A Toaster Toasts Bread
The electrical parts used in a toaster are relatively basic and simple. There is a spring loaded tray and a timer which work with the toaster’s circuit board to toast a piece of bread for your breakfast. Basic electronic principles are used to turn a current on and off. A basic switch is used to send electricity into the toaster and in essence the toaster is designed to turn this electricity into heat that is used to cook the bread. This transformation of electricity into energy is the basic premise behind the toaster’s design. If you look down inside the toaster you will notice sets of wires. These are an essential element for the toaster and we will discuss how they are activated using basic electric components. The housing of a toaster is usually metal or plastic to insulate the toaster and keep it cool to touch even though the inside is heating up and making toast. There are a few toaster designs that operate on battery power, but the vast majority of toasters are designed to be plugged into an AC outlet which provides the electrical current it needs to operate.
The Toaster’s Circuit Board
Inside the toaster is a circuit board which helps the toaster perform its job properly. When the handle or lever is pushed down, a bar will press against the contacts to apply power to the circuit board. The 120 volts of energy runs through the contacts to the wires to start the bread toasting process. This is a simple circuit which is constructed of transistors, capacitors and resistors which ensure that the power reaches the electromagnet. The electromagnet continues to attract the metal bar so that the bread is held in place in the toaster. This is basically a very simple circuit which acts like a timer. The capacitor receives a charge from the resistor and when a specific voltage is achieved the power to the magnet is cut off which releases the bar. The bar as it rises also terminates the power to the toaster.
The toaster has a darkness control so that the user can select how toasted they want their bread from lightly toasted to burnt. In most toasters, this control is actually a variable resistor. When the color is selected the resistance will change the rate at which the capacitor is charged. This controls how long the timer waits before it is released from the electromagnet. There are some toasters which are less sophisticated which use a bi-metallic strip to turn the electromagnet off. When the strip gets hot, it will bend. It bends so far that it will eventually trip a switch that cuts off power to the electromagnet. This can offer some problems especially in instances when the kitchen is too cold. It can cause the toast to be darker than it is supposed to be. To achieve a more consistent piece of toast, the electronic circuit toaster is the best option.
How the Bread Gets Toasted
Many small appliances that heat up use the same concepts in electricity for changing electrical energy to heat energy. They do have to be plugged in to an outlet so that there is an electrical power source. Inside the toaster is a series of loops that are made from special mixtures of metals. One of these medals is called nichrome which is a type of nickel or chromium alloy. This type of metal is used because electricity has difficulty passing through it easily. The metal actually works as a resistor and slows down the current by slowing down the electrons. When there is this type of resistance, the metal gets hot as a result of the friction that is caused by the disruption of the electrical current. The wires or coils inside the toaster appear to be glowing red or orange because the electricity being forced through them is causing it to heat up. Older toasters had a small electrical device called a thermocouple. This is what releases the toast once it reaches the desired temperature. This action releases the toast and at the same time turns the current of electricity off. In more modern toasters, a small timer has replaced the thermocouple.
The Toaster’s Circuit Board
Inside the toaster is a circuit board which helps the toaster perform its job properly. When the handle or lever is pushed down, a bar will press against the contacts to apply power to the circuit board. The 120 volts of energy runs through the contacts to the wires to start the bread toasting process. This is a simple circuit which is constructed of transistors, capacitors and resistors which ensure that the power reaches the electromagnet. The electromagnet continues to attract the metal bar so that the bread is held in place in the toaster. This is basically a very simple circuit which acts like a timer. The capacitor receives a charge from the resistor and when a specific voltage is achieved the power to the magnet is cut off which releases the bar. The bar as it rises also terminates the power to the toaster.
The toaster has a darkness control so that the user can select how toasted they want their bread from lightly toasted to burnt. In most toasters, this control is actually a variable resistor. When the color is selected the resistance will change the rate at which the capacitor is charged. This controls how long the timer waits before it is released from the electromagnet. There are some toasters which are less sophisticated which use a bi-metallic strip to turn the electromagnet off. When the strip gets hot, it will bend. It bends so far that it will eventually trip a switch that cuts off power to the electromagnet. This can offer some problems especially in instances when the kitchen is too cold. It can cause the toast to be darker than it is supposed to be. To achieve a more consistent piece of toast, the electronic circuit toaster is the best option.
How the Bread Gets Toasted
Many small appliances that heat up use the same concepts in electricity for changing electrical energy to heat energy. They do have to be plugged in to an outlet so that there is an electrical power source. Inside the toaster is a series of loops that are made from special mixtures of metals. One of these medals is called nichrome which is a type of nickel or chromium alloy. This type of metal is used because electricity has difficulty passing through it easily. The metal actually works as a resistor and slows down the current by slowing down the electrons. When there is this type of resistance, the metal gets hot as a result of the friction that is caused by the disruption of the electrical current. The wires or coils inside the toaster appear to be glowing red or orange because the electricity being forced through them is causing it to heat up. Older toasters had a small electrical device called a thermocouple. This is what releases the toast once it reaches the desired temperature. This action releases the toast and at the same time turns the current of electricity off. In more modern toasters, a small timer has replaced the thermocouple.