Winding your own inductors?

zingo
zingo Posts: 11,258
edited April 2010 in DIY, Mods & Tweaks
Has anyone ever wound their own inductors? I am starting to rebuild my new pair of Klipsch Forte crossovers, and I wanted to replace the inductors, but some of the very low DCR inductors are big money. Winding my own would save me some money and be a new projects I've never tried. Granted, I know the result may not be the same as paying for a high-dollar inductor, but I don't see why I couldn't get good results.

I found this that might be helpful in my quest.
Inductor Calculator
Jake
Post edited by zingo on
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  • hearingimpared
    hearingimpared Posts: 21,137
    edited April 2010
    zingo wrote: »
    Has anyone ever wound their own inductors? I am starting to rebuild my new pair of Klipsch Forte crossovers, and I wanted to replace the inductors, but some of the very low DCR inductors are big money. Winding my own would save me some money and be a new projects I've never tried. Granted, I know the result may not be the same as paying for a high-dollar inductor, but I don't see why I couldn't get good results.

    I found this that might be helpful in my quest.
    Inductor Calculator

    Jake,

    PM Ben (ben62670) and get a dialog going with him. I'm 99% sure that he has done so or tried at least. He can give you some insight into this.

    Joe
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 7,658
    edited April 2010
    Hello,
    The number of turns is determined by multiplying 100 times the square root of the desired inductance divided by "AL". The inductance is in uH and "AL" is uH per 100 turns. The permeability and size of the core material that you use in the toroid determines the "AL" value. I can recommend Amidon Associates for help with cores and wire choices.
    Good luck, Ken
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited April 2010
    What kind of values are we talking about here? For woofers in a 3 way, Erse's Sledgehammer inductors come in large values, have a low DCR, and are pretty affordable. For mids/tweets, Erse and Jantzen both have a good selection on the cheap.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited April 2010
    2 each of .16mH and 3mH, low DCR or course and I've heard air-core is the way to go for x-overs.
    Jake
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited April 2010
    Some interesting stuff here: http://www.erseaudio.com/AudioTechCenter

    I edited my post above, I have no problem using a *high quality* solid core in series with a woofer in a 3 way. For a midrange or woofer in a 2 way, I would use an air core, even though saturation/distortion usually isn't a concern unless you're using high power levels.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited April 2010
    I used the calculator above to design the 3mH inductor, but the math doesn't look good so far for the price. 10g wire is 31ft per lbs, and a 3mH inductor of 10g wire comes in at 201ft. Two of those is 402ft, which is 13lbs of 10g wire, which is $234 for two inductors. It might be a fun project, but hardly cost effective it seems...
    Jake
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited April 2010
    You would save $50.

    http://www.northcreekmusic.com/NorthCreekCoilPrices.PDF

    http://www.northcreekmusic.com/COILS.html

    Or $1500. :D

    http://www.partsconnexion.com/inductor_duelpio.html
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited April 2010
    Another inductor question: if my xover calls for a value of .16mH, is .15mH close enough, or is there no margine of error?
    Face wrote: »
    You would save $50.

    http://www.northcreekmusic.com/NorthCreekCoilPrices.PDF

    http://www.northcreekmusic.com/COILS.html

    Or $1500. :D

    http://www.partsconnexion.com/inductor_duelpio.html

    I could save a ton of money! :p
    Jake
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited April 2010
    .15 is within 10%, shouldn't be a problem.

    Or, you could just buy a .18-.2 and unwind it to .16.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited April 2010
    Thanks!
    Jake
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  • zingo
    zingo Posts: 11,258
    edited April 2010
    I'm looking at foil inductors and they seem to come in values of 2.7 or 3.3. Obviously either of these fall within 10% of 3mH, and I can't unwind the 3.3 because it's foil, so which do you think would be better? Over shoot or under shoot?
    Jake
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited April 2010
    http://www.partsconnexion.com/product15791.html
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited April 2010
    Just a heads up, using a vastly different DCR in the replacement inductor can throw off your crossover points.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited April 2010
    Unless you have an inductance meter I would just buy them. Even still I buy them done. It's cheaper. If they don't have a value I need I order a larger one and peel of the excess taking many measurements as I go.
    Ben
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
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  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited April 2010
    http://www.parts-express.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?Partnumber=266-838
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
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  • FTGV
    FTGV Posts: 3,649
    edited April 2010
    Face wrote: »
    ... using a vastly different DCR in the replacement inductor can throw off your crossover points.

    In the woofer circuit significant changes in inductor DCR will alter the damping(Qes)of the driver thus bass tuning and cause a small change in sensitivity.
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