Portable 12-volt Water Cooler for Chemistry Lab Experiments
Building a Portable 12V DC Chiller: A Step-by-Step Guide
In a recent demonstration by Markus Bindhammer, also known as Marb's lab, a unique portable chiller was created using a 12V DC compressor-based freezer. This innovative setup can be particularly useful for cooling down ice cream, lab critters, or for small-scale cooling tasks in a lab setting.
To start, you'll need a 12V DC portable freezer, typically around 9 liters in volume, designed for use in cars, motorhomes, or boats. These freezers are equipped with a compressor, making them more efficient for chilling purposes than Peltier-cooled refrigerators.
The key steps in this build are:
- Selecting the Right Freezer: Choose a compact, 12V DC freezer with a compressor.
- Careful Drilling: Drill holes in the freezer's body for the water inlet/outlet tubes and the pump cable. Be sure to drill them carefully to avoid damaging internal pipes or cables.
- Proper Sealing: Seal the components to prevent any leaks.
- Installing the Submersible Pump: Place the pump inside the freezer's ice compartment to circulate water through the system.
- Connecting the Tubing: Connect the inlet and outlet tubes to circulate cooled water externally, creating a water chiller system.
- Housing the Electronics: Use a waterproof plastic box to house the electronics and pump controls, drilling mounting holes to secure everything neatly and safely.
The entire system runs on 12V DC power, ensuring safety around water and making it suitable for portable use. This setup allows for precise regulation of water flow and utilizes the compressor's effective cooling to maintain chilled water.
The water pump is controlled by a variable speed controller board, and the power lead enters the freezer from the outside. The pump controller is placed outside the freezer, in a box, for easy access and control.
This portable chiller uses a compressor-based freezer as its base, making it more capable than Peltier-cooled refrigerators. With this modification, the freezer's functionality is not significantly impacted, allowing it to be used as normal.
For those interested, Markus Bindhammer has detailed the entire build process in a recent DIY video, complete with timing guides for drilling holes, installing the pump, wiring, and testing the functional chiller running off a 12V DC power source[1]. This setup can also be applied to larger freezers with similar modifications.
[1] Link to the video: [Insert Video Link Here]
In this DIY venture, a submersible pump and a variable speed controller board are added to a 12V DC portable freezer to create a water-cooling system, demonstrating the fusion of technology and DIY craftsmanship. This homemade water chiller, powered by a 12V DC source, is not only useful for cooling down ice cream or lab critters but also for small-scale cooling tasks in a laboratory setting, much like the one showcased by Markus Bindhammer in his recent video.
