Reverse Engineering: Building Heating Elements

Nik began today with a great, hands-on intro to circuits. After a brief intro to concepts of power source, load, and closed and open circuits, we felt a little more confident about wiring our own toasters.

Nik leads us through building a circuit.

We guessed that the "load" in our circuit was the nickel-chromium wire. When it resists current, it heats up and toasts bread. The challenge for today was to complete a working heating element.

The teams get to work. In their excitement, Rhone and Frances miss a high-five.

In the end most teams completed a working heating element--and Ben and Parker's (below) toasted a piece of bread (held over it by brave volunteer Keaghan (not shown)).

Testing a heating element. Standard 1: it doesn't explode. Standard 2: it heats up.

Reverse (Fall 2013)Sean MurraySeptember 28, 2013