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How to Slow Heat Down From Copper

As electrons flow through wires producing electricity, they scatter off one another and also off the sides of the wire. This phenomena is known as resistance and is a key measurable quantity. When electrons scatter within the wire, they lose energy. This energy is lost to the surroundings and is generally converted to heat. The heating of copper wires can be a big problem in electrical devices and there are numerous strategies that can be employed to dissipate the heat. Water cooling is an efficient means of dissipating heat in copper wires, and can be employed relatively easily.

Things You'll Need

Water outlet
1/4 inch diameter water hosing
Retractable or folding utility knife
Thermal glue

Instructions

- 1
  Cut the water hosing to a suitable size using the utility knife. In order to determine the size, tightly wrap the water hosing around the length of the copper wire. The water hose should make good thermal contact with the copper wire for the water to carry away the heat.
- 2
  Place a thin layer of thermal glue on the copper wire. Wrap the hosing around the length of the copper wire. Ensure there is plenty of hose left on the ends to allow connection to a nearby water outlet. Allow two hours for the thermal glue to completely set.
- 3
  Connect the ends of the water hose to the nearby water outlet. Turn the water on and ensure there are no leaks in the hosing. Power up the device that is using the copper wire. Heat that builds up in the wire will now be removed by the flowing water, slowing down any rise in temperature.

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