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HapHazard57

Wed Jan 06 2010, 03:58AM

Registered Member #2605 Joined: Tue Jan 05 2010, 03:25AM
Location:
Posts: 9

From what I understand, and I could easily be totally wrong in this, but like the microwaves go into something, giggle the water molecules really really fast/alot and then the friction from that makes heat. but idk.

rp181

Wed Jan 06 2010, 04:17AM

Registered Member #1062 Joined: Tue Oct 16 2007, 02:01AM
Location:
Posts: 1529

coilgun's are a much better starting point!
You should do this:

that was also my first "project".
Barry's website is easily the most comprehensive on coilguns:

My site also has a wee bit of info, link is in sig.

Steve Conner

Wed Jan 06 2010, 10:55AM

Registered Member #30 Joined: Fri Feb 03 2006, 10:52AM
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Posts: 6706

Arcstarter wrote ...

No, microwaves are not safe, but express that point in a somewhat more friendly way.

I was serious! If you put some snow in the microwave and see how long it takes to melt, you'll learn a lesson about latent heat of fusion, and you can calculate how long it would take to clear your driveway. Think of it as a feasibility study for your snow melter.

My personal feeling is that it would take a long time indeed. Some railway companies use a jet engine to melt and blast snow off the tracks, and your average jet engine puts out maybe 10 megawatts of heat.

Z28Fistergod

Wed Jan 06 2010, 02:26PM

Registered Member #2040 Joined: Fri Mar 20 2009, 10:13PM
Location: Fairfax VA
Posts: 180

We purchased a flame thrower type gadget to try to melt snow with. It was fueled by a 20lb propane tank and it was so ineffective that it really wasn't worth it. We found the best use for it was heating up the steel snow shovel so the snow didn't stick to it. I would imagine the thermal energy the flame thrower put out was at least 1000W, probably much more.

So instead of melting snow with the microwave, you should...........BUILD A SNOW SHOVEL HEATED BY MICROWAVES! Might be kind of heavy, but totally worth it; your neighbors will be so jealous. Seriously though, a snow shovel with some sort of heating element to get it slightly above freezing doesn't sound totally outrageous; a few hundred watts of mains could do the trick.

There are commercial systems that people install in their concrete slab driveways. It's just a simple tube that they route back and forth all thoughout the driveway, and then they pour the concrete on top. When its about to start snowing they turn the system on to pump some type of hot liquid through and heat the drive way up just above freezing so the snow never sticks.

HV Enthusiast

Wed Jan 06 2010, 04:31PM

Registered Member #15 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 01:11PM
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Posts: 3068

Actually, you'd be better off (and maybe even more efficient) just burying a bunch of heater coils in your driveway so snow doesn't build up to begin with.

These are called radiant floor heating and are VERY COMMON especially in very cold climates where they get large amounts of snow.

Much simpler and cost effective than having unsafe microwave energy.

HapHazard57

Wed Jan 06 2010, 04:41PM

Registered Member #2605 Joined: Tue Jan 05 2010, 03:25AM
Location:
Posts: 9

Z28Fistergod wrote ...

...So instead of melting snow with the microwave, you should...........BUILD A SNOW SHOVEL HEATED BY MICROWAVES! Might be kind of heavy, but totally worth it; your neighbors will be so jealous. Seriously though, a snow shovel with some sort of heating element to get it slightly above freezing doesn't sound totally outrageous; a few hundred watts of mains could do the trick....

Could you like set up a heating coil like on electric stoves and set it between two metal plates, plates being the shovel part, and then just add a handle/cord? All you'd have to do would be push it down the driveway.

HV Enthusiast

Wed Jan 06 2010, 06:04PM

Registered Member #15 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 01:11PM
Location:
Posts: 3068

HapHazard57 wrote ...

You still have the labor of shoveling the snow. It would be better if the snow was never there to begin with. The neighbors would be really jealous if you had a heated driveway! Of course, without proper drainage, the street in front of your driveway would be an ice rink!

HapHazard57

Wed Jan 06 2010, 07:57PM

Registered Member #2605 Joined: Tue Jan 05 2010, 03:25AM
Location:
Posts: 9

EastVoltResearch wrote ...

You still have the labor of shoveling the snow. It would be better if the snow was never there to begin with. The neighbors would be really jealous if you had a heated driveway! Of course, without proper drainage, the street in front of your driveway would be an ice rink!

Yes but heating an entire driveway would be rather difficult without tearing up the concrete. Wouldn't it?

Edit to add:
Unless you had a track system on either side, and then ran a heating element down the middle.

the_anomaly

Wed Jan 06 2010, 08:14PM

Registered Member #19 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 03:19PM
Location: Jacksonville, FL
Posts: 168

Lets all move to Florida!

nasukaren

Wed Jan 06 2010, 09:30PM

Registered Member #2607 Joined: Tue Jan 05 2010, 04:28PM
Location: Southern New England, USA
Posts: 4

Many northern cities have sidewalks and driveways that are heated -- often with geothermal energy. If you dig deep enough, the earth is a constant temp and you can use that to heat your sidewalk for less energy than trying to rig up heating coils.

Of course, no high voltage involved there, so not that much fun. Just a 100 foot borehole and lots of pvc tubing.

Karen

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