magnetic stirrer

[RalphLambrecht]

i'mlooking for a good an resonably priced magnetic stirrer in germany. any suggestions?

[eclarke]

No question, buy a Corning hotplate/stirrer..a lottle more expensive but a high value and it will mix four liters of chemistry. If you are mixing small batches like one liter, a stick blender, also known as an immersion blender, works extremely well. I can make a liter of D76 in room temperature water in about five or ten minutes..Evan Clarke

[holmburgers]

If budget minded, you can score any number of varying grades in the used market. Laboratory surplus, university liquidation, eBay; places like that.

[jochen]

Hello Ralph,
the most known manufacturers of magnetic stirrers in Germany are IKA (Janke&Kunkel) and Heidolph. One of the biggest suppliers for laboratory equipment is VWR (a subsidiary of Merck), they offer a complete IKA kit of stirrer with electronic contact thermometer (IKA RCT classic) for about 400 € (new). A used stirrer in good condition should cost well under 100 €, but you should have a critical look for the general condition of the equipment (corrosion, dirt from chemicals). If you do not need the heating and temperature control, there are also models on the market who can only stir, even very simple ones. Normal stirrers can stir up to about 5 liters but boiling water only to about 2 liters in a reasonable time. With the electronic contact thermometer you can hold a constant temperature of about +/- 1° C.

[RalphLambrecht]

that's what i bought, got it for 152 euros. works great.

[Bill Burk]

On that auction site, item 200650820772, is a water-powered stirrer (two available).

No connection with seller, but I found one of these at a rummage sale and am very happy with the way it works.

You hook up with flexible hose to your sink's water supply and adjust speed by running water faster/slower.

I particularly enjoy that there is no shock hazard if something spills.

[keithwms]

Go to any nearby college or high school and see if they have an old one they want to get rid of. These things get tossed out routinely because students spill stuff on them.

[RalphLambrecht]

isiy ok to leave it running overnight unatended?500b of sulfite don'i dissolve that wquickly.

[John Wiegerink]

I wouldn't have a problem leaving the stirrer run overnight, but if it's the hotplate combo type stirrer I think I'd leave the hotplate off while unattendend. Fire is a nasty thing and it gets nastier as it gets bigger. So, if you want to run the heat you could put it someplace where there's is no chance of that fire getting bigger. Like maybe outside for overnight use? Just a thought on the safe side, JohnW

[Bill Harrison]

Evan, Stick blenders introduce a lot of air... not good for D76. I used to shake it in a plastic bottle and couldn't understand why my D76 didn't hold up as long as my lab mates, mixed at the same time. Magnetic stirrer is better.