EL WIRE---if you know anything about it click here!!!URGENT...sorta

[Um...Me123]

Quick question:  I ran 1.5V more than recomended (at 1A besides :) into an inverter driving EL wire.  It was also only about 1/4 of the length of wire that came with the inverter.  It caused the TV in the room to go all fuzzy (didn't happen with a smaller power supply or the full length) and the wire flickered then quit.  I finally figured out the inverter is just fine so I figure I did something to the wire.  Could I maybe have just fried part of the smaller wrap wire or did I burn al the phosphor coating on the copper wire?  Mainly I want to know if there is anything I can do ir the wire toast?
Thanks.

 

[audioguru2]

Hi Um,
I think you blew-up the inverter. It has only about 4 transistors so maybe you can fix it.
The smaller wrap wire could burn-out if the EL wire got shorted at a bend in it.
EL wire slowly gets permanently dimmer if the current or frequency is too high.

 

[Um...Me123]

I hooked up a brand new inverter and the same wire didn't work.  I used the wire to line the edges of the panel of buttons for a project of mine.  It gets used in the dark and this is an impressive way to light it.  The wire is bent about the corners fairly sharply.  How does the wrap wire short if the core wire is coated and (I think) has a small layer of insulation?  It can't short itself out can it?  The didi work for a while and now its totally unresponsive (no flickers - nothing).  I'll go test the origional inverter more but I'm pretty sure it still works.  I have a very messy work area and a bad memory but I mealieve it was the rest of the wire (not on the panel) that I lit with the origional inverter.

 

[audioguru2]

An ohm-meter will quickly show if the wires in the EL glow-wire are shorted at a sharp bend. LiveWire says to never make sharp bends in their EL glow wires.

 

[Um...Me123]

I was going to see if I could find a short in the wire so I hooked it up then was gone bend the wire abound a much as I could given it was attached down to my pannel.

 

[audioguru2]

You should use 12V. You say that with 13.5V its frequency is higher, so then the inverter uses more current and is strained. Connect two 1N4002 diodes in series with the power supply's 13.5V output to get 12V. Since you are using less wire then the power supply isn't at its rated current and its voltage will be higher. You might need 3 diodes in series to drop it down to 12V.

 

[Um...Me123]

I have a "What hapened?" question:
I was powering my inverter with my PSU (you know what I'm talking about audioguru) and as I turned the knob up i started to hear the buz of the inverter then the wire came on dimely with a loud buz then a little higher voltage and the wire came to full brightness and quieter.  I heard a pop and thought i felt the inverter make a little jolt (of viberation) and I unpluged it quickly. A bad smell and a little smoke came out of the holes where the wires are,  I thought I saw the wire stay illuminated after the pop.  I opened up the little box and the only noticable thing on either side of the board is a small cap that seemeed like the little rubber/plastic coating around it had squished down to the bottom and the top half was just silver then.
Anyone know what appened?
The PSu when hooked up to the DMM make spikes to a hgh voltage then down to where it should be when raising the level.  I thought it was just the meter.  Maybe I surged it?
O well...someday...ka-boom!

Question:  Why is there a  :-* icon??  Ha HA  An electronics forum?!

 

[audioguru2]

I heard a pop ... A bad smell and a little smoke came out.
Anyone know what appened?

Sure, you blew-up that part and probably more parts in the inverter by giving it too much input voltage.

The PSu when hooked up to the DMM make spikes to a hgh voltage then down to where it should be when raising the level.