Need Help With Power Supply, Heating / Cooling And Thermostat Ideas

[funkyyyy]

Hi guys, new to this forum so bare with me please.

I am in year 12 and currently doing my Design and Tech Major Project.

I know this is unrelated to brewing (hence the section I am posting) but I am building a guitar cabinet, with temperature control (significantly extends the life of the guitar). The dimensions of this cabinet are:

1365x555x150, constructed from wood with a glass front door. I have a section with a panel & access drawer which will house electronics.

So far for my thermostat I have decided to go with the STC-1000.

I need ideas for cooling the cabinet (was thinking 120mm computer case fans, suck hot air out, push cold air in) and for heating some ceramic bulbs.

What sort of power supply should I use to power all of these components? They are all DC powered things, and would preferably like a "switching" power supply that can be plugged into one single 240v wall socket.

Sorry if this is a lot to ask but I am desperate and would appreciate any help given to me.

Thanks!



~funkyyyy

 

[QldKev]

Hi guys, new to this forum so bare with me please.

I am in year 12 and currently doing my Design and Tech Major Project.

I know this is unrelated to brewing (hence the section I am posting) but I am building a guitar cabinet, with temperature control (significantly extends the life of the guitar). The dimensions of this cabinet are:

1365x555x150, constructed from wood with a glass front door. I have a section with a panel & access drawer which will house electronics.

So far for my thermostat I have decided to go with the STC-1000.

I need ideas for cooling the cabinet (was thinking 120mm computer case fans, suck hot air out, push cold air in) and for heating some ceramic bulbs.

What sort of power supply should I use to power all of these components? They are all DC powered things, and would preferably like a "switching" power supply that can be plugged into one single 240v wall socket.

Sorry if this is a lot to ask but I am desperate and would appreciate any help given to me.

Thanks!



~funkyyyy

It will depend on the current required for your heating bulbs.

A pc fan can run of a simple small phone charger, just find a 12v one.

Allowing the ceramic bulbs will draw a bit of power, I would look at a computer power supply (PSU). You will find even old ones will have a 8amp rail at +12v, with newer ones having 16amp or more.

QldKev

 

[Supra-Jim]

I don't know much about them, but would a peltier (spelling?) device be ideal for this application? It would seem you're only regulating against ambient temp conditions.

Cheers SJ

 

[funkyyyy]

Thank you for the fast reply,

I have plenty of old Computer PSU's laying around and the know how to work with them however I have never used one to power something other than a system. And yeah the ones I have are on the 12v rails @ 8 amps. Which connectors on the PSU would I use?

 

[mkstalen]

First up, if you don't know what you're doing when you're playing with 240V you're quiet likely to get yourself seriously hurt. So please get a qualified sparky to check any plans you're going to build and anything you have build before you try to use it. You only get one life, don't end it on a Yr12 Design & Tech project.

I used the following guide when I used a PC power supply to power my fermenting box, it will help you dtermine which wires run what voltage.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/fast.electrics/PSU.pdf

 

[QldKev]

8amp, I assume thats a 250w PSU

When I use them for projects I just cut the main harness off.

Grab all the black together = Earth
All the Yellows together = +12v

Switch the Green back to the Black to turn the PSU on.


QldKev

 

[gambit]

Be careful, what you are switching with the STC1000. The relay outputs are spec'ed at 240Vac 10A. Note that this is an ac rating. Most 10A rated relays will switch ac okay, but will only switch around 100mA dc, this is reduced even further if you are switching an inductive load. The contacts on the micro relays in the STC1000 will not last long of you switch anything larger.

The trick is to either switch the ac side of your supply or to install a larger interposing relay. Call me a sceptic, but I do not trust the small relays in the STC1000 and have used interposing relays on my fermentation fridge controller.

I would also get a sparky to check out your system, to make sure it is safe and that you do not let the smoke out of anything. Remember all electrical and electronic devices run on smoke - once you let it out, they don't tend to work anymore.

Gambit