NphRandom

The solar charge control unit will balance and discharge the power so battery's will not get over charged, you do not need a switch between solar panels and a charge control unit. That is its function, to divert and control the power going into the battery's.http://www.eagleready.org/solar/wiring.html

Hello and thank you for the comment and interesting information, that is actually a really good idea and would be a simple solution to control the air flow.

Thank you for the comment, I will keep an eye out for cast iron items.

Thank you for the comment and interesting information.

Thank you for the comment and that is something I will look into.

Thank you for the detailed comment, it is always nice to hear from those who actually have real experience with things like using propane. Safety is very important and I have never been one to rush into something or take unnecessary risks. I figured the smell was an additive like in regular home gas as natural gas has no smell. Again thanks for the good onformation.

Hello thanks for the comment, I think I may get a graphite one eventually, for now I will play around with some other ideas and if Ii am allowed will invest in some welding stuff and do as you have suggested and make some good tongs along with a load of other things i am sure.

hello thanks for the comment, i am considering making a gas fired one at some point. I didnt make a gas one this time because coal is cheaper and also being a first project like this i was unsure about it all plus wife was a little cocerned lol. But i do really want to make a gas one and if i do i will make sure to research it all first.

Thanks for the comment, that is a concern for sure, I have considered that happening so I am looking more to using something that is already one complete piece like an exstinguisher or maybe just pay out for a graphite one. Have enough bad days as it is lol.

I have looked at making a gas version, but this will be something in teh future and Ii will use a new tank to make it, this one serves as a smelter, forge and a barbecue and is cheaper to run than gas as i can use coal, charcoal and even wood lumps. But thank you for teh comment.

The only two options that I have found out about are steel and graphite, the graphite ones don,t need much maintenance really just clean them up, but they do cost a ton, however you get what you paid for and they last a long time. That is why foundry's and pro people use them, plus they take a higher heat so can be used to melt gold, steel etc.As for steel dissolving into the aluminium, that I have never heard of and there is over a thousand degrees difference in temp for melting steel, even small amounts wont begin to melt until they reach at least 2600 while aluminium melts very easy at 1220. One thing i have never had is steel melt and mix with aluminium, the problem comes with using too thin steel like a tin or something that is so thin it basically breaks because it ruptures from t...

The only two options that I have found out about are steel and graphite, the graphite ones don,t need much maintenance really just clean them up, but they do cost a ton, however you get what you paid for and they last a long time. That is why foundry's and pro people use them, plus they take a higher heat so can be used to melt gold, steel etc.As for steel dissolving into the aluminium, that I have never heard of and there is over a thousand degrees difference in temp for melting steel, even small amounts wont begin to melt until they reach at least 2600 while aluminium melts very easy at 1220. One thing i have never had is steel melt and mix with aluminium, the problem comes with using too thin steel like a tin or something that is so thin it basically breaks because it ruptures from the heat.I made a crucible using a small colemans gas tank, it was real good, worked great however my smelter was so hot and it glowed like steel does when you go to hammer and work with it. I was eager and pushed a thick chunk length of aluminium down forcing it in and ended up tearing the base, sooo, yea aluminium filled the base. I am sure that if I had just left it and not been so forceful it would have worked.I am currently looking for an empty fire extinguisher as the walls are thicker and would work better, but if i cant fond one i will but a small section of wide steel thick pipe and a steel plate and have someone weld the two together.Below is a picture of what happens when you force a piece of long thick aluminium down and puncture the red hot crucible. I am actually going to put up the step by step of how i made it as i think if not forced and punctured it should still be an ok crucible and will show how they can be made along with be a cautionary tale for others.

Hello and thank you for the comment, Aluminium melts at 1220 degrees Fahrenheit and this smelter melts it easy, obviously it could melt lead even easier as that is a very low melt temp of 621. The only real problem with charcoal smelters is that they are limited to what they can melt due to the fact that you will never get them hot enough. Gas, oil or electrical smelters are used to melt higher temp metals. Copper is 1983, while steel is 2600 and silver 1761 with gold being 1954. Now I am not sure exactly how hot this thing gets, like I said aluminium is an easy one, metals such as cadmium, bismuth and antimony would melt but actually finding them in a raw state let alone enough to even consider melting would be practically impossible. Here is a link to a page that shows the melting poi...

Hello and thank you for the comment, Aluminium melts at 1220 degrees Fahrenheit and this smelter melts it easy, obviously it could melt lead even easier as that is a very low melt temp of 621. The only real problem with charcoal smelters is that they are limited to what they can melt due to the fact that you will never get them hot enough. Gas, oil or electrical smelters are used to melt higher temp metals. Copper is 1983, while steel is 2600 and silver 1761 with gold being 1954. Now I am not sure exactly how hot this thing gets, like I said aluminium is an easy one, metals such as cadmium, bismuth and antimony would melt but actually finding them in a raw state let alone enough to even consider melting would be practically impossible. Here is a link to a page that shows the melting points of different metals, however most of them are base raw and not common to find as they are usually mixed in metal processes to make other alloys.http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/melting-temperat...I hope that you have a nice remainder to your day.Nph

Hello, thank you for commenting, I have just finished adding it all step by step as a full Instructable. Thank you for your feedback regarding this and I hope that you have a nice remainder to your day.Nph