Cheap solution for environmental chamber

I need to test a product at hot and cold temperatures. Can anyone suggest a cheap alternative to an environmental chamber?

A small freezer would probably be fine for the cold, but what is a good solution for hot (50C)? I think a toaster oven would be too hot.

Thanks, David

============================= David Novak Dajac Inc.

17152 Shadoan Way Westfield, IN 46074

Email: snipped-for-privacy@dajac.com Phone: 317-258-0223 Fax: 317-867-1888

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Hardware/Software Consulting Headlamp Alignment Equipment =============================

Reply to
David Novak
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Phoenix, about this time of year.

--
  Keith
Reply to
krw

A toaster oven and a (big) lamp dimmer. You'd have to monitor the temperature yourself, or make a controller, but it'd do the job.

Or a toaster oven, a relay, a temperature controller from Omega, and a temperature probe from same. "Cheap" may fall by the wayside without some inspired eBay buying, but it'd also do the job.

--
Tim Wescott
Control systems and communications consulting
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Reply to
Tim Wescott

Small freezer = insulated box.

Unplug freezer, run flat power cable inside with small thermostatically controlled heater (PTC ceramic disk heaters (with fan) are reasonably safe). Set for 50C. Light bulbs and a separate thermostat is another classic heating method. Plain old resistive elements...hot is pretty easy.

The freezer plastic interior might object, but if it's only 50C will probably be fine. However, a few sheets of rigid board insulation (the foil-faced stuff works particularly well) from the building supply and a bit of tape (foil if you get the foil-faced board) could make you a dedicated hot box easily enough - heat the same way, be able to run a batch in hot and a batch in cold at the same time.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by
Reply to
Ecnerwal

Small chambers go for around $200 in the surplus shops, provided they are the liquid nitrogen type. Full refrigeration costs considerably more.

Reply to
miso

Maybe try:

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$24.00 at Home Depot

Or ...

I do environmental tests in my kitchen oven. I haven't tried 50C but my kitchen oven dial has 65C as a min. I use a fan in the oven to circulate the air. D from BC

Reply to
D from BC

If it's really small (eg single pcb) you could get one of those 6-pack

12V mini fridges. They use a peltier device and usually have a switch to choose warming or cooling.
--
Ben Jackson AD7GD

http://www.ben.com/
Reply to
Ben Jackson

Find a toaster oven that has a thermostat?

Good Luck! Rich

Reply to
Rich Grise

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You idiot! That's a space heater for heaven's sakes - he doesn't want to raise the whole blinkin' ROOM to 50C!

Try one of these:

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Cheers! Rich

Reply to
Rich Grise

Down to WallyMart to get a moderatly large (compared with the DUT) camping cooler. Drill a hole in the side for a thermometer probe (tight fit). Light bulb and fan for heating. Remove light bulb. Insert dry ice for chilling. Use a Polish temperature controller (light bulb and switch on the fan) to regulate (sort of) temperature.

Jim

--
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in 
a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, 
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Reply to
RST Engineering (jw)

If you have compressed air available, you could use a vortex cooler, see wikidpedia

martin

Reply to
martin griffith

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Could still work.. I don't think the size of that environmental chamber was mentioned yet.. :P

Heck...the OP might be able to insulate a closet and use that as an environmental chamber.. Home Depot has pink foam insulation too.

I've turned washrooms into paint bake rooms :)

D from BC

Reply to
D from BC

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I'll bet the old lady just loved that little stunt.

Did you at least morph it into a grow room?

Reply to
Spurious Response

My full size gas oven is about 45C when set to the lowest "warm" setting - try your oven at home.

-- Regards, Carl Ijames carl dott ijames aat verizon dott net (remove nospm or make the obvious changes before replying)

Reply to
Carl Ijames

I have a "counter-top" oven that looks a lot like this one, except it's white enamel:

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and I don't remember where I bought it or what brand it is, but it's got a mechanical thermostat; the lowest indication is 150F, the highest is

400 or 450F, and at ambient I can hear (and feel) the knob thermostat click about half-way up from "off" to "150", so it could probably be set as low as 100F, if you have a decent thermometer and time to let it stabilize. It's yours for the cost of shipping - make an email by concatenating my first and last name and sending it to yahoo, if you're interested.
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CAUTION! 463KB picture file!

Cheers! Rich email: richgrise at ya-you-know-what-hoo etc. ;-)

Reply to
Rich Grise

You can buy

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and a relay to turn on and off a heater AKA big fat resistor or light bulb.

If you put a lot of thermal mass inside the box, the thermostat won't have to cycle very often. You can also size the heater so that it isn't too strong.

Reply to
MooseFET

Depends on how big your DUT is.

There was one in "Circuit Cellar" perhaps 3-4 years back. It used a small "auto" fridge with Peltier effect coolers and a couple of WW resistors for a heater, together with a small controller. These fridges are the size that neatly holds a 6-pack.

I can find the reference to the exact issue if that helps.

Barry

Reply to
Barry Lennox

clothes dryer?

refrigerator shell with a heater and a thermostat installed.

Bye. Jasen

Reply to
Jasen

Thanks for all the great ideas! I think I will try one of the mini fridges that support heat and cool.

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David

Jasen wrote:

Reply to
David Novak

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