrical hookup. This is a straight-up 220V AC appliance, so it only requires 2 hot wires on the service lead (no neutral). Did you ground yours? I see in the photos that there is a grounding lug on the case, but it is located away from the power inputs, obviously designed for an external ground, not through service wiring.
Hi again Eric. I now have my LH-15A, and am in the process of getting acquainted with it. Naturally, I'm already thinking about making some different working coils. Any tips along these lines?
In both your videos, I see that you have a straight up 8mm tubing coil, and I assume that you have the 14mm 1.5 thread metric flare nuts on that. The coil that shipped with my unit is stepped. It is 8mm at the flare nuts, but the coil itself is 6mm OD tubing, soldered at each end to the larger tubing.
I'm trying to settle on the best way to standardize my own coils. Given the difficulty in local sourcing of metric tubing and connectors, I'm thinking that going with standard American refrigeration tubing makes sense. 1/4" and 3/8" are in every hardware store. 5/16" would be closest to 8mm, and is available, but not as common. I'm not sure what the tradeoffs of tubing diameter are, other than cost, which isn't really a concern here.
Then there is the question of connectors. Adapters are available to get from that 14mm flare stub on the machine to a standard SAE flare size (e.g., 1/2"-20 for 5/16" tubing). Again, that seems like a good option to avoid the need for metric flare nuts. Have you experimented with or considered such options?
Sorry to monopolize your comment section so much, but I really appreciate your input. I don't know anybody with experience forging on this machine.
he does not mention the LH-15a is $992 on ebay
Is machine ki price kya hai contact number do Kitna what mein
+8615225195652