This is a placeholder topic for “Peltier Thermo-Electric Cooler Module+Heatsink Assembly - 12V 5A” comments.
This is for people who just want to get cold fast. The 12V Peltier module is mounted onto a 12V heatsink and fan assembly with thermal paste and an aluminum clamp. … read more
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Looking to install an outdoor enclosure housing cctv equipment. Was wondering if this unit would be suitable for maintaining an acceptable internal temperature in full Qld sun?
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Hi Jamie
Depends on how big your enclosure is and if it is in direct sunlight.
I mounted a similar size one made up in a similar setup with heat sink and fan into the lid of a smaller (maybe 12 can) Esky type cooler. Worked well for what it was used for. I later had a larger commercial one which I don’t know what size Peltier device was in it and this unit struggled a bit on a hot day in the back of my car. But having said that, it did work. If you have use for the feature these devices will heat by reversing the battery connections. I reversed the fan direction as well with my home made unit.
One thing to remember is these things only reduce the temperature XºC below AMBIENT. If the demo got to -3ºC I would say the trial occurred in an already cold air conditioned room. The Peltier devices do work but if you want or need more grunt you need a bigger device and consequently more current. They come in different sizes.
Cheers Bob
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Do you know the maximum ambient temperature this can be in?
I have an enclosure (approx. 380mm wide, 380mm deep and 450mm high) that I want to temperature control to ranges between 15degC and 60degC.
When I want the temperature to be 60degC, I will have no need for cooling, but the cooler will still be present.
But when I want temperatures to be 25-30degC, I will want to cool down from temperatures of 40-50degC.
There will be a heated platform within the enclosure at all times, so cooling from 40-50degC within the chamber (outside of the chamber may still be 10-25degC roughly) due to the heated platform heating the enclosure.
Hi Matt
I can’t quite see where you are going with this. Heating and cooling at the same time.
This thread referred to peltier devices which as I stated above (in 2022) I have used. Cooling and heating but not both at the same time. The peltier device will reduce the temp below ambient but there is a limit to this ie; X degrees below ambient depending on current.
If you are heating to 50º you might struggle to get down to 15º. In the heating mode I think the upper limit is something like 60º.
You will have to research these peltier devices to see exactly how they work so this method might not suit your situation. They are fairly hungry for current too so your supply needs to be adequate.
Cheers Bob
Hi Bob,
It’s a 3D printer, which has a heated bed. For some materials, the heated bed will be 60degC or so, which heats the enclosure up, sometimes too much (not uncommon for the enclosure to get to 40-50deg due to just the heated bed).
While the material likes to have a bed temperature of 50deg, it likes to have an ambient temperature of 20deg.
I was planning to use something like this to keep the enclosure ambient temperature in the 20-30deg range to fight against the heated bed. The peltier device would only be used for cooling, and to negate the effects of the head bed on ambient temp.
For other materials, the bed will be 100deg, and I have an additional heated to get the enclosure to about 60-70deg. In these instances, the cooling unit will not contribute anything, but it will be present in the enclosure at these temperatures. I want to know if ambient temperatures of up to 70degC may damage this device.
Happy to do my own research, are you able to point me in the direction of some resources? OEM documentation, datasheets etc.
Kind Regards,
Matt.
Hi Matt
Google “peltier device” for lots of info
Wikipedia article here
Plus lots more.
Cheers Bob
Bob,
Yes, I know how to google a type of heat pump. I am after specific OEM information for this exact device.
Don’t worry, I’ll go elsewhere.
Hi Matt
That will probably have to come from Core staff. I am only a contributor to this Forum.
Cheers Bob
Just trying to help.
Hi Bob,
I wasn’t aware that you weren’t a staff member. Apologies. Thanks for the help anyways, cheers.
Matt.
Hi Matt
Accepted. A large percentage of contributors on this Forum are NOT Core employees.
The employees have a little shield alongside their name in the heading.
Cheers Bob
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Hi Matt
Just had a close up look and re read your post describing the printer enclosure you want to cool.
I am not sure you can do that. Someone with more experience might have other ideas. Surely if you cool the enclosure interior you will reduce the temperature of your heating bed as that is the prime cause of your enclosure heating as this will radiate and the bit I do know tells me that the hot air will rise.
So maybe the solution is a small fan which will gently get rid of any excess hot air. Air will have to get in to replace this exhausted air but that may be above the print bed level so will have minimal cooling effect on the bed itself.
You would also have to be careful to not cool the print nozzle. I would imagine this needs to be heated to enable the printing material to be deposited in the right place with the right consistency.
Or if you are in a lower humidity area you could try evaporative cooling. Something like the old “meat safe” principle used before refrigerators became common. We had one in Griffith when I was very young. Works very well and the principle is still used with the “water bags” often seen hanging on the front of vehicles out in the country. The hotter and dryer the day the colder the water gets inside. Just about freezing. This is about zero expenditure as all you have to do is keep water in the top tray.
Cheers Bob
Evaporative air conditioning works on the same idea. The faster the water evaporates the colder the air gets.
Hey @Matt305985 ,
This assembly should be able to tolerate operating temperatures of around 60 degrees without causing damage however, this doesn’t seem like the best option to reduce the temperature inside of your 3D printer’s enclosure. This type of cooler is really good at reducing the temperature of a small area or component, but it won’t be very efficient for a larger open area like your enclosure.
I second Bob’s idea for some kind of fan system to remove and replace the air inside of the enclosure to lower the temperature. Cooling down the intake air, if needed, will be much easier than trying to cool down static air inside of the enclosure, especially with other heating elements running at the same time.
Would you be able to send through some photos of your current setup? It may be easier to get an idea of what solutions may work once we have a better picture of what you are working with.
