# Battery Powered Peltier (Electrothermal) Cooler?



## zeig (Jul 12, 2012)

I'm currently working on a project and need to power a Peltier (electrothermal) cooler. Is there any way i can get cold temperatures with a battery?I've provided a link to the component, they are around 12V and 77W and about 6A.


http://www.amazon.com/TEC1-12705-Thermoelectric-Peltier-Cooler-40mm/sim/B002UQKEU8/2


is there any electrical circuitry i could use off a basic battery or any way to power one of these? I need some cool temperatures on the cool side of the Peltier chip to cool some water, I'll have a heatsink and fan attached to the hot side to increase efficiency.


Thanks~


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## triden (Jun 13, 2012)

For that amount of power you will need to use a car battery. Otherwise, just find a used PC power supply or laptop power supply and run it off that. You don't need any special electrical circuitry to power a peltier cooler unless you want to limit the temperature change. In this case you would use a current limiting device, but that is optional. Sounds like the rest of your setup should work.

Chris


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## LJSMITH1 (May 4, 2009)

zeig said:


> I'm currently working on a project and need to power a Peltier (electrothermal) cooler. Is there any way i can get cold temperatures with a battery?I've provided a link to the component, they are around 12V and 77W and about 6A.
> 
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/TEC1-12705-Thermoelectric-Peltier-Cooler-40mm/sim/B002UQKEU8/2
> ...


Why not just use a straight up Liquid Cooling System for a CPU? I am not sure how cold you need to get (or how many BTU's you need to remove), but the Peltier modules don't really pull that much heat out for the wattage used. Plus the fact that you are converting to a water system anyway, makes these preconfigured systems all the more attractive. Plus the overall power usage would probably be less for a 120MM muffin fan motor (typically less than 4W).


http://www.directron.com/bxrts2011lc.html

http://subzeropcs.com/

http://www.frozencpu.com/

However, if you are looking to cool something below room temperature (i.e. chill), the Peltier might be your best bet. Here are some systems that you might be able to hack to get in a configuration you need.

http://koolatrononline.stores.yahoo.net/12v-coolers-warmers.html

Maybe you use the Peltier in conjuction with the preconfigured liquid cooling system? 

A car or marine battery, or scooter battery (lead acid, deep cycle, AGM) would be your best power source for such an application.

Have fun!:thumbsup:


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## zeig (Jul 12, 2012)

I'm not lookin to cool my laptop with this project. more of a portable self cooler


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## LJSMITH1 (May 4, 2009)

zeig said:


> I'm not lookin to cool my laptop with this project. more of a portable self cooler


I am not suggesting that. I was suggesting that you use it to get rid of the heat from the peltier....

Good luck with just using a peltier....


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

I made a little soft-drink cooler with one of these. Your best bet is just to get a small switching-mode power supply with inherent overload protection. Try Marlin P. Jones Associates. They sell a lot of that stuff cheap.

-John


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## Semi-Ret Electrician (Nov 10, 2011)

Those coolers are great for road trips, camping or getting groceries home. Mine drew about 6A at 12VDC and dropped the temp about 30 deg.

It would keep a bag of ice frozen for a couple of days and worked fine off a 120v/12V 8A battery charger at a campsite.


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## zeig (Jul 12, 2012)

LJSMITH1 said:


> I am not suggesting that. I was suggesting that you use it to get rid of the heat from the peltier....
> 
> Good luck with just using a peltier....


oh my bad haha, Uhm, i would if it wasnt so redundant, using a water cooler to cool my water cooling system .. ill throw a heat sink on it and a fan though.

BUT i really need a semi lightweight batter that can last 2-4 hours =/ only needs to get down to around 40 degrees i guess


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## LJSMITH1 (May 4, 2009)

zeig said:


> oh my bad haha, Uhm, i would if it wasnt so redundant, using a water cooler to cool my water cooling system .. ill throw a heat sink on it and a fan though.
> 
> BUT i really need a semi lightweight batter that can last 2-4 hours =/ only needs to get down to around 40 degrees i guess


 
Ditch the Thermoelectric cooling. It won't work for your application.

