# Flash Dryer not reaching full power at home...



## 4oclockteetime (Dec 30, 2007)

Hey there,

I'm working out of my home, have a 2000w, 15amps, 125v, 18x18 flash dryer that is basically new. Have yet to use it. I was doing a test run of it, let it heat up for almost 30 minutes and then checked the coils to see if they were bright red and at the right temp. The manufacturer said the coil should reach about 1000 degrees. When I used my laser thermometer to check the temp, the center coil was around 750 but the outside edges of the coil were around 600 (give or take). 

After speaking with the tech (he sent me this new one to replace my first one that wasn't reaching full temp as well) it was suggested that the machine may not be receiving full power to begin with. He said to check the outlet to make sure it is running 120v. He said he tested the first one at his shop and it worked. Now the new one is doing the same thing. I had the outlet checked at it reads 120v. Has anyone else had this same problem with their flash dryer, working out of their home??? Anyone have any suggestions? This is so frustrating because at the moment, I am completely stalled out. Can't print with out this thing working properly.

Thanks much!


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## geniussuineg (Sep 21, 2010)

I think you only need 325 degrees to cure shirts. Are you talking Celsius or Fahrenheit?


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## macmiller (Jul 23, 2007)

geniussuineg said:


> I think you only need 325 degrees to cure shirts. Are you talking Celsius or Fahrenheit?


yes, and you only need around 180 to flash, but you want to do it quickly, 5-7 seconds.

I'm sure 750 will work, you might just have to pace your printing so that you get an even flash. 750 is plenty hot to cure if you're not using a conveyor dryer. 

I have a 220 BBC blackbody flash that is around 900 degrees. My friend has a 110 version of the same flash. I'm not sure if he's checked the temp w/ a temp gun, but he swears mine is hotter. I think the 220 is just better at getting up to a higher temp, but you'll still be fine.


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## sben763 (May 17, 2009)

Most flash get much hotter than 325. Does it have a coil or a infrared panel. Mine only gets around 650 or so set at a few inches flashes in 10 sec. I don't use the flash anymore to cure but when I did 30-35 sec to cure.


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## BnC Custom Ink (Mar 4, 2012)

sben763 said:


> Most flash get much hotter than 325. Does it have a coil or a infrared panel. Mine only gets around 650 or so set at a few inches flashes in 10 sec. I don't use the flash anymore to cure but when I did 30-35 sec to cure.


I have a 16x16 BBC and it is the same, 650 deg f at the carbon pad. 2"-3" and 10 flash, 30-35 cure.
Sent from my PC36100 using T-Shirt Forums


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## sben763 (May 17, 2009)

BnC Custom Ink said:


> I have a 16x16 BBC and it is the same, 650 deg f at the carbon pad. 2"-3" and 10 flash, 30-35 cure.
> Sent from my PC36100 using T-Shirt Forums


Maybe cause we have the same flash !!!!!!!


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## BnC Custom Ink (Mar 4, 2012)

sben763 said:


> Maybe cause we have the same flash !!!!!!!


At least there consistent...... 

To the OP, shouldn't matter how hot the element gets, just modify the hight of the flash till you get the desired temp to your ink in the desired time.

I tried the flash only an inch or so off the shirts, and it cured well but went too fast, I tried 4"-5" and it cured well but took forever. The moral Here is trial and error, find what works for you, not just what others say theirs works at. Hope this helps.

Sent from my PC36100 using T-Shirt Forums


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## Tj Ryonet Tech (Jul 28, 2008)

If your flash isn't getting hot enough make sure that not only do you have the right voltage but the right amperage as well. Not enough amps can cause it to not get hot enough as well.


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## ScreenFoo (Aug 9, 2011)

Where to start... Safety, I suppose. Not to be your mom, but if you don't know electrical pretty well, you shouldn't really be screwing around too much with this. A sweet IR panel flash will seem cheap compared to a hospital bill. It sounds like you're having someone help who knows their way around stuff, but I'd rather not hear about anyone hurting themselves...

Just for reference, a 15A 125V flash is not 2000 watts, it's 1875. At 120V, it should be 1800W. Good old pie formula -- P=I*E where P=power in watts, I=current in amps, and E=voltage. The amperage at voltage will be relative to the resistance of the coils, which you can't change. If the resistance is too high, you will not draw the amps at line voltage no matter what you do. If you can get to the coil leads, the coil should read about 8.3 ohms, although this will fluctuate slightly with temperature.

As far as your measurements of voltage, you need to do this with the circuit loaded to get any meaningful info, as the voltage will drop as the current load increases--if you are pushing the limits of the load carrying capability of the circuit, this will be more pronounced. I guess the big question would be was the measurement the voltage of the circuit made while the flash was on?


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## 4oclockteetime (Dec 30, 2007)

Thanks to everyone who made suggestions... Much appreciated but I think TJ and ScreenFoo had the info I was looking for. I was wondering if it may be that the dryer wasn't getting enough juice to it to heat up properly. The problem is the dryer has different stats listed which seems odd. 

For example, the sticker on the dryer reads:
120v, 15amps, kw 1.8, PH1, Hz 60

Yet the sticker on the power chord reads:
125v, 15amps

And then the tech info on the manufacturer's site reads:
120v, 17amps, breaker size 20amps, 2000 watt heating element (was marketed is an 18x18 2000w Flash Dryer) and says "plugs into a standard wall outlet"

The biggest problem is that the 'coil' gets the hot mostly in the center leaving the two outer edges substantially cooler (I've attached an image). So the center gets close to 750 while the outsides/corners can be easily 100 degrees F or more cooler than that.

I did some more testing with it yesterday after making this post. I let the dryer heat up for more than 45 minutes. I swung it over the pallet for 45 seconds, with a height of 3 inches. In the 45 seconds, the pallet only reached a max temp of 245 degrees in the center and much less than that on the outside edges.

I let it continue to heat while I tested it more, this time putting a shirt on the pallet to see how that heated up. It was basically the same with just slight differences. Most of the difference came from the outer edges of the shirt. I let the shirt sit under the dryer for a total of 2 minutes... The center of the shirt reached 335 degrees while the outside edges stayed under 300 degrees.

From what was suggested here, my guess is the dryer isn't getting enough power to heat the coil completely. And to answer ScreenFoo's question, no, they didn't test the voltage when the dryer was on. I will have to ask him to check that in that manner...

Thanks much


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## sben763 (May 17, 2009)

Unless you have an electrical supply problem at you house IE a loose neutral you should have plenty of supply with a 20 amp breaker. A breaker doent regulate how much current can come through it only protects the wiring in your house. So if you plug in your flash and check the same outlet or a diffrent one on the circuit and your getting 120v+ no supply problem. The problem is the flash. Those coil units tend to do exactly whats happening to you. They do work better when they are the 240v models. what you have is Basicly a oven element. I had 3 and all are now gone and only forced air or infared panels are allowed in my shop


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## superD70 (Dec 22, 2010)

the coil type is not as efficient as the infrared panels are, they do not heat evenly either.
make the best of what you have or order a infrared type


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