Build a heat echanger backpack with a small pump and circulate a glycol solution through a suit of tubing. Fill the backpack with ice and dry-ice.

Use a couple of R/C, high-capacity, Lithium Polymer (LiPo) batteries. Way more power for the weigh than AGM or Wet cell batteries.

:thumbsup:


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## zeig (Jul 12, 2012)

I'm going to circulate my coolant in a suit but i planned to cool it with the TEC chip, that wont work? i feel with such low temps im cooling it would. i need the back to stay small


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## LJSMITH1 (May 4, 2009)

zeig said:


> I'm going to circulate my coolant in a suit but i planned to cool it with the TEC chip, that wont work? i feel with such low temps im cooling it would. i need the back to stay small


Do some research and you will see what I am talking about. 

http://thermal.ferrotec.com/technology/thermal/thermoelectric-reference-guide/

Heat load is your problem. The Human body + exterior thermal conditions = large # of BTU's needed which exceed most TEC capacities...


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## zeig (Jul 12, 2012)

oh yea.. What about if i just have the coolant circulated through a transmission oil cooler radiator with a fan on it? would that help lower my body temp?


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## LJSMITH1 (May 4, 2009)

zeig said:


> oh yea.. What about if i just have the coolant circulated through a transmission oil cooler radiator with a fan on it? would that help lower my body temp?


I think you can figure it out with all of the information I gave you. 

Good Luck!


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## zeig (Jul 12, 2012)

LJSMITH1 said:


> I think you can figure it out with all of the information I gave you.
> 
> Good Luck!



well...im trying.. but no equations ive found sofar really helped yet.


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## LJSMITH1 (May 4, 2009)

zeig said:


> well...im trying.. but no equations ive found sofar really helped yet.


Google is your friend..

http://www.tetech.com/Peltier-Thermoelectric-Cooler-Module-Calculator/index.php

http://www.tetech.com/Cooling-Assembly-and-Heat-Load-Calculator/index.php

You need to work harder....


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## zeig (Jul 12, 2012)

okay the max W a human dissipates during workout is around 900W. 
i plugged these numbers in and it looks like a TEC would work. did i do something wrong?

I couldn't quite get anything from the heat sink one...

im trying i swear



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## zeig (Jul 12, 2012)

any help on the above post? :/


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## LJSMITH1 (May 4, 2009)

zeig said:


> any help on the above post? :/


Buddy...you seriously need to learn how to research. In less than 10 minutes, I found a load of links that show product already designed that accomplishes what you are trying to do, relevant patents, and college papers on the subject.

http://www.mscooling.com/activecooling

http://www.coolvest.com/RPCM_Cooling_Vest/Default.aspx

http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~jrc49/projects/thermo.pdf

http://www.coolshirt.net/

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitst...008 Final Report - Team 14 - Cooling Vest.pdf

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/HBASE/thermo/coobod.html

http://www.google.com/patents/US5386701


Lastly, here is a thread with some kid asking the same thing back in 2009 about Peltier devices on the All About Circuits forum: http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/showthread.php?t=23322

Funny, quite a few folks said the same thing I already told you....:no:

So, stop asking folks to help you. I can't even believe I gave you as much as I did.

Good luck...again.. You will need it.:blink:


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## zeig (Jul 12, 2012)

wow. before you want to be condescending how about you ask what my full plans/intentions are. I've done all that research as far as if what i want to construct exists. it doesn't. all those vests either need to be put in a freezer or have a large cooling unit that isn't practically carried. 

So thanks for the help but not the attitude.

I was only looking into peltier as an alternative to my current design by the way.


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

You should make an IV kit that will tap into a vein and an artery, and circulate the human blood through a cooling tower worn on the head, like a stovepipe hat.


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## TOOL_5150 (Aug 27, 2007)

MDShunk said:


> You should make an IV kit that will tap into a vein and an artery, and circulate the human blood through a cooling tower worn on the head, like a stovepipe hat.


:laughing::laughing::thumbup:

Best way to end the day... :thumbsup:


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## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

Free Louis Peltier


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## aDudeInPhx (Feb 20, 2012)

Shockdoc said:


> Free Louis Peltier


Leonard Peltier? 
Thank you rage against the machine


